Pavlovsk chickens: description of the golden breed and its characteristics, photo Selo.Guru

Pavlovsk chickens differ from other breeds by their unusual appearance - their regal posture and lush plumage make them one of the most popular decorative crosses.

They are unpretentious in care and maintenance, rarely get sick and consume little feed, making them suitable even for novice poultry farmers.

In Russia, this species is considered the most beautiful and elegant representative of the chicken family.

Origin

Pavlovsk decorative layers were bred in Russia more than 300 years ago. Their ancestors were presumably domestic birds brought from Persia. The breeding and improvement of new birds was first started in the village. Pavlovo, Nizhny Novgorod province, hence their name. In 1905, a breed standard was adopted, after which Pavlovkas began to be sold domestically and also abroad.

After the October events of 1917, their numbers in Russia fell sharply. For a long time, no one worked on the breed, and only in the 80s of the last century did domestic breeders manage to restore the population. To do this, we had to use Dutch chickens, as well as Faverolles, Sultanok and La Fleche.

Historical reference

Crested chickens were first seen in the Nizhny Novgorod region in the inconspicuous village of Pavlovo at the end of the 18th century. It is difficult to say how they appeared, who was their progenitor, since not a single written evidence of the appearance of such unusual birds has been preserved. They simply were, and their owners loved them for their decorative appearance and friendly nature. Somehow, these chickens soon began to appear in many Russian farmsteads, and in 1899 they were recognized as the best national breed.

However, the age of birds was short-lived - after the revolution that happened at the beginning of the 20th century, Pavlovsk chickens disappeared completely. Only 70 years later, passionate poultry farmers began to revive the elite Russian breed. To get the prototype of the Pavlovsk chicken, scientists crossed the Dutch, Sultan, Faverolles and La Freche breeds. As a result, crested chickens “resurrected” and continued to delight modern livestock owners with their existence.

Appearance

The main element of the characteristics of Pavlovskaya chickens will be a description of their appearance. Both females and males are small in size, strongly built, each with a luxurious beard and crest, as well as densely feathered legs.

Wherein:

The head is round, of medium size. The beak is straight and thin, and its color is determined by the color of the plumage;
eyes are large, with dark irises;
The crest is round or oval at the base, and opens into a fountain closer to the top. There are also helmet-shaped crests, compressed on the sides and facing slightly forward. If such “decoration” does not impair the bird’s visibility, it is acceptable. Otherwise, it is considered a reason for culling;
the crest is small, reminiscent of the horns of La Fleche. The earrings are barely visible due to his thick beard. The latter, like the sideburns, covers a significant part of the throat and red face;
the neck is moderately long, densely covered with feathers;
the wings are of medium size, but wide, pressed closely to the body;
the tail is full, standing almost vertically to the back;
the legs are covered with feathers, with a characteristic “hawk-like” tuft. In the knee area they form a fan. When the bird sits down, a warm feather litter forms under it, allowing it to sleep on the cold ground;
metatarsus blue or gray, feathered;
fingers - 4, and all must be covered with feathers for at least 1/4 of the length.

Given the great external similarity between chickens and roosters, it is not difficult to distinguish them. Males have a larger and spreading tail, while females have almost no earrings, but the crest, beard and sideburns are noticeably thicker.

Subspecies

Pavlovsk chickens come in different colors, therefore they are classified according to their plumage into:

Silver, with black and white coloring of the outfit and a light tail, with dark markings at the end. The predominant color of the cover is white or silver. Against this background, numerous black spots of regular shape, but of different sizes, stand out. The crest of birds looks compressed at the sides.
Golden, with yellow and black feathers. The predominant color is gold (copper). At the end of each feather there is a black mark of a regular round shape or in the form of the letter V. The crest looks like a turban. Like the beard and sideburns, it can be solid black or variegated.

Less common:

white Pavlovian chickens, with uniform snow-colored plumage;
porcelain - variegated, combining many colors in color;
yellow (red, fawn), with the same plumage;
black, with a charcoal-colored outfit that shimmers blue.

In terms of meat and egg productivity, there are no differences between them.

Reviews from poultry farmers

Mikhail, 48 years old, Omsk
A simple bird with excellent decorative properties - fantastically beautiful. Not for making money. Although if you sell young animals, they can bring profit. I keep my chickens in a small barn with access to a fenced run. He surrounded the area with a high net, since Pavlovian ones, with their increased volatility, can get out of lower fences.

Anastasia, 56 years old, Perm
I like decorative breeds of chickens, I like to decorate my yard. Pavlovsk ones are similar to the fabulous “golden cockerels” or “firebirds”. At the same time, they not only look original, but also have good egg production rates. The meat is very tasty, although there is only a little of it at the end. Cockerels, of course, are quite cocky, but the main thing is not to provoke them.

Maria, 39 years old, Leningrad region
Amazing breed. The chickens are very good-natured, beautiful and at the same time completely undemanding in terms of living conditions and feeding. I grow them mainly for the hobby. I don’t buy special feed; I make do with regular grain and my own vegetables from the garden. Compared to meat and egg crosses, their productivity is low, but these birds are created for other purposes.
Read also: Making effective rat traps with your own hands at home

Determining the sex of chickens

Gender differences become noticeable in pavlovka chicks closer to 2 months of age:

the crest of laying hens is shaped like a beret, and in males it has a mohawk hairstyle;
the pattern elements on the wings and back of roosters are larger;
the replacement of down with feathers in chickens is faster, and new vegetation is distributed more evenly than in males;
Roosters have larger toes.

There is also a “folk method” that allows you to determine the gender of chickens. Each person is taken by the leg and lifted upside down. The female will press her beak to her chest, and the male will look around.

Subspecies

The breed line of Pavlovian chickens is divided into two main subspecies.

Silver

The main colors of silver pavlovkas are white, diluted with silver or gray-black splashes. Intense shine is observed only in dark areas where there is a green tint.

Golden

Golden and brown hens and roosters are distinguished by their bright plumage. The brown color of the feathers at the ends smoothly turns into black, folding into a V-shaped “edging” that begins on the crest and passes through the neck, shoulder area and back to the lumbar region.

On the outside the protective cover is spotted. The first order feather is brown-gold inside, much darker outside.

Character

Pavlovsk chickens are active, curious and emotional. They rarely sit, but rather run around the yard, rummage in the ground or litter, and also periodically improve their flying skills. Pavlovkas are light in weight, so they do not require long acceleration. By flapping their wings, the birds easily overcome high fences. If you don't keep track, they may leave the yard forever. Their flight is high and beautiful. It’s not easy to catch, because chickens are excellent at maneuvering on the ground and in the air.

Female pavlovkas are noisy and shy. A loud sound or the appearance of a dog is quite a reason to panic. At the alarm, the population of the chicken coop flees. The quolls scream, rush about, and flap their wings. Females, like males, are quite conflicted. They do not attack the owner, but they get used to it with difficulty if they were brought in as adults. Roosters do not tolerate competitors, so they rush at feathered relatives that are larger in breed. But they live peacefully with ducks and geese. Guinea fowl and turkeys are also not touched.

Breed characteristics

Chickens have a standard build. They are not small, but they cannot be called large either. A one-year-old cockerel weighs about 2 kilograms; older individuals reach a weight of almost 3 kilograms. The mass of pullets reaches an average of 1.8-1.9 kilograms. According to all their productivity indicators, Pavlovsk chickens can be classified as meat and egg oriented. They produce tasty, tender, dietary meat and an abundance of high-quality eggs.

Chickens of this breed are classified as early maturing. Sexual maturity occurs in females by six months. That's when they start laying eggs. The first testicles are white in color and weigh up to 50 grams. Productivity then increases. By the age of one year, egg production is already above average - depending on the bird’s nutrition, one individual can get from 150 to 180 eggs per year. Product weighing 65 grams, cream shell.

The birds are very active, they love to coo, run, and “crow” with or without reason. They are fussy by nature. Roosters are often cocky and start fights and brawls among themselves. However, both males and females can coexist peacefully next to other pets, only in exceptional cases starting “showdowns”. Pavlovskys are kind to people, they trust them, eat from the palm of their hand, give into their hands. They are attached to their home and never try to escape from it.

The Pavlovsk breed has a strong immunity to diseases, tolerates frosts well below -20 degrees (they can winter outside), is unusually unpretentious to growing conditions and is not picky about food.

Fact!

Even people allergic to egg yolk can eat Pavlovsk chicken eggs. In composition they are more similar to quail.

Productivity

Pavlovsk chickens are an ornamental breed, but they also lay eggs. Due to their compact size, these chickens produce little meat. But it is tender, aromatic, with a delicious taste. The live weight of a rooster is up to 2.2 kg, and that of a chicken is from 1.3 to 1.5 kg. Males are ready for slaughter at six months, when their body weight reaches 1.5 kg.

Pavlovsk hens produce up to 150 eggs per year, 50 g each. The shell turns out white or with a light cream tint, while the yolk is large and nutritious. There are individuals with a productivity of 200 or more pieces. Peak egg production occurs in pavlovkas at the age of 2.5 - 3 years, and often may not fall until 4-5 years.

During the molting period, productivity decreases, but with the restoration of feather cover it becomes, as before, high.

Frequent illnesses

The breed has good immunity due to the abundance of green food in its diet. They are resistant to colds and other diseases.

Problems related to the liver are dangerous. They appear when the owner gives a large amount of vitamin supplements. In this case, they poison the bird.

Due to a lack of calcium, pavlovkas may lay eggs without shells or with fragile shells. In this case, the birds are given additional feed chalk or shell rock.

Pavlova chickens

Content

Pavlovsk chickens do not require special housing conditions, but due to their activity they are not able to live in cages. In order for the birds to be in healthy tone, they need a lot of space in the chicken coop, as well as a yard for walking. The recommended population density is no more than 3 individuals per 1m2. Keeping in mind the decorative nature of the breed, you should devote enough time to keeping the chicken coop clean. Dirty chickens look miserable and often get sick. We should not forget about the passion for flying. In order not to one day lose the herd, it is recommended to stretch a net over the walking yard.

Pavlovsk chickens are resistant to cold, and are able to walk even in the snow, but in the barn it is better to maintain the temperature not lower than +10°C. Perches can be placed 1 m from the floor, but ladders are not required. Birds are light, so they can easily jump to such a height.

It is better to cover the floor with sawdust and scatter straw on top. When soiled, the litter should be changed. This will reduce the likelihood of developing infections and also prevent high concentrations of ammonia vapor in the air. Due to the abundant laying, nests should be equipped with an egg collector. To prevent chickens from pecking at the shells and starting unscheduled incubation, the “harvest” should be collected on time.

In winter, birds lay eggs well if the daylight hours are increased by using a lamp, turning it on for 15 hours every day.

Feeding

The set of feeds for Pavlovsk cutlets is the same as for other laying hens. The basis of the diet is wheat grain. It is given:

in a mono version or included in grain mixtures;
crushed, steamed or sprouted;
as part of dry and wet mash.

An adult pavlovka consumes 50 g of feed per day. In addition to cereals, chickens are given fresh and dried herbs, vegetables and root vegetables.

To gain muscle mass, poultry needs proteins, including animals. They are found in products such as:

meat (fish) trimmings, as well as meat and bone (fish) meal;
derivatives of sour milk.

Birds endure winter easier when they receive high-calorie food. They are given corn and other carbohydrate components as an energy source. The vitamin and mineral balance is maintained with sprouted grain, grass, premixes, and in case of acute deficiency of individual elements - with special veterinary drugs.

To ensure that the calcium consumed is enough to maintain the functioning of their own body, as well as to form strong eggshells, laying hens are fed chalk and crushed shell rock. Dishes with such “dishes” should always be freely available, as should bowls of fresh water.

Breeding

The Pavlovsk breed of chickens reproduces “in itself”, which greatly simplifies breeding. Laying hens are good brood hens, capable of warming up to 10 eggs at a time. This allows them to be used to breed chickens of other breeds whose hens are deprived of instinct.

During the incubation period, Pavlovian chickens do not lay eggs. When their productivity is more important, an incubator can be used to warm the eggs. Hatchability will be normal - from 90 to 95%. The survival rate of young livestock ranges from 98 to 100%. With the appearance of the chicks, the quonka does not leave them a single step.

Babies are fed immediately after they are dry. In the first week they are given a hard-boiled egg and cottage cheese mixed with semolina or corn grits. Later, fresh grass, cracked wheat and other products are introduced. To prevent the young animals from freezing, additional heating is used.