Dominant chickens. Photo and description, reviews, characteristics

Poultry farming at home is an excellent opportunity to raise for sale and provide your family with fresh dietary eggs and high-quality meat products. Many farmers today prefer Dominant chickens as one of the most productive egg-laying crosses (hybrids).

Dominants (pictured) are considered leaders among representatives of egg-bearing hybrids

Maintenance and care

It is necessary to care for birds in the same way as for all other laying hens. The tips below will help you create ideal living conditions for your birds.

1. It is necessary to equip the home based on how many livestock will live in it. Calculate the space like this - 1 m2 for 4-5 chickens. The dominant breed of chickens is better kept on the floor - on deep and high-quality litter, peat or straw, but always with a lime layer that will destroy bacteria.
2. The dominant breed of chickens is not very afraid of cold weather, and the feathered “Czechs” can even withstand slight frosts. But it is not recommended for them to constantly stay in cold conditions. Therefore, insulate the house in advance. During the harshest periods, you can additionally heat the chicken coop, but if the temperature outside is within -5 degrees, this is not necessary.
3. A walking yard is not a luxury, but a necessity. Firstly, when birds walk a lot, they can nibble grass, find all sorts of bugs and worms, and get from such food what they need for health and productivity. Secondly, fresh air and walks are good for health and help improve the taste of meat.
4. The remaining requirements are standard - cleanliness, disinfection, convenient feeders and drinkers. Also, you need to protect the winged family from drafts.

Molting and break in egg production

Unlike many other types of laying hens, this hybrid does not always stop laying during molting. But, of course, the molting process is reflected in quantitative indicators. The hen's body is exhausted at this time, so eggs cannot form normally.

The best way to support feathered beauties during molting is to provide them with good, and most importantly, varied feeding.

Planned herd replacement

The peak productivity of laying hens occurs in the first 2 years after reaching sexual maturity. Further egg production is characterized by an annual decrease in the number of testicles by 15-20%.

Therefore, the herd is often sent to slaughter at the age of three. By this time, several generations of pullets can be raised, which will become a worthy replacement for laying hens.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=lNL5woVD0RU

Frequent illnesses

Czech quogs practically do not get sick. They are resistant to diseases, and if their maintenance is properly organized, mortality and disease can be avoided.

Even if the winged flock catches some kind of virus, thanks to its immune potential, recovery will occur very quickly, often without the intervention of a veterinarian.

What are the reviews?

External characteristics

A dominant is a hybrid of several breeds of chickens, which is why the birds are often called “cross” or “crosses”. This species was created by Czech breeders who wanted to create better poultry for farmers. This breed is not intended for further breeding. Dominant chickens do not have the same improved characteristics and are just normal domestic chickens.

Crosses look a little squat, as they have short legs and thick plumage. The chicken's head is small, with a characteristic red comb. It is noteworthy that not only roosters have earrings, but also laying hens. Depending on the type of cross, its color and appearance differ.

But there are several features that are characteristic of all Dominant chickens:

• the wings fit very tightly to the bird’s body;
• chickens look much larger than ordinary laying hens due to their thicker plumage;
• The bird's body is quite massive;
• The paws are yellowish in color and rather short.

Overall these are beautiful birds. Even a novice farmer can determine the sex of a chicken. Hens usually have darker plumage. The weight of an adult laying hen can be 2.5-3.0 kg.

Chickens of the Dominant breed: description

There are 12 varieties of this breed. Moreover, they differ only in color (in different variations), which are:

• speckled;
• brown;
• amber;
• blue;
• black;
• brown;
• black-and-white;
• redheads;
• white;
• golden;
• crested (DS-109).

Breeds of chickens Dominant golden

Of these, poultry farmers most often breed black, crested and speckled Dominant. The latter variety is larger than the others with good egg production (310 eggs in 1.5 years). Hens weigh 2.5 kg, cockerels - up to 3.2 kg. However, if we talk about a farm with a large number of birds, then it is worth choosing Dominant brown D102 and Dominant white D159.

Laying hens of the Dominant Black D109 breed are more common than other species. They can be found in any farm that breeds meat and egg varieties. Rhodeyland and Plymouthrock speckled were brought in to breed D109. Among chickens, the dominant males or females can be distinguished immediately after hatching: females have a dark head, while males have a light spot on the top of the head. However, all chickens of this breed have a similar feature.

There is also the Sussex subspecies, which is most common in Italy, its homeland in the Czech Republic and Poland. Poultry farmers place it in second place after the black variety in terms of productivity. In terms of the type of plumage, it is similar to light Sussex chickens (sometimes they are called that). The variety has a noticeable dominance of white feather color. The tail is black with a green tint. The neck is decorated with white feathers with black tips. Sussex has excellent productivity (from 1.5 years of age) - 320 light brown eggs per year from one hen. The weight of an adult is slightly more than 2 kg.

Important! Chick survival rate is more than 98%. Chickens of this variety adapt well to weather changes and quickly gain weight.

The blue Dominant is considered the most adaptable to harsh weather conditions. At the same time, the productivity of the species does not suffer - about 300 large brown eggs per year per hen. In color, blue chickens are similar to birds of the Andalusian breed. According to breeders, this species is not good at hatching chicks, but they are long-lived. The blue Dominant has the highest percentage of those who live to 10 years or more.

The amber Dominant D843 has an interesting feather color and excellent character. This variety has taken root well even in the highlands of Switzerland. The amber type has good productivity:

• 300 eggs per year;
• 61.5 g weight of one egg;
• 2.2 kg chicken weight.

The productivity and characteristics of the subspecies of the Dominant Crested chicken breed (DS-109) are interesting. In addition to the fact that they already hatch with a crest, the chicks are also colored.

Chicken breeds Dominant crested

The representatives of the cross are decorated with luxurious plumage. The feather layer lying on the downy base does not fit tightly to the carcass, which is why the bird looks larger. Short legs also contribute to this. The head is neat with a deep pink leaf-shaped comb and earrings. Small eyes are round, shiny with an orange border around the pupil. The carcass is round with meat-like muscles, fleshy thighs and legs, massive breast and back. The small wings are well feathered and fit closely to the carcass.

On average, an adult Dominant rooster weighs 2.7-3.2 kg, and a hen weighs about 2.2 kg. In one year, a chicken can lay 320 eggs weighing up to 65 g. The shell color is from brown to dark brown.

Chickens begin laying eggs early, at the age of 5-6 months. But the growth process of the bird itself will continue up to 11 months. Only then will she gain optimal weight. For some individuals, maturation lasts longer. They will begin laying eggs a little later. To be fair, it should be noted that such hens will lay eggs longer, and this can be considered an advantage.

Important! The average productivity of laying hens lasts up to 3-4 years. Even molting cannot affect the clutch, although the number of eggs decreases somewhat

The situation can be corrected with balanced feeding.

Nevertheless, the maximum productivity of hens occurs in the first and second years from the beginning of egg production of the bird. Productivity will further decrease each subsequent year by 15-20%. Therefore, at the age of three, it would be better to send the hen to slaughter.

Obtaining fertilized eggs is not a problem, but “persuading” a hen to incubate her offspring on her own is unlikely to be possible. The reproductive instinct is extremely poorly developed. Even after starting the process, most black-billed birds leave the nest before the due date. It would be better to put the eggs in an incubator or even buy ready-made chickens. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that parental qualities are not transmitted to the offspring of crosses.

Reviews

Alla, 41 years old, Krasnoyarsk

Several years ago we moved to live in a village house and immediately decided that we would have chickens. Our choice fell on the dominants, and, as it turned out, not in vain. These birds are in good health and enjoy excellent productivity. In a year, one chicken produces approximately 300 eggs. We have 9 hens and 1 rooster. So we consistently have 6-8 eggs per day. More than enough for a small family like ours.

Oksana, 56 years old, Belgorod

Relatively recently, dominants were introduced. This is not our first breed of chicken, but perhaps the best at the moment. Birds tolerate cold winters and summer heat well, get sick very rarely and lay 280-300 eggs per year. Moreover, their productivity does not depend in any way on weather conditions. By the way, the eggs of dominants are noticeably larger in size and weight than the product sold in supermarkets, and they are much tastier.

Vitaly, 32 years old, Volgograd

Keeping Czech chickens on your farm is a pleasure. They are absolutely unpretentious to living conditions. The same can be said about their feeding. We give them ready-made feed and greens from the garden, and the birds thank us with large, fresh homemade eggs. On average, one chicken lays 5-6 eggs per week, which is a very good indicator of productivity. After 3.5 months, we chop the cockerels for meat - the broth they make is low-fat, very tasty and aromatic.

Tips for caring for chickens

When you buy chickens from a reliable, trusted supplier, there are usually no problems with them, because they have already received the necessary vaccinations. Therefore, chickens grow actively and rarely get sick. And when chicks are taken from the market or hatched at home from purchased eggs, the question of proper care often arises.

Farmers recommend that at the very beginning, chickens be given a choice of a three-day course of chloramphenicol (1 tablet per 1 liter of water), ASD-2 (1 ml per 3 liters of water), Startonik or Chiktonik according to the instructions. This will boost their immunity and help with problems with gastrointestinal infections. Subsequently, add ascorbic acid and vitamin D to drinking water. You can use trivit.

Read more about vitamins in our material about Vitamin Deficiency in Chickens.

At older ages, trisulfone or farmazin can be given for prevention, following the instructions.

As a rule, when feeding Dominant chickens with industrial starter feed, which includes all the necessary elements, initial prevention is sufficient.

Before placing the chickens, the room must be disinfected by treating the floor with quicklime. For bedding, use chopped straw or small shavings and sawdust mixed with peat. Peat helps remove excess moisture and thus protects against the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. The litter needs to be changed when it gets dirty.

From two weeks of age, daylight hours should be reduced to 8 hours to prevent pecking during fledging. At this time, chickens should have enough calcium and vitamins in their feed. Farmers advise adding nettles (fresh or dried), fish oil, feather ash and resin to the feed. They will provide the chicks with the necessary vitamins and microelements.

If signs of any disease appear, the sick chicken must be isolated to prevent infection of the rest of the flock.

Frequent illnesses

Dominant chickens (photos and descriptions, reviews and other useful information are usually provided on thematic forums where novice farmers can ask for advice from more experienced poultry farmers) suffer from several diseases:

• Pullorosa . As this disease develops, birds become more lethargic, stop eating properly, and their mobility is significantly reduced. Chickens breathe rapidly, which ultimately leads to complete exhaustion of the body. It is very easy to miss the development of this pathology, therefore, as a preventative measure, it is necessary to perform a daily inspection of the livestock. The poultry house needs to be ventilated periodically.
• Pasteurellosis . With the development of such a disease in birds, the body temperature rises, joints become bent or lowered. Chickens also stop eating normally, and they develop unpleasant mucous discharge in the nasal cavity. To prevent the development of this disease, it is necessary to promptly get rid of rodents indoors. Mice can enter the chicken coop and eat some of the birds' food, leaving pathogenic microbes on it. Also, as a preventative measure, it is recommended to disinfect eggs before placing them in the incubator (if the chickens are raised independently).

• Salmonellosis . This is an infectious disease that manifests itself in the form of foamy diarrhea and inflammation in the cloaca. The chickens begin to breathe very heavily. In order to prevent the development of salmonellosis, it is necessary to monitor the health of birds, vaccinate them in a timely manner, and also use special immune serums. If the livestock is being treated, then after this it is necessary to disinfect the poultry house, including all equipment.
• Coccidosis . This disease is characterized by the fact that coccidia enter the bird’s body. In its symptoms, the disease is very similar to an intestinal infection. This means that chickens produce green feces, which can sometimes contain bloody clots. Birds may also develop diarrhea. Chickens begin to refuse food and lose weight very quickly. This has an extremely negative effect on egg production.

Features of keeping Sussex chickens

Sussex chickens are undemanding to living conditions. They easily adapt to different climates and are not afraid of the cold. Birds are kept on the floor with the possibility of walking. The barn is insulated for the winter, but not heated, if the temperature inside does not drop below +10...+12 degrees. A dense layer of sawdust bedding with the addition of peat is laid on the floor. It absorbs moisture well and retains heat.

Requirements for the microclimate and arrangement of the poultry house:

• population density – 5–6 chickens per 1 m2;
• the presence of at least primitive ventilation;
• humidity level within 55–65%;
• 1 nipple for 7–8 chickens;
• 10–12 cm of feed tape per head;
• the presence of an ash bath for disinfecting feathers;
• 1 nesting box for 5–6 laying hens.

Attention! To stimulate egg laying in winter, dim lights are turned on in the poultry house. Daylight hours should be 12–13 hours

Regular barn cleaning will help your birds stay healthy. The poultry house and equipment are disinfected twice a year - in autumn and spring. At the same time, the bedding is replaced. Drinkers and feeders are washed daily.

Active and inquisitive Sussex chickens need walking. A small area is set up for them on the south side of the chicken coop under a canopy. In summer, birds spend most of their time outside. In winter, birds enjoy walking in the snow and pecking at dry grass seeds. A short exercise during the cold season will only be beneficial if the thermometer is above -8 degrees.

Feeding

It is impossible to achieve high productivity if the chickens' diet is not balanced. Experienced farmers advise feeding Sussexes with compound feed, selecting it according to age. Adherents of natural food will have to create their own diet, including:

• grain feed - millet, barley, oats;
• legumes – peas, lentils;
• greens - shoots and leaves of weeds, garden tops, onion feathers;
• vegetables - fodder beets, carrots, zucchini, potatoes;
• mash;
• fermented milk products - whey, cottage cheese;
• fish;
• additives - chalk, bone meal, salt and shell.

Attention! Poultry farmers recommend supplementing the birds’ diet with premixes. These supplements help improve egg production and promote rapid weight gain

Feed is distributed 2–3 times a day in summer and 3–4 times a day in winter. In the middle of the day, birds are offered mash with the addition of herbs and vegetables, and grain in the morning and evening

It is important to maintain equal intervals of time between feedings, otherwise, feeling very hungry, the birds will begin to stuff their crop, which can cause it to become clogged.

Feeding

Young animals must receive complete specialized feed:

An adult bird can be completely switched to mash, but it is better to feed it in the interval between two portions of feed - at 8-00 and 16-00. The daily consumption of mature laying hens or roosters of the Dominant combined feed ranges from 105 to 125 g per day.

It is necessary to place containers with chalk, limestone, and shell rock in the chicken coop.

The diet of Dominants should always include:

For Dominant chickens, an important addition is fresh or dry nettle. For the winter, greens are dried, chopped, and stored in bags.

Mash can be prepared with water, meat or vegetable broth, or whey.

If the Dominants are malnourished, egg production decreases. When overfeeding, chickens become fat and lay eggs worse. When the temperature drops to 15° C or less, the diet is increased - to maintain warmth, birds need more energy, which they can only get from food.

There should always be clean water in the chicken coop, which is changed at least once a day. It is better to place drinking bowls and feeders on opposite sides of the room.

Chick care

Caring for chickens directly depends on the conditions under which the young animals were acquired. If you buy chickens from a reliable breeder, you can inquire in advance whether the chicks have all the necessary vaccinations. If the chicks were bought secondhand at the market or were born by your own chickens, they will need additional protection in order not to get sick or die from an accidental virus.

Chickens of the Dominant breed require immunostimulating supplements during the first days

To increase the immunity of young animals, you can use one of the following drugs:

• Levomycetin (one tablet per liter of water);
• ASD-2 (one milliliter per three liters of water);
• Startonik (according to instructions);
• Chiktonik (according to instructions).

Most of the drugs listed above require a three-day course. All these medications are designed to strengthen the immunity of chicks, as well as to provide timely assistance to the gastrointestinal tract in case of infection.

Levomycetin can be useful not only for birds, but also for pigs, cows and other animals

Before choosing chickens for permanent residence, the chicken coop should be prepared for the appearance of young animals:

• Disinfect floors. For disinfection, use quicklime. There is also the option of chemical treatment, however, quicklime is the least aggressive natural material that will not require further ventilation of the chicken coop;

• Provide bedding for the chicks. Sawdust mixed with peat works well as a bedding filler. It is also acceptable to use small straw. The main component is peat, since in addition to convenience, it also ensures drying of the litter, preventing microbes from multiplying in wet conditions.

Feeding

If you plan to switch the chickens to a starter combination feed from the very beginning, then the use of additional immunostimulants will not be required. The feed already includes all the nutrients necessary for the harmonious development of the chicks.

Starter feed for chickens “Solnyshko”

As your chicks grow, make sure the food they are given is fortified with calcium. The following products can be added to the main “dish” in the form of mixed feed:

• Fish fat;
• Nettle;
• Zhivitsa.

Hatching instinct

Both professional breeders and beginning farmers without experience and equipped chicken coops can breed dominant breed chickens. However, hens have a weakly expressed maternal instinct, so they often leave the nest and do not warm the eggs until the chicks hatch. If you don’t have an incubator, it’s better to buy chickens from trusted breeders.

The brooding instinct is the behavioral tendency to sit on a clutch of eggs.

Since the dominant is a cross of several breeds, parental productivity is not transferred to the chickens.

Are dominants raised for meat?

Chicken lovers can use dominants for meat. This is especially true if the chicken has already become less egg-laying. But, despite their rather impressive weight, such chickens are not raised as meat chickens; their true purpose is to lay eggs abundantly.

What kind of care do these chickens require?

Feeding and keeping chickens

What to feed

Chickens of the dominant breed are unpretentious to food, and can eat everything that ordinary poultry eat. But if the owner wants to get the maximum number of testicles, then it is better to pamper the chickens and buy them feed. If there is no desire to feed only compound feed, it is alternated with grain. Chickens living in closed conditions must receive enough vitamins (which birds living outside can get themselves) in the form of various chicken supplements.

Varieties of colors of dominant chickens

Health of dominants

Compared to other breeds, this breed is highly resistant to disease and has strong immunity. But you shouldn’t rely on this alone, and it is necessary to treat chickens to prevent diseases. Treatment of adults is carried out when a virus appears in the farmstead

Moreover, it does not matter whether they are infected, this must be done to avoid infection

Where to keep it?

Since this breed was bred as a universal breed, it does not require special care. One has only to decide on the choice of dominant variety. For example, if this is a farmstead with a large number of birds, then it is better to raise birds of the dominant brown D102 and dominant white D159 lines. Well, if this is a private house with a small barn, then you can breed any dominants there without worrying about their life and comfort.

It’s good if the chickens have the opportunity to roam freely. Due to the fact that the plumage of these birds is thick and tight-fitting, they tolerate cold weather well and can walk in the daytime until late autumn, until snow falls. In addition, it is worth noting that dominants tolerate not only cold, but also hot weather, as well as high humidity.

Chicken walking area next to the chicken house

The room in which the chickens will live must be sufficiently warm and dry, since dampness has a negative effect even on such hardy birds. They can sleep on the floor, but, like chickens of any breed, they prefer perches, which you can make yourself if you have your own backyard. There must be good lighting; it determines how many eggs the chicken can lay.

The most common dominant lines

All 12 varieties of dominants have different colors, which in some cases influenced their names, for example, dominant black D109. Also, each type is assigned its own number consisting of the letter D (can also be found in Latin - D) and a three-digit number.

Dominant black D109

One of the most common species. In almost all countries where this breed is widespread, there are such individuals. Rhodeyland and Plymouthrock speckled were involved in the breeding. The eggs of such a dominant have a darkish color. Future laying hens have very dark feathers on their heads, but cockerels at chick age are distinguished by a white spot.

Dominant Sussex D104

The second most common species. He is more resilient than the others. Their appearance is very noticeable, and their color is unusual. It is often compared in color to the old breed - the Light Sussex. The eggs are light brown in color. Laying hens fledge faster than males, which means that they begin to lay eggs quite quickly.

Dominant blue D107

This line is distinguished by one of the highest percentages of individuals surviving to adulthood. They adapt well to different weather conditions - birds can live even in places with harsh climates. The color is very similar to the Andalusian breed of chickens. The testicles are large and brownish in color.

When choosing residents for your chicken coop, you should pay attention to this breed. It not only has a number of advantages over others, but is also well suited for beginners in raising chickens

Such a poultry will not only provide food, but also bring pleasure with its appearance.

Breeding at home

If there is a good rooster in the Dominant herd, the fertilization rate of eggs reaches 90%. But this is a cross, the young animals will not be similar to their parents in appearance or productivity. You need to buy material for incubation, or take day-old chicks, the safety of which, if properly kept, is 95-97%.

When placing eggs in the incubator, you should prepare them correctly and strictly follow the instructions. If a hen is involved in breeding, you need to choose a quiet, warm place for incubation, inaccessible to other hens.

Caring for Dominant chickens

Since the Dominant chicken breed was bred artificially, it is easy to care for. This is expressed not only in the conditions of keeping, but also in feeding the livestock.

In general, we can say that representatives of this breed are raised in order to save money. Both young animals and adults tolerate transportation well, do not reduce productivity during sudden temperature changes, and if they have free range, they search for food on their own. At the same time, the survival rate of young animals can reach 96-100%.

However, there are certain differences between raising young animals and adults. Next, we will look at these aspects in more detail so that you can independently raise productive livestock in your household.

For the chickens

Chicks are characterized by high survival rate, rapid growth of feathers and weight gain. Hens' feathers grow much faster than those of cockerels, which distinguishes them from the very first days (Figure 4).

For the proper growth and development of young animals, it is necessary to ensure a number of conditions:

1. Chicks are sensitive to air temperature, so immediately after hatching the room should be warm enough. The optimal room temperature is considered to be 30-32 degrees. With each subsequent week, the temperature should be reduced by 2-3 degrees until the optimal level of 18-20 degrees is reached.
2. To prevent the immune system of young animals from being exposed to various infections, it is necessary to observe the rules of sanitary and hygienic condition of feeders, drinkers, bedding and the premises as a whole. Before moving the livestock into the poultry house, it is advisable to completely disinfect the entire room and equipment, and whitewash the walls and floor with slaked lime.
3. Feeding chickens should be divided into 6 feedings and carried out according to a schedule. The composition of food should be balanced in terms of basic nutritional indicators. In addition, the food must be finely chopped, and you must also ensure that all products are fresh. Disinfected fine sand should be poured into a separate feeder. Chicks will eat it to improve the functioning of the digestive system.
4. To drink, use warm water or pharmaceutical glucose with the addition of ascorbic acid. This is necessary to strengthen the immune system. Water should be poured only into clean feeders, and it is advisable to fence their upper part so that the chicks do not climb inside and contaminate the drinking water.

Figure 4. Caring for chickens
Separately, you should take care of quality walking for chickens. They can be released into fresh air at the age of 3-4 weeks. At the same time, it is advisable to arrange a separate fenced area for young animals, protected from wind and drafts.

For the laying hens

The living conditions of laying hens directly affect their egg production and meat quality. Therefore, experienced farmers recommend creating the following conditions:

1. These birds are able to withstand slight drops in temperature without harming their health, but for high egg production rates it is better to insulate the chicken coop so that the air temperature does not drop below -5 degrees.
2. The housing area must be calculated based on the calculation of 1 square meter for 4-5 laying hens. If kept in a crowded environment, fights may occur between birds, and their egg production will be greatly reduced.
3. It is better to use peat or straw as bedding, pre-mixed with lime, to limit the appearance and proliferation of pathogenic microbes.
4. During the change of feather cover, laying hens do not always stop producing eggs, this affects the deterioration of the quality of the clutch. At this time, the chickens’ body is greatly depleted, so mineral supplements need to be added to the diet. This will improve the shell formation process.

Figure 5. Cage and free-range housing of laying hens

Another necessary condition is the arrangement of a walking area for birds (Figure 5). In the fresh air, they receive the right amount of sunlight necessary for development, and also look for the missing food themselves. According to experts, daily bird walks significantly improve the taste characteristics of meat.

The author of the video will tell you more information about Dominant chickens and the peculiarities of their maintenance.

Because You are not logged in. To come in.

Because you are not a trusted user (phone number is not verified). Enter and confirm your phone number. Read more about trusts.

Elena, quarantine for what diseases? And where does the information come from?

It’s interesting, since live poultry is brought to our market mainly from Chuvashia. Last year there was a bird flu crisis in Chuvashia - there weren’t any of these on the market. And now they are standing and trading. Last year, such traders brought bird flu from Chuvashia to the Krasnooktyabrsky district. ¶

Egg production

The main feature and main advantage of crosses is their high egg production rate. Many farmers call these chickens real record holders. If we take into account that chickens are quite unpretentious and can feed on their own when walking, it becomes obvious that keeping them pays off and brings benefits.

Chickens of this breed are very large in size. The maximum weight of a laying hen can be 2.3 kg, and the weight of a rooster can reach up to 3 kg. Chickens begin to lay their first eggs at the age of 4-5 months. Often the weight of 1 egg reaches 118 g. But farmers are usually not happy with such indicators, since if the egg weighs too much, it often contains 2 yolks at once.

Roosters gain weight much faster. Birds are selected for meat based on their appearance. The first sign that a laying hen's egg production is beginning to decline is that her body begins to change and looks disproportionate.

This becomes noticeable in the sunken chest and drooping back. If during one season the chickens had several molts at once, then in this case the egg production indicators also seriously drop. It is better to immediately send such individuals to slaughter, as they will not bring much profit.

How productive chickens of this species are depends on their age, for example:

• Laying hens at 4-5 months are characterized by productivity from 85 to 90%.
• Maximum egg production occurs between 2 and 3 years of age. During this period, chicken productivity reaches 100%. With age, the levels gradually begin to decline.
• At the age of 4-5 years, the productivity of chickens is only 80-85%.
• Chickens that are more than 5 years old are no more than 70% productive.

Increased egg production depends on how well the crosses are fed. It is important that the food is balanced and that the birds receive all the necessary microelements and vitamins for quality growth. Although Dominant chickens are used for meat, this is not the main purpose of their raising.

Hybrids

Since there are quite a lot of hybrids among chickens of the Dominant breed, we will not cover all their diversity in one article. Therefore, in the table below we present the most popular branches in Russia.

Table 1. Hybrids of the Dominant breed

Application of hybrids on the farm

If you are thinking about purchasing one of the hybrids for poultry farms, we recommend choosing the Brown or White Dominant. High productivity combined with excellent health and amazing endurance will allow you to achieve good results.

Different hybrids have different productivity and are suitable for different types of farms

Private farmers can pay attention to Blue, Speckled and Silver Dominants. Despite the fact that the hens of these hybrids produce smaller “yields” of eggs, they maintain their productivity at a high level for several years and, among other things, are a wonderful decoration for the yard

Origin story

Photo:

The origins of this line of hybrid chickens are in Dobřenice, a small Czech village. It got its name from where it was bred.

Over time, these birds spread to more than three dozen countries around the world. There are only 12 different hybrids between different chicken breeds. Rhode Island, Leghorn, Plymouth Rock, Sussex, and Cornish crosses took part in the crossing. Based on some common characteristics, it can be determined that these chickens are related to each other.

The Leghorn breed is distinguished by its very high productivity; the Cornish breed has a large amount of meat with a small amount of feed. Rhode Island chickens have thick plumage, and Sussex chickens have different colors. Plymouth rock chickens are a versatile breed, colorful, large and stocky.

The breeders set a difficult goal - to create a breed of birds with high egg production and good resistance to various diseases, due to which chickens die en masse, depriving the farmer of eggs and meat for the whole season.

Thanks to their unpretentiousness in food and undemanding living conditions, even owners who do not have the opportunity to create certain conditions can breed dominant breed chickens. For many poultry farmers, it is also important that both hens and cockerels have an attractive appearance.

Swamp spurge

The Euphorbiaceae family includes herbaceous plants, subshrubs, shrubs and trees. Swamp spurge stands out among them for its love of dampness. Under natural conditions, it grows in water meadows; in the garden it can tolerate short-term flooding. In landscape design, this crop is used to form a background for other plantings, create a textural accent, and is used to decorate ponds and decorate wet flower beds.

This perennial plant with a large cylindrical rhizome is characterized by unpretentiousness, but at the same time it is aggressive and toxic. Bare bluish shoots are decorated with narrow bright foliage. The inflorescences located on top have an inconspicuous appearance. After flowering is completed, pruning is performed to thicken the clumps. Once every 3-4 years, swamp spurge is rejuvenated by completely removing the above-ground part. For normal development of this crop, moist soil and a lot of light are required. For tall varieties you need to install supports.

Where can I buy

For Russia, this breed is quite new, but on its territory there are already a number of breeders selling this highly productive bird. For example, they can be found in the Leningrad and Yaroslavl regions. You can also buy poultry in Poland and Ukraine, where there are representative offices of the Czech manufacturer. Considering that this breed tolerates transportation well, purchasing one will not be difficult.

Price

As for the cost, it is at an average level. Young laying hens are sold at a price of 320 rubles, and hatching eggs - from 8 rubles apiece.

Trees

If there is no way to drain groundwater in a wetland, then trees will come to the rescue, helping not only to drain the area, but also to decorate it.

Poplar

The most popular tree in Russia, with which you can drain swampy areas and strengthen the coastline, fortunately the poplar grows very quickly. But recently, this tree has been abandoned en masse due to the fluff that allergy sufferers suffer from.

In addition, during strong winds, fragile branches cannot withstand and often fall on cars and people. Those who are not allergic to fluff choose pyramidal poplar for their large summer cottage.

Fluffy birch

A real symbol of Russia, which can be found at every step. To get rid of flooding in the summer, it is enough to plant a birch tree on the site, which will not only cope with this task, but will also become an excellent decoration for the clearing.

It easily withstands not only strong winds, but also Russian frosts. Before planting a birch seedling in a flooded area, you need to dig a hole about 80 cm deep, then fill it 50 cm with large stones, which will be good support for the roots.

Red maple

This very beautiful tree is planted not only to drain the flooded area, but also for its beauty, thanks to its red or golden leaves. The trees themselves reach a height of up to 10 meters, so they need to be planted in large summer cottages.

Before planting, you need to fill the hole halfway with sand, crushed stone and construction waste, which will help the maple roots to strengthen.

Then the seedling is carefully planted in the planting hole and filled with soil mixed with mineral fertilizer.

Damsons

For draining a summer cottage, damson plums are perfect, as they will not only cope with draining the soil, but will also produce tasty fruits. You can choose any variety that suits the climate of your area. You just need to remember that damsons are planted no closer than three meters from each other.

Damson is a very unpretentious plant, practically does not get sick and does not suffer from pests, the fruits are very tasty, large, which can not only be consumed raw, but also made into compotes and jam. As a last resort, the damson can be replaced with cherry plum, which also drains the area quite well.

Weeping willow

The willow is called weeping because of the special shape of the crown, which descends to the ground itself, creating the impression of sadness. This is the most moisture-loving tree that grows well along the banks of rivers and lakes. In warm climates, they can grow up to fifteen meters in height, and in cold climates, dwarf willows most often grow, creeping along the ground.

Willow can be planted at any time from spring to autumn, the main thing is to do it before the first frost. To form a willow crown, it is pruned at the beginning of summer and only after flowering.

Varieties of cross

Czech cross chickens are obtained as a result of repeated crossing of different breeds. Breeders have created several lines that differ in color type, productivity and method of maintenance.

Dominant Sussex

The dominant Sussex has two varieties - D 104 and D 304, which differ only slightly in productivity and the color of the eggshell (in the D 304 line it is white, and in the D 104 line it is brown).

The birds are light in color, with dark plumage on the neck, tip of the tail and wings. In appearance this Dominant resembles the old Sussex breed from which he descended.

Egg production is 300-320 eggs per year, the weight of laying hens is a little more than 2 kg, of roosters up to 3 kg. The cross is suitable for growing in small farmsteads, but is not suitable for large poultry farms.

Dominant black

Chickens of the Dominant black breed D 109 and D 149 are a popular variety. Received as a result of crossing Rhode Island and Speckled Plymutrok. The color is black, uniform, and roosters have a noticeable white spot on their heads. Productivity is 310-315 eggs per year, their shells are dark in color. A black laying hen at 20 weeks weighs 1.8 kg, a rooster weighs 2-2.1 kg. In adulthood, the weight of the female is 2.5 kg, and that of the male is 3 kg.

Dominant blue

Dominant blue D 107 has original exotic plumage. His parents were a blue and tabby Plymouthrock. As a result of crossing these breeds, birds with a delicate blue tint of feathers were obtained; roosters have a speckled upper body.

Another distinctive feature is its unpretentiousness in maintenance, resistance to disease and good tolerance to high temperatures. Therefore, Dominant chickens with blue feathers are recommended for growing in the southern regions. Productivity is high - up to 300 eggs per year. The bird lays eggs from 4-5 months.

Dominant brown

The brown cross Dominant 102 was obtained by crossing white and brown Rhode Island dogs. Rhode Island and Sussex took part in the selection of the D 192 cross. The males of this line are white and the females are brown. Egg production is 300-315 pieces per year, the eggshells are brown. Productivity lasts up to 3 years of life. Brown birds are suitable for growing in large poultry farms.

Dominant red and striped

The productivity of the red D 853, red striped D 159 and D 459 crosses is approximately the same. From them they produce 300-306 testicles per year, weighing 60-65 g. The female lays eggs from 4.5-6 months. Roosters weigh 2.5-3 kg, hens - 1.8-2 kg. The first two lines were obtained from red and brown Rhode Island, the third was selected from Sussex chickens. The feathers of the birds are red; in the lines D 159 and D 459, the Dominant rooster and hen have a striped pattern on a red background of plumage.

Dominant grey-speckled

Breed Dominant speckled or gray speckled D 959 is another popular type of this breed of chickens. One of the parents from which the Czech cross gets its mottled color is Plymouthrock. The plumage is beautiful - gray with white specks, in some places black color appears. Laying hens of the cross D 959 begin to lay eggs with dark brown shells early, from 4.5-5 months. 300-306 pieces are obtained from them per year, high productivity remains for 1.5-2 years.

Dominant painted

The new cross is widespread in Poland. The hens are white, the roosters have a slightly light brown back and wings, and there are black feathers on the neck. In a year, a chicken lays 315 eggs per year. The shell is creamy, the average egg weight is 62 g. Breeding of this line is practiced both in private farmsteads and in poultry farms.

Dominant Leghorn

Cross D 229 is popular in Poland, Belarus, and recently appeared in Russia. The hens and roosters are white, obtained from crossing Leghorns. The egg production of the cross is 315 eggs per year, while the feed consumption is only 43 kg (for other lines it is 45-46 kg). This species lays eggs regularly, even during the molting period.

The dominant Leghorn lays eggs regularly, even during the molting period.

Dominant partridge

Cross D 300 (partridge) was obtained by crossing partridge Leghorns. It is suitable for small private farms. Productivity is low for this breed, only 260 eggs per year. The main reason for its popularity among farmers is its beautiful plumage. The main color of the birds is black, the tips of the tail, wings and back have a reddish tint. Many owners practice decorative breeding of this line in their backyards.

Dominant amber

Chickens of the Amber Dominant breed have beautiful decorative colors. The bird's body is white, its back, wings and tail shimmer in different shades of brown, red and yellow. Productivity is average, about 308 brown-shelled eggs per year. This cross is bought for small private farms and homesteads. It was obtained from Rhode Island Red and Brown.

How to choose?

In order for dominant chickens to enjoy high productivity, you need to make the right choice:

• You should only buy individuals from trusted sellers.
• Individuals of the same age are selected. It is best to take chicks that are 12 days old.
• Good, healthy individuals are active, constantly digging in the ground, running around the chicken coop.
• You should choose young animals with a smooth, soft-to-touch comb and lush, even plumage.

To choose the best chicken varieties to raise, you also need to become familiar with the basic characteristics.

How to find out the gender of a chicken?

The sex of crosses can be determined already at two days of age. Cockerels are distinguished by light plumage and white spots on the head. The chickens have dark feathers and no spots on their heads.

In other varieties of chickens, sex is determined by the characteristics of their plumage. In hens, plumage appears on the sixth day, and in cockerels - much later.

When they start rushing

When creating the dominant breed, a goal such as early egg production was created. When chickens are five months old, they begin to lay eggs. The highest peak is one and a half years, the number of eggs per year can reach 325 pieces. Only thanks to good conditions will the chickens begin to lay eggs early, and will lay eggs almost all their lives. The lifespan of birds also directly depends on the conditions of their keeping and nutrition. Dominants can live up to 10 years.

Where can I buy

You can buy young animals at a poultry farm. The most famous in Russia:

• “Podvorye Gorki”, Gatchina district, +7 (952) 285-97-73;
• “Oderikhinskoye”, Pereslavl-Zalessky district, +7 (903) 828 – 54 – 33;

Puberty

Early birds have always been valued by farmers because they are less expensive to maintain. Therefore, scientists have always sought to breed varieties with a tendency to early egg-laying. The Dominant breed of chickens, the description of which suggests that it begins laying at approximately the age of 5-6 months. But the growth process does not end there - the herd will gain weight for up to 11 months, sometimes longer.

Some hens do not mature as quickly, and may lay eggs closer to 7 months. But, according to reviews from farmers, such birds will remain productive longer, which is also an advantage.

Popular lines of dominants with white shell eggs

Among the dominants that produce white eggs, the most famous is Leghorn D 229, famous for its snow-white plumage and high productivity. And the dominant partridge D 300, pleasing to the eye with bright feathers. Its characteristics are given in the article “Dominant chickens numbered 300.”

Sussex hens D 304 also produce cream eggs. They have white plumage with black spots on the neck and tip of the tail.

Dominant D 301 also lays white eggs. These beautiful tricolor chickens appeared in Moscow recently, but have already aroused genuine interest among poultry farmers. And why, you can find out in the article “About dominant chickens D 301 tricolor.”

The cross-dominant colored D 723, which has stable immunity and high productivity, was also developed relatively recently. The egg shell is creamy.

Egg production table for dominant hens laying white eggs: