All about highsec chickens

The chicken is the most common type of poultry. Chickens are kept both in private households and on poultry farms. Birds are bred in order to obtain from them the most delicious dietary meat and eggs – the main source of protein for the human body. In this article, we will focus on the Highsec chicken breed, consider the characteristics of this species, as well as the features of its content.

All about highsec chickens

History of the breed

There are quite a few breeds of chickens. Most of them are obtained by selection. Between themselves, birds differ in size, plumage color, productivity. The most successful of them, according to experts, is the Heisek chicken breed, bred at the end of the last century by breeders from the Netherlands.

The purpose of breeding a new hybrid breed was to obtain a medium-sized bird capable of carrying large eggs. It is clear that for small-sized individuals, less food is required, and, consequently, the cost of their maintenance is significantly reduced.

In Russia, highsec crosses are considered the most productive.

All about highsec chickens

All about highsec chickens

Characterization

As in animal husbandry, in poultry farming too There are several directions:

  • egg – this is the breeding of laying hens, that is, individuals that lay eggs;
  • meat – mostly chickens, for which a special diet is provided;
  • egg and meat, capable of simultaneously satisfying the needs of both valuable products.

As for highsec chickens, they can be divided into several directions.

All about highsec chickens

The main characteristic feature of the breed is a rich red comb, proudly hanging to one side.

The plumage of chickens is pleasant to the touch, it can be either white or brown – it all depends on the variety. Laying hens weigh no more than 2 kg, while their eggs are quite large. Chickens rush almost all year round – up to 320 days, and so for two or three years in a row.

Highsec chickens are small, so in appearance it is very easy to confuse an adult with a young one, which is used by unscrupulous sellers. When buying, pay attention to the legs of birds: in young animals they are light yellow, in adults they are gray. But you can distinguish a cockerel from a chicken a day after birth: male chickens have yellow fluff, girls have beige.

All about highsec chickens

All about highsec chickens

Another feature is the earlier puberty of individuals – by about four months, which is far ahead of representatives of other breeds.

Chickens quickly get used to people, have a calm character, are friendly to each other and individuals of other breeds, which allows them to be kept together.

All about highsec chickens

Hisek brown

This is a variety of highsec chickens with rich brown plumage. Brown are representatives of the egg and meat direction, after a decrease in egg production, they can be put on meat. The survival rate of chickens is high – 99%. The young are rapidly gaining weight. Brown individuals are unpretentious to the quality of food, practically do not react to sudden temperature changes.

By weight, chickens and roosters are almost the same, reaching an average of two and a half kilograms. Eggs in laying hens are large, with a predominance of protein, covered with a white or brown shell.

All about highsec chickens

Interestingly, the percentage of white eggs throughout the year is higher. The birds are phlegmatic, they have no manifestations of aggressiveness.

highsec white

Another of the varieties of the Heisek chicken breed, the individuals of which are distinguished by their graceful physique and snow-white plumage. These are birds of an exclusively egg direction. Laying hens weigh no more than 1,7 kg, yielding in this parameter to the brown representatives. Roosters can reach a mass of two kilograms. White individuals are very demanding on the conditions of detention and feed – the slightest deviations lead to stress and a decrease in egg production.

Against the background of white feathers, a bright red comb stands out effectively: in hens, it coquettishly hangs to one side, in roosters it is erect. Of the total number of hatched chickens, about 95% survive. Eggs contain significantly less cholesterol than brown chickens, they are dominated by the yolk.

All about highsec chickens

Despite the significant size of the eggs, the shell is very dense, it can be either white or dark in color.

White chickens are much more mobile and restless than brown ones, and roosters can even be aggressive. In terms of egg productivity, both varieties of highsec are on the same level.

Advantages and disadvantages

The newly bred breed is very popular with farmers, having a number of advantages:

  • high productivity – they begin to lay eggs by the age of four months, and for two to three years they lay eggs almost daily – 300-320 pieces a year;
  • grace of movements, attractive appearance;
  • having a small size, they require much less feed than other known breeds, allowing you to limit yourself to a minimum of financial costs;
  • calm, balanced character, friendly relations with each other – such chickens can be kept together with representatives of other breeds;
  • quickly get used to people, do not tend to leave the chicken coop, do not scatter;
  • high survival rate of chickens;
  • resistant to various diseases, easily tolerate bird ailments.

All about highsec chickens

In such a remarkable breed in all respects, there are also disadvantages:

  • a lot of space is required to accommodate the bird – much more than for other breeds;
  • chickens are almost completely devoid of the instinct of self-preservation;
  • individuals do not have a maternal instinct.

All about highsec chickens

Features of the content

Raising highsec chickens is a fairly lucrative business. But in order for productivity to remain at a high level, and for the birds to feel good, you should take care of their conditions in advance. When arranging a chicken coop – a place of permanent residence of individuals, the following rules must be observed.

  • When choosing a room, remember that there should be at least 0,25 m3 of free space per bird.
  • The room for keeping chickens should have several windows, which will allow it to be illuminated during daylight hours. In addition, it is necessary to provide artificial lighting to exclude manifestations of cannibalism. Lighting in the chicken coop should be present for seventeen hours a day – only under this condition will egg production be at a high level.
  • The temperature in the room should always be at least +12 ° degrees, otherwise the layers will not only stop laying, but may also freeze. If there are chickens, then the temperature regime should be even more favorable.
  • The chicken coop should be well ventilated, but drafts should be completely eliminated. Also, the room must be dry, high humidity adversely affects the health of birds.
  • Initially, the floor will need to be covered with hay, sawdust or seed husks. The thickness of the poured layer should be six centimeters. In the future, the layer is not removed, but only fresh is poured on it.
  • Perches are installed along the walls – all at the same level from the floor, which is 60 cm. You cannot make them at different levels – this can provoke a feud between chickens for the best places.
  • For laying hens, convenient hay nests are installed in the most distant and dark corners.
  • Be sure to install a container with sand, which will allow the birds to clean the crop and satisfy the need for calcium.
  • For walking, you can arrange a spacious paddock or let the chickens walk directly in the yard.

All about highsec chickens

The nutrition of birds varies depending on their age. Chickens need to be fed strictly according to the norm, avoiding overfeeding.

The nutrition of adult chickens and roosters consists of a mixture of cereals and legumes, vegetables, herbs, mineral supplements, or they can be fed with factory compound feed. They are balanced in composition and contain the necessary mineral and vitamin complex. Fishmeal, fresh fish, nettle, universal premixes are added to the diet of laying hens to increase productivity. Protein must be present in the diet.

Chickens are fed with porridge, finely chopped boiled eggs, flattened grain, and in the first ten days of life – only ready-made factory feed. Young animals under the age of two weeks should be fed eight times a day.

All about highsec chickens

As the chicks grow, the frequency of feedings decreases and the intervals between feedings increase. After eight weeks, young individuals are transferred to three meals a day, like adult birds.

Fresh water should always be present in sufficient quantity. From time to time, a little potassium permanganate should be added to it to prevent bird diseases.

As for getting chickens, it is quite difficult to breed them at home. In addition, offspring are unable to inherit the high productivity of their parents. The fact is that highsec is not a breed, but a cross or a hybrid bred in a laboratory. In addition, highsec chickens are completely devoid of maternal instinct – they do not incubate eggs.

There are two ways to get chickens at home:

  • buy hatching eggs in the breeding farm;
  • buy chickens at a poultry farm.

All about highsec chickens

For an overview of highsec chickens, see below.

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Anna Evans

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