Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Crested hens are one of the most popular breeds of poultry. They are widespread in various regions of Russia and are very common. Representatives of this breed are valued by the fact that they seamlessly adapt to almost any conditions and do not need complex and expensive care. Today we will take a closer look at crested chickens and learn how to properly care for them.

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Features

Many poultry farmers keep unpretentious crested chickens on their farm. These birds belong to the egg and meat category, which makes them more valuable. These individuals are small in size. Their main distinguishing feature is the presence of a crest on the head, the feathers of which are strictly directed backwards. At the same time, feathers often stick out or create a kind of mess on the bird’s head. The shape is close to sheaf-like or helmet-shaped.

The scallop in representatives of this common breed usually has a red color and a characteristic leaf-like shape. There are also individual individuals that have a crest of a regular pink structure, devoid of any additional processes. By itself, the head of these birds is medium-sized and slightly elongated, proportional to the body. The earrings of the ears and the front part of this bird also have a red color. There may be small white blotches – this is allowed by the standards of this breed of birds.

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

As for the color of the beak and eyes, it directly depends on the plumage of chickens. Most often, you can meet individuals with bright orange eyes, a little less often – light yellow, brown or red. The color of the beak can vary from yellowish to dark ash. It is always strong and slightly bent. Feathers fit snugly to the body of the bird and always point backwards.

The neck of crested chickens is in most cases short, and the back is wide and fairly even. These representatives of the breed have a well-developed tail. The chest is also broad and firm. The wings are usually lowered down, but at the same time they always grow powerful and quite dense. The legs of this bird are short and do not have plumage on their surface.

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Advantages and disadvantages

Crested chickens are very popular and widespread. Many farmers give birth to representatives of this breed, as they have many positive qualities. Let’s get acquainted with them.

  • One of the most relevant advantages of crested chickens in our country is high frost resistance.
  • These birds are distinguished by an unusual and interesting appearance, unlike other breeds of poultry.
  • Crested chickens are characterized by a wide variety of colors, due to which they have excellent decorative qualities.
  • Egg production pleases farmers with stability. Usually these birds give 1 egg every 2 days.
  • The degree of fertility of eggs in this breed is also very good.
  • The hatchability and level of conservation of crested chickens also cannot but please poultry farmers.
  • Maintenance requirements are minimal, since crested chickens are unpretentious and do not require special attention. Their maintenance will not lead to big expenses either.
  • Crested hens are quite stress-resistant. They are not easily frightened.
  • The nature of the described poultry is quite calm. Moreover, the breed is human-oriented.

True, it must be taken into account that a calm character is inherent only in laying hens. Roosters cannot boast of such qualities. As a rule, they behave quite pugnaciously – this is the main drawback of this breed, which must be taken into account if you are going to keep crested birds in your household. But do not be afraid, roosters are usually aggressive only against individuals of their own sex. This behavior is standard for most roosters, regardless of their breed.

Another disadvantage of these birds is that from time to time they have to trim their tufts. Although this can hardly be called a disadvantage, rather, this is a feature of keeping crested chickens.

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Varieties

This popular breed includes several representatives. Let us consider in more detail their description and distinctive features.

Legbar

These representatives of the breed are distinguished by a very beautiful and eye-catching plumage of silver-gray or golden-straw shades. Roosters have characteristic stripes on their feathers, which are much more pronounced than in females.

The weight of adult males reaches 2-4 kg, and females – 1,5-3 kg. This breed is distinguished by excellent health, good immunity and high rates of activity. Females lay eggs as early as 4-5 months. Their sexual activity persists for 3 years.

Laying eggs of this species are distinguished by a sky-blue color or an olive tint. During the year, one laying hen can lay 280 eggs, the average weight of which is about 56 g. These birds are friendly and not prone to conflict. They need a barn whose area is at least 70 square meters. m.

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Paduan

Representatives of this crested breed may have the following natural colors:

  • white;
  • black with a greenish tint;
  • golden ocher;
  • blue with arcuate stripes;
  • gray-blue.

Earrings are usually barely noticeable or completely absent. They have a medium sized head. The tuft of these representatives of the breed gracefully falls on the back half of the neck and on the sides. The neck is usually slightly arched, framed by a thick mane. Birds belong to the meat and egg category. Paduans have a very interesting and beautiful appearance.

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Good

Representatives of this breed have a solid snow-white plumage. They are characterized by a lush mane on the neck, which is the beginning of a no less lush and solid tuft. These white-crested beauties naturally have a rich-colored scallop, similar in shape to a butterfly’s wing. The beak grows short and slightly curved, similar to a hook. Under the beak there are voluminous sideburns that form a beard.

The wings of the gudans are medium in size, and the plumage on the tail has a characteristic curved shape. The main color of these individuals is as follows:

  • white;
  • blue;
  • black and white.

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Polverara

This decorative poultry is characterized by excellent immunity and unpretentiousness. Her head has a crest with small horns, and there is no comb. Earrings are almost invisible. The beak usually grows quite powerful and has a cream color. Birds are distinguished by shaggy legs, but the hair on them is most often shorter than on the rest of the body. The same can be said about the neck of the polverara. The tail is small and straight. The chest and belly of laying hens are larger than those of males.

Sexual maturity of these birds usually occurs at 8 months. In one year, laying hens can produce 150 eggs, the weight of which is about 40 g. Egg production persists for 4 years, after which it sharply decreases.

These birds have a good disposition, a good level of mobility. In a cage, they do not develop very well, because they need more freedom. Walking should be carried out in sufficiently large areas.

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Russian crested

This is a very pretty and graceful bird, which is of medium size. She is well built and looks beautiful. Her beak is quite powerful and slightly curved. The color can be different – from yellow to almost black. Earrings stand out well, the comb is leaf-shaped, and the earlobes are red with white spots.

There are several official colors of this poultry:

  • blue
  • black;
  • red;
  • chintz;
  • salmon;
  • cuckoo;
  • black and gold;
  • black and silver.

Chickens with a tuft on their heads are distinguished by the fact that they have it more expressive than that of roosters. Usually the tuft is combed back. Representatives of this breed also belong to the meat and egg category. For a year, a Russian crested laying hen can bring about 200 eggs. Their weight is approximately 56 g. The shell has a characteristic golden or cream color.

Ukrainian Chubataya

This is a valuable breed, characterized by unpretentiousness and beautiful appearance. Bettas wear a leaf-shaped comb, slightly tilted to one side. In chickens, the tuft is distinguished by a round structure. The body of these poultry is slightly elongated, ending with a solid tail.

The most common colors of the Ukrainian Chubat are as follows:

  • light Colombian;
  • pale yellow;
  • the black.

There are many more varieties of crested chickens. For example, Dutch white-crested, Chinese silk, Polish chubatki and others. All of them are distinguished by unpretentiousness and spectacular decorative qualities that sharply distinguish them from other breeds of poultry.

Content Rules

Crested chickens, like representatives of any other breeds, must be kept in suitable conditions for this. Despite the fact that these birds are quite unpretentious, they still need to be properly looked after. Consider what are the rules for keeping crested chickens.

  • These chickens do not require special conditions. It is necessary to organize a good poultry house for them, where they can hide from bad weather. It is required to equip sufficiently high perches.
  • It is important to put dry and clean bedding in the chicken coop. It is necessary to put full feeders and drinkers in the house.
  • In the summer season, birds can be kept in an open aviary – these are ideal conditions for them, because they love space. In winter, these representatives of the breed prefer to hide from the wind and snow in the house.
  • In matters of feeding crested undemanding. In summer, they often take care of feeding themselves. If it is not possible to walk them in freedom, then they should be fed with grain, as well as succulent feeds containing calcium and animal proteins.
  • Sometimes birds are given kitchen waste.

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Breeding

Crested chickens can be planted on eggs from 7 months. During this period, excellent quotes are obtained from these representatives of the breed. First, dummies or fake eggs are placed under the hen. When the cow finally sits down to incubate them, hatching eggs can be placed instead of a dummy. It will not be possible to do without an incubator in the case of breeding poultry.

To hatch chickens, it is permissible to use eggs, the shelf life of which is no more than 5 days. They should be stored with the pointed half down. The air temperature should be no more than 12 degrees, and the humidity should be 80%.

No more than 15 eggs should be laid under one hen. Pre-incubation material must be discarded by translucent eggs under an ovoscope. The mother hen will heat the eggs for 21 days.

If we are talking about incubation, then you need to put the eggs in the incubator in the same way as under the chicken. In the first 10 days, the temperature should be about +37,9 degrees, from the 10th to the 20th day – +37,3 degrees, the last day – 37 degrees. Hatched chicks are moved to a brooder with a temperature of 30 to 32 degrees.

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Reviews

Crested chickens are very popular and are quite common. Many poultry farmers love these beauties and keep them not only for their high performance, but also for their excellent decorative qualities. Such birds can become a real decoration of the farmstead, which makes them even more in demand and interesting.

According to farmers, these birds have a beautiful appearance. In addition, they bring a lot of eggs and meat, and at the same time they show themselves to be completely undemanding in care. Poultry farmers claim that such individuals easily grow on simple grass and grain.

The egg production of this poultry pleases most people who keep them. Farmers are also pleasantly surprised by the amazing cleanliness of crested chickens, as well as their good disposition and steadfast character – they are not as shy as other breeds of chickens.

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Crested chickens: characteristics, types and care

Most poultry farmers do not find serious disadvantages in keeping crested hens. There are a lot of pluses, because they are not capricious, calm, beautiful and productive.

About the Russian crested breed of chickens, see the following video.

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Anna Evans

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