Work on the development of new breeds of chickens with increased productivity is being actively carried out around the world. In addition to American or Asian species, farmers raise birds whose breeding geography is within the post-Soviet space. Among chickens with high egg production rates, it is necessary to single out the Bork barvy, whose characteristics determine their demand.
Description
Birds of this breed should be attributed to the egg direction in light of their high egg production. The selection of chickens was carried out in Ukraine. The place of work determined the name, which was assigned to the birds, since they were bred in the village of Borki, Kharkov region. The main nuances that breeders worked on were indicators of resistance to various climatic conditions, as well as the fastest possible adaptation to them. Several types of leghorns were used to breed the breed.
Ukrainian chickens are distinguished by unique characteristics regarding appearance. Borkovskaya barvista will have a bright and catchy plumage, which eliminates the possibility of confusing it with other birds. The color of hens and roosters is predominantly silver, and black and white feathers are also allowed.
Laying hens are able to lay eggs all year round without interruptions for the winter. This breed is allowed to be kept not only in chicken coops, but also in cages. Despite the fact that the barvy is positioned as a breed with high egg production, these birds are often raised for meat production. This is due to the high palatability of dietary meat, which is famous for its chemical composition.
As a rule, birds are able to lay as early as 4–5 months, the breed’s egg production is about 270 pieces per year.
However, after 24 months, bird productivity will decline. This point must be taken into account by the breeder in order to update the herd in a timely manner to obtain meat and egg products.
The exterior of the Borkovskaya barvy is generally similar to the characteristics of egg-oriented birds. Their bones are small. The body of the laying hens will be slightly smaller than average in size, the chest and legs do not protrude forward, as in meat breeds. In chickens and roosters, the paws are well developed, set straight. Metatarsus without plumage, their color is predominantly yellow, the beak is straight.
The head is small, it has a leaf-shaped crest, in the chin area there are red-pink earrings. The plumage is dense and hard with fluff underneath. There are pigtails on the tail of the rooster. The color of chickens of the breed Borkovskaya barvista may be as follows:
- white;
- red;
- pockmarked;
- brown.
Since the birds were bred to obtain eggs, their mass does not stand out for its high values. As a rule, a rooster will weigh about 2,5 kg, laying hens are 400–500 g smaller than males. Laying hens have a rather docile disposition, they behave calmly on the run. Borkovskaya barvistaya will not become a source of quarrels and conflicts on a farm or in a private household, usually individuals of this breed coexist peacefully with the rest of the birds. However, the breeder should be prepared for the fact that both male and female birds have a strong voice, so they can make a lot of noise.
An annual molt will take place, during which the old plumage will be replaced by a new one. In most cases, this process occurs in summer, winter and autumn. At this time, laying hens usually have reduced productivity. However, in individuals that will be grown in cramped conditions – in cages – egg production remains almost at the same level as in normal times.
Chickens can live 5–7 years, males are usually slaughtered at 7–8 months, because later the roosters no longer cope to the required extent with the fertilization of laying hens.
With proper care and the creation of good conditions, birds rarely suffer from any ailments. However, dietary errors can lead to serious health problems for laying hens.
Most often, barvy suffers from beriberi, so special complex additives should be offered to laying hens.
Advantages and disadvantages
A breeder planning to keep a bird of this breed should take into account its strengths and weaknesses. The advantages are as follows:
- chickens stand out among other breeds for their egg production;
- barvista very quickly gets used to a new place and conditions, which facilitates the process of adaptation and eliminates problems with productivity;
- birds are immune to most diseases;
- hens and roosters can live quite a long time;
- the care and maintenance of this breed does not require the breeder to create any specific conditions;
- it is worth highlighting the good quality of the feather and down of the Barkov bird, they can be used to make bedding;
- chickens enter the maturation phase early.
Weaknesses include:
- since the breed is still focused on obtaining eggs, the meat yield from one carcass will be low;
- birds are quite noisy when kept.
Content Rules
To grow Borkovskaya barvy, you will need to provide the bird with the following conditions:
- aviary for walking;
- chicken coop;
- perches and nests;
- feeders and drinkers.
Coop
Due to the fact that birds can fly, the breeder will be able to save space when building a chicken coop for this breed of layers. Usually perches for chickens are made at a height of 0,8 m and above in several rows. Birds have strong limbs, so the risk of injury when flying off perches is eliminated. The optimal area for accommodating one individual will be 1 m2. It is better to place places for birds in a far warm corner away from window openings, where there are no drafts.
For laying hens, nests are additionally equipped. It will be possible to calculate their number on the basis that 2 nest will be required for 1 birds, since the entire population will not lay eggs at once. Since the productivity of the breed is very high, the nests should be equipped with a special collection for products.
Despite the good plumage, it is still recommended to warm the birdhouse. This is especially necessary if laying hens are kept in climatic conditions that are characterized by significant temperature drops in winter. It is recommended to lay flooring on the floor, as well as place trays with ash or sand for bathing chickens.
The breed will produce eggs all year round, including winter, if the chicken coop is provided with good lighting during these months.
The optimal daylight hours for masonry will be 10-14 hours. It is best to use LED lighting devices for these purposes, which will not irritate the organs of vision of birds. And also in the room loopholes should be equipped for the free movement of birds into the yard and back.
Food
The diet of this breed does not differ from the nutrition of chickens of other species. The basis of the daily menu of birds should be:
- cereal crops;
- beans;
- greenery;
- mineral and vitamin supplements;
- vegetables.
Adult hens should be fed large amounts of hard food, but the daily feed intake should be controlled. In the presence of corn in the diet, laying hens can accumulate fat, which adversely affects egg production. Typically feed mixes will include oats, wheat, barley and corn. Birds should also eat greens and grass regularly. Farmers recommend giving calcium-containing products to the Bork breed, such as milk, whey, cottage cheese, which will positively affect the quality of the shell.
Root crops must be offered to birds in a pure crushed form. Most often, chickens are fed beets, turnips, pumpkins, carrots. Birds almost always spread their food on the ground, so stable feeders should be made for them. For adults, it is necessary that only the head crawl into the feeder. During the laying period of chickens, egg breeds must be provided with mineral supplements. A good solution in this case would be to place feeders with grated chalk or shells.
The Borkovskaya barvy has no teeth, so it cannot grind and crush incoming food. In order for the digestive system of birds to function well, they will need to consume small pebbles. The breeder should place the container with them near the feeders, and also provide the layers with water, especially during the summer months. For chickens, small separate feeders are built that will match their size.
Place for walking
The yard should be large enough for all birds to move freely in it. Walking in the fresh air will allow laying hens to replenish the supply of important vitamins and minerals. The place for the aviary should not be passable, since excessive fuss will not be to the benefit of the birds. Although the breed is in normal contact with humans, unnecessary stress for the livestock is not needed, since this may reduce the laying of laying hens.
Breeding
Hens have a well-developed maternal instinct, so they willingly lay eggs and incubate. The breeder does not need to buy an incubator to update the number of chickens on the farm. And also the breed is distinguished by a high survival rate of young animals, which is about 95%. Birds take care of their offspring. For one rooster, 10 hens are usually left.
Chickens are born with a mass of about 40–50 g, while their plumage color will be gray. Chickens do not develop as rapidly as meat breeds, but after 2-3 months the young are already actively interacting with other birds. As a rule, after a couple of months, hens and roosters are already fully feathered, and it will be possible to determine their sex.
In the first days of life, young animals are fed with crushed yolk at intervals of 2-3 hours. Gradually introduce greens and cereals into the menu. It is important that the food is crumbly to avoid clogging the beak.
Grown up chickens are fed vegetables and dairy products. Two-month-old young can be switched to adult bird feed.
Reviews
Breeders single out among the features of the breed their frost resistance, as well as high productivity of laying hens. Chicken eggs are large in size with a strong shell. The popularity of Borkovskaya barvista, according to farmers, is also due to unpretentious care and the absence of the need to purchase any specialized feed. However, birds provide a small amount of meat.
See the following video for information on the characteristics of the Kurei Borkovskaya barvy breed.
