Xin Xin Dian are very beautiful black chickens from China that lay dietary blue-green eggs. Such birds have a large number of advantages. Consider the description of this breed of chickens, recommendations for growing Chinese birds, the subtleties of their feeding, and much more.
Features of the breed
Xin Xin Dian is a breed of chicken that was bred in China. The Chinese created such birds by improving the Uheiliu breed. Specialists sought to increase the rate of maturation, egg productivity of chickens, and reduce the weight of laying hens. Xin Xin Dian came to our country thanks to N. Roshchin, a poultry farmer from Khabarovsk. The color of such birds is most often black, but there are also brick (reddish), orange shades. Representatives of the Xin Xin Dian breed are distinguished by the following appearance features:
- lush tail, which is set quite high;
- small legs and thighs;
- medium in length and fairly wide neck;
- lobes with scarlet “earrings”;
- round chest, straight back;
- Wings of medium length tightly pressed to the body;
- straight, not very long legs of a gray-yellow color (they do not have feathers);
- leaf-shaped ridge, which is very well developed;
- small neat head;
- light skeleton, trapezoidal body.
Important! In black birds, the beak is dark gray, in laying hens of other colors it is yellow-gray. The tail is well developed, lush (even in females).
Xin Xin Dian birds are very disciplined. It can be said that they are well educated. At night, these chickens sit exclusively on perches. Usually their eggs are in specially designated places: the birds do not scatter them all over the chicken coop. Laying hens are restless, very mobile, but at the same time such creatures are very neat. Xin Xin Dian is not demanding. Such birds are quite friendly, so chickens of other breeds are often kept in chicken coops with them. Xin Xin Dian roosters compete with each other only occasionally; these birds cannot be called pugnacious and aggressive.
Performance indicators
Xin Xin Dian are very productive laying hens. This is a meat and egg breed. These hens lay about 250 eggs a year. Oviposition usually begins after the bird reaches four months of age. The second year of life of the laying hen Xin Xin Dian is the most productive. A few years after the start of laying, productivity indicators begin to decrease. Xin Xin Dian eggs are distinguished by very unusual shades: they are marsh, greenish, bluish. Red hens usually lay brown-shelled eggs. The yolk is characterized by increased density, significant size, but at the same time it is very light and tender.
Conditions of detention and care
In order not to decrease egg production rates, you need to properly care for chickens. It is also necessary to provide suitable conditions of detention. There are several important guidelines to keep in mind.
- Lighting. If there is little light in the chicken coop in winter, you can use electric sources. For a medium-sized chicken coop, two small light sources will suffice. Light day starts at 6 am and lasts about 12 hours. It should not be made too long, otherwise the birds will begin to rush worse, lose weight and age faster.
- Temperature. Xin Xin Dian chickens are extremely sensitive to temperature. It should be no more than 20 and not less than 10 degrees of heat. Such birds perceive dampness and too low temperatures very poorly. To prevent chickens from getting sick, you need to properly heat the chicken coop in the cold and not walk them in the winter.
- Humidity. The best option for the room in which the laying hens are xin xin dian is 70%. If you deviate from this level of humidity, birds can start to get sick and rush much worse. Ventilate the chicken coop from time to time, avoid drafts.
- Landing density. The poultry house should not be overcrowded. The best option is up to 6 chickens per 1 square meter.
- Litter. It is necessary both in the poultry house itself and in the area for walking. Bedding can be made from straw or dry sawdust, but peat is still the best option, as it absorbs liquid very well.
- Ash bath. It helps to effectively fight skin parasites. To create such a bath for chickens, you will need to mix ash and sand (the proportions should be made the same). In such a tool, you can add a little sulfur powder.
- Walking area. It must be equipped with the onset of the warm season. Since representatives of the Xin Xin Dian breed are able to fly well, it is better to secure the walking area with a net or some other high fence.
- Increased attention during molting. Moulting birds require special care in autumn. They will need to be fed special food enriched with nutrients. During this period, xin xin dian’s egg production deteriorates, because the exhausted body begins to save resources. During molting, such chickens become even more sensitive to low temperatures. To prevent hypothermia, it is best to keep the layers in a warm house. During the molting period, the chicken coop should be illuminated well and for a long time: at least 15 hours a day. It is better to touch the birds as little as possible. During molting, their skin becomes very sensitive.
- Vaccination. Xin Xin Dian chickens have a very good immunity, but it still won’t work without vaccination. It must be scheduled by a veterinarian. Vaccination prevents many dangerous diseases.
Feeding
The food system of Xin Xin Dian and their egg production are inextricably linked with each other. The food of such birds should include various useful elements. Carbohydrates ensure the good functioning of the internal organs of birds. Starch and fiber must be in food for Xin Xin Dian. They are found in potatoes, pumpkin, beets.
Fat contributes to the creation of an energy reserve. He takes part in the formation of eggs, and also settles in the subcutaneous layer. Many healthy fats for chickens are found in corn grains, as well as in oats. Proteins are necessary for cell renewal, and without these elements it is impossible to create eggs. Xin Xin Dian should be provided with plenty of vegetable and animal proteins.
They are found in rapeseed, soybeans, beans, meat and bone meal, earthworms.
For the normal life of chickens, a large number of various minerals and vitamins are necessary. The most useful vitamins for chickens are A, D and B. If these elements are not enough, the birds will start to get sick and lay eggs worse. If there are few minerals, the laying hens will begin to peck, spoil the eggs. Xin Xin Dian needs various useful elements.
- Fish fat. It helps to improve egg production, the condition of feathers. There is a lot of fish oil in cod liver. If you can’t get these foods, add Omega 3s to your food. For 3 kg of food, one tablespoon of a useful element will be enough. Omega 3 should be added to bird feed once every few days.
- Calcium. Thanks to him, the egg shell is formed. In order for this element to be well absorbed, phosphorus is needed, therefore, wood ash, crushed coal, and chalk should be given to birds every day. “Phosphorus” food will need to be placed in separate feeders. Ash contributes to the emergence of strong thirst, so it is better to give it not very often: several times in 7 days will be enough.
- Linden or birch brooms. Branches of lindens, birches can simply be hung in the house. They have a large number of various useful elements.
- Apple vinegar. Thanks to this additive, the birds become more active, energetic, it significantly improves the quality of laying feathers. Vinegar is added to drinkers (in minimal quantities). This is done several times a week.
- Dried seaweed. Such food makes the color of egg yolks more saturated, helps to strengthen the shell.
- live bacteria. Probiotics help improve the immune system of chickens.
Chickens need to be given gravel, which helps to grind the feed. If the birds are deprived of such a supplement, their body does not absorb approximately 20% of the food received. It is impossible to use sand instead of gravel, otherwise the gastric mucosa will be damaged in laying hens. The following rules for feeding Xin Xin Dian should be taken into account:
- birds should drink quite a lot – one laying hen needs about 0,25 liters of water per day;
- in the evening, feed the birds with whole grains (approximately 60 minutes before bedtime);
- laying hens should be given food at the same time – they will get used to regularity, and all the useful elements that come with food will be much better absorbed;
- In order for chickens to lay eggs better, feed them late in the evening and early in the morning.
Breeding
There are usually no problems with breeding Chinese birds: the incubation instinct of such chickens has been preserved. To breed them in a household setting, you usually do not need to buy an incubator, but there are still exceptions. Not all birds become full-fledged hens. For this reason, some prefer to hatch xin xin dian chicks by hatching. Almost all chicks usually remain alive. Chickens quickly get stronger, become covered with feathers and become heavier (if proper nutrition is provided). Chicks that have reached the age of two months usually weigh almost 1000 g.
Chickens rarely require any complex care. Daily chicks need constant illumination, and after a while they gradually begin to accustom them to the dark. The optimum temperature for xin xin dian chickens is 30 degrees Celsius.
Then it will be possible to gradually reduce the temperature to 20 degrees Celsius.
Young chickens should be fed with corn grain, herbs, cottage cheese, eggs mashed with cottage cheese. In the first ten days of life, it will be possible to give culinary yeast to the chicks. Older chickens should be gradually transferred to boiled vegetables with compound feed. In order for the birds to grow well, add additional minerals and vitamins to the food.
So, Chinese chickens are very popular among poultry farmers, since such birds are unpretentious and carry very high-quality and tasty eggs. In order for egg production to remain good, it is necessary to provide optimal conditions for keeping chickens, as well as give them food rich in a lot of vitamins and other useful elements. It is also necessary to constantly monitor the health of layers and provide special care during the molting period.
Description of the breed of chickens Xin Xin Dian in the next video.
