The most interesting decorative breeds of chickens at their summer cottage

Many are very much mistaken about chickens, considering them stupid, ugly and incapable of emotions. But the owners of these birds will never agree with such an opinion and will be absolutely right. Currently, breeders have developed decorative chicken breeds that completely refute the second of three misconceptions. Although the usual motley laying hen is unusually good-looking.

The best decorative chicken breeds

It so happened that for the most part decorative chicken breeds come from the East and Southeast Asia. Therefore, they often require special conditions of detention. Creating a better environment and a familiar climate for them is a laborious and costly process. But truly worth it!

When breeding ornamental chicken breeds, you will have to strictly monitor the inheritance of breed characteristics. This group of poultry reaches sexual maturity much later than their meat and egg relatives. This happens mostly by the age of nine. Decorators are also capable of laying eggs, but they are not particularly productive. It's good if the chicken produces about 80 eggs per year.

There are such decorative varieties that are grown solely for the purpose of courtesy. For example, there are dwarf chickens weighing only up to one kilogram, which lay no more than 90 small eggs per year.

Ayam Tsemani

Absolutely black Indonesian breed of chickens, the standards of which do not allow a single white spot in color. Breeders of this variety must reject individuals with even a tiny white mark on the tongue. Blood, flesh, eyes, absolutely everything should be black.

Individuals of the Ayam Tsemani breed have difficult contact with humans due to their high fearfulness and anxiety of behavior, therefore their chicken coops must be located in a quiet place.

The breed is distinguished by its aggressive behavior and pugnacious nature towards its own kind. Males here grow up to a maximum of 2 kg, chickens - 500 g less. Laying hens produce up to 100 large black eggs during the year.

Phoenix

This long-tailed breed of chickens was bred in China, but it gained fame when it got to Japan. There is a belief that by settling Phoenix in the southern side of the courtyard, you can forever save your family from misfortune.

There are two breed branches - these are Japanese chickens (photo below), whose tail can reach 11 meters. And the German variety of Phoenixes, which allow the length of the tail feathers up to 3.5 m.

Today, acquiring a Japanese variety is nearly impossible. But representatives of the German Phoenixes are quite common.

The Phoenix chicken coop should be warm, as these birds do not tolerate cold well, during which earrings and combs of chickens freeze easily.

Advantages of the breed:

• amazing decorative qualities;
• undemanding to food;
• delicious meat.

Disadvantages:

• low productivity (up to 100 small eggs);
• late puberty (about 2 years);
• the hen does not hatch offspring.

Decorative Phoenix roosters barely reach 2 kg of live weight, chickens do not grow up to 1.5 kg. Egg weight maximum 50 g.

Brama

Brahma are very beautiful giant chickens with amazing plumage. The paws of birds of both sexes are beautifully covered with a shaggy feather. Brahma has a long, beautiful neck, long legs and a short body with a compact tail.

Not allowed by the standards: yellowish feather color, white tail, bald legs, white metatarsus.

Representatives of the breed are docile. They are very affectionate and friendly, despite their huge size. Brahma meat is delicious, similar to turkey meat. Layers can lay up to 120 eggs per year. Sexual maturity occurs by 9 months.

Roosters may well grow up to 5 kg, and chickens - up to 4, and the varieties of darker feather colors are much heavier than their light counterparts.

Paduan

Paduan is a breed bred a very long time ago, even in antiquity. The first mention of these chickens with a lush tuft around the entire head was in ancient Roman manuscripts and figurines dating back to the second century AD, therefore Italy is considered the country of origin.

These small decorative chickens are not used for meat, due to their small size: the weight of a rooster can be a maximum of 2.5 kg. Laying hens produce 120 eggs per year - this is a good indicator.

The diet of paduan must necessarily contain fruits and vegetables: carrots, apples, cabbage. The omnivorous nature of this breed can contribute to poisoning.

Paduanas are known for their unusual birdlife. They are incredibly friendly and outgoing. They have a good intelligence for chickens. They are very attached to their owner, they can eat from their hands and move on the shoulder of a person, like a pirate parrot.

According to the color of the feather and the size, several subspecies of Paduan are distinguished:

• white;
• the black;
• gold;
• shamoa;
• dwarf.

The latter have the size of adults not exceeding 0.9 kg.

Cochinhin

Dwarf decorative chickens Cochin Chin are native to China. These chickens were kept at the imperial palace as decorative chickens.

Distinctive features of the breed are the following qualities:

• voluminous, strong body;
• plumage rich, covers the whole bird completely, even the metatarsus;
• a mane of feathers on the neck, falling beautifully over the shoulders;
• the character is good-natured and sociable, they love, like cats, to sit in the owner's arms;
• the tail is short.

Too high or narrowed body shape, flat chest, long tail, poorly pubescent or bare metatarsus and white lobes are unacceptable.

The dense plumage and edge of a short chicken always require clean bedding and a clean walking area so as not to contaminate the feathers and spoil the appearance of the bird.

The color of these dwarf chickens is different. Most often these are gold or partridge-like feather coloring. There may be black and yellow individuals.

Chinese silk

This breed is famous for its unusual downy plumage. Fragile and small birds with a hummock-like crest on their heads, without exaggeration, conquered the world with their beauty and grace of forms.

The color of the skin and bones of the breed is also extraordinary - blue. Each of the five (!) Toes has its own plumage.

Chinese silk chickens should be kept in well-heated rooms with a 12-hour daylight hours. Then the bird will not die and will not stop rushing.

An adult cockerel weighs up to 1.4 kg. The laying hen brings up to 110 eggs per year, which is very good for such babies.

Of course, there are other chicken breeds for meat and egg production that are easy to keep and much more productive. But every poultry farmer, albeit not immediately, but over time, necessarily buys decorative birds for his farm in order to please the eye. You just need to prepare yourself in advance for the fact that most of the time will be taken by caring for decorative chickens - so finicky, but so beautiful.

Video about ornamental chicken breeds in the household