There are different breeds of chickens: some grow quickly and give a lot of meat (meat), others carry a large number of eggs (egg). But there are breeds that make up the middle ground between them - these are meat and egg chickens. They combine high egg production and high weight. Features of the content of these rocks we will discuss in our article.

List of breeds of meat and egg productivity

Meat and egg chickens are represented by such breeds: Kuchinskaya, Leningrad chintz, Foxy Chik, Zagorsk salmon, Liven chintz, Maran, Dominant, Australorp, Amrox, Welsumer, Pushkinskaya and Lakenfelder. Next, we consider their characteristics.

Kuchinsky

Layers have a fleshy torso and short legs. The weight of the rooster is 4.5 kg, chicken - 3 kg. Birds carry more than 200 eggs per year, starting at six months of age. The shell of eggs is brown with a pink tint. The color of the feathers is golden brown or light brown.

Learn more about the features of breeding Kuchin hens.

The main quality of the breed is a very good tolerance of weather changes: its representatives quickly get used to cold weather in winter and heat in summer. The level of their egg production does not fall even in the most severe frosts. Hens can run in an uninsulated chicken coop.

In addition, hens are not inherent in colds. Chickens also have very strong immunity, therefore, cases of their mortality are rare. The survival rate of chickens is 98% - this quality increases the value of the breed in relation to others. It is worth noting that adult laying hens are sensitive to their offspring, and chickens quickly gain weight.

Important! Kuchin laying hens are often obese, so their diet should be balanced. Do not overfeed them at night: in obese birds, egg production will decrease, and soon they will cease to rush at all. Hens of the breed in question are undemanding in content and very calm. If they are well looked after, they may well become tame.

Leningrad chintz

First of all, layers are distinguished by their beautiful plumage: each feather in them consists of white, black and brown colors. The weight of an adult male is 2.7 kg, and that of a female is 2 kg. Gourmets really appreciate meat: it is very delicate in taste, aromatic and juicy. The egg production rate of this breed is 180 eggs per year.

Chickens quickly adapt to weather changes. But despite this, make sure that the coop is stable and warm. Keep the temperature in it not lower than +10 ° С. In winter, the floor in the chicken coop needs to be covered with sawdust or hay so that the birds do not catch their feet. It is also important that there are no drafts inside the house - this will help to avoid chicken diseases.

Read about the advantages and disadvantages of chickens of the Leningrad chintz breed.

Calcium must be in the diet of this breed for the eggs to be strong - to do this, provide them with the opportunity to peck small pebbles or shells every day. You can also introduce calcium into the food of laying hens. In addition, birds should receive a sufficient dose of protein. Its deficiency will adversely affect the quality of meat.

Foxy chick

Birds are low, with a wide sternum and thick plumage of red and light brown. At the age of 4 months they begin to rush. The egg production of the breed is very high - 300 eggs per year with a characteristic light pink color.

Foxy chickens are large in size. An adult rooster weighs 6 kg and a chicken weighs 4 kg. Their dietary meat, which is very much appreciated in the market. Another huge plus is the 100% survival of chickens, so it is easy to grow them.

As for the conditions of detention, the birds are unpretentious. Due to the presence of high-quality plumage, they tolerate cold temperatures well in winter. The only caveat is the obligatory straw litter on the floor, which will protect the feet of the birds from hypothermia. Important! In order not to decrease the egg production of laying hens, carefully monitor their diet. Food should be three meals a day and include vegetables, fruits, vitamin supplements.

Zagorsk Salmon

These are medium sized birds. The weight of the rooster is 3.7 kg. Adult laying hens weigh 2.7 kg. One chicken can lay up to 260 eggs per year, starting at the age of five months. The color of the shell is cream or light brown.

Read more about the Zagorsk salmon breed of chickens.

Features of the bird of this breed:

• they are hardy and quickly get used to changes in temperature;
• very rarely get sick, because they have strong immunity;
• they can be grown together with representatives of other breeds, because they have a good character;
• chickens grow rapidly, they are characterized by a high level of survival.

Important! In the chicken coop or on the area for walking, there should be a container with sand - this is a very important part of the diet of laying hens. Sand improves the digestion process of chickens: with its help, food in their stomach is better ground. The birds are almost omnivorous and very active, so you need to protect the garden and the garden from laying hens, as they can ruin the plantings. And you need to avoid the lack of food in chickens.

Liven chintz

Outwardly, the layers are very large, with a wide chest, a long back and a short neck. The color of the feathers can be different: yellow, black and white, black, silver, golden.

Did you know? The name of the breed came from the chintz color of the birds, which today prevails in comparison with other colors. Chicken of this breed carries 200–220 eggs per year, starting at the age of 6 months. It should be noted that the color of the shell is brown. The number of eggs does not decrease in winter, when there are large frosts on the street. In addition, the eggs have a delicate taste, which is very appreciated by gourmets. The meat of these birds has wonderful taste qualities.

Livenki well tolerate winter frosts. Adult hens can winter in an unheated chicken coop. They need heat during the period of active growth due to the long plumage process. Also, birds have high immunity - they rarely get sick, so chickens grow viable.

Birds are unpretentious in food. But in winter, it is especially necessary to ensure that they receive a lot of vitamins: for this they dry fruits, vegetables and use other vitamin supplements.

Maranas

Features of the breed:

• birds are large in size, with a long body and strong legs;
• the weight of an adult rooster does not exceed 4 kg, and females - 3.2 kg;
• one chicken carries 150 eggs per year;
• they are very active, so take care of the presence of a large space for birds;
• laying hens do not tolerate high humidity, so you need to ensure that the chicken coop is dry;
• hens are unpretentious in food;
• in the diet of maranas there should be a lot of greens so that their egg production does not decrease;
• so that the eggshell is strong, be sure to use a calcium supplement for chickens.

It is worth noting that the shell of their eggs has a very unusual brown color, which distinguishes this breed from others.

Important! The eggshell of the maranas is very strong, and care must be taken to ensure that chickens that could not break through on their own do not die. If you observe this situation, help the chicks get out.

Dominants

Layers have an unusual appearance due to low legs that make them squat. The chickens are quite large: the weight of the rooster reaches 3 kg, and the laying hens - 2 kg. One chicken can lay 310 eggs per year, which is a very high rate.

Hens are unpretentious to habitat conditions. They tolerate both great heat and severe frosts. The level of dryness and humidity in the chicken coop also does not have much significance - dominants tolerate any conditions of detention well.

Australorp

Chickens are grown on many farms. Layers stand out among other breeds with black feathers. They carry 300 eggs per year. Upon reaching the age of two, the egg production of individuals decreases, then the laying hens are sent for slaughter. It is worth noting that chickens have a fairly large weight: a rooster weighs 4 kg, and a chicken - 3 kg.

Did you know? This breed was developed back in 1890 in Australia. Then it became popular in America, and eventually over the world. The name of the breed came from the mainland on which it appeared. Layers quickly get used to new climatic conditions. The chicken coop should be warm, without drafts. It is important to provide the chickens with good ventilation - this will prevent the appearance of various bacteria in the house.

Also, laying hens are not picky in their diet, but vitamin supplements must be included in their diet to improve digestion. In the chicken coop, there should always be a container of a mixture of ash and sand so that hens can bathe in it regularly. So they clean their plumage from contaminants and bacteria, and their appearance becomes even better.

We recommend that you learn more about the Australorp chickens.

Amrox

Chickens are beautiful in appearance due to their cuckoo plumage. They are large in size, wide in the chest, with a long neck. The weight of the rooster is 4.5 kg, and the chicken is 3.5 kg. Egg production - 180 eggs per year.

These chickens are characterized by high survival. They quickly adapt to new conditions and are calm in nature, so layers can be kept in the same room with other breeds. Due to its unpretentiousness, this breed is most often recommended to grow for beginner poultry farmers.

The chicken coop for this breed should be well-lit and insulated to avoid bird diseases.

Check out the more advanced features of Amrox chickens.

You need to monitor the balanced diet of chickens. Fill the diet of laying hens with vitamins (include greens, fish oil, dairy products, etc.), and this will positively affect the egg production and appearance of the birds.

Welsumer

It is the oldest breed in Europe. Its representatives are tall and large, they are characterized by a rusty-grouse coloring of plumage. In the first year of life, they carry 160 eggs, then the egg production drops to 120 eggs per year. The eggshell is unusual - rough, dark red-brown shades.

The weight of the laying hens is average: roosters reach 3.5 kg, and hens - 2.5 kg. Layers tolerate cold well, they can winter in an unheated chicken coop. In order for the chickens to grow fully, without reducing egg production, you need to monitor the balance of their nutrition. The diet should have vitamin supplements, herbs, cereal mixtures, and more.

Hens Welsumer are calm. They easily get along with representatives of other breeds. Thanks to calm and non-bullying, they can be accustomed to hands.

Pushkin

Hens have a beautiful color. Layers are striped-motley, and roosters are white with dark spots along the body.

Learn more about the features of breeding Pushkin chickens.

The weight of the birds is small: males - 3 kg, and females - 2 kg. Chickens carry from 220 to 290 eggs per year, starting from 5.5 months. The level of egg production depends on the amount of vitamins in their diet. It should consist of herbs, vegetables, chalk, vitamin supplements.

Layers tolerate cold well due to the dense feather cover. They are also undemanding in conditions of detention. Their chicken coop should be warm and free of drafts to prevent the occurrence of poultry diseases.

Important! In order to avoid conflicts among birds, make sure that the herd has such a sexual ratio - 1 rooster per 25 chickens. In no case do not keep more cocks for so many layers.

Lakenfelder

The birds are very beautiful in appearance: they are stately and voluminous due to the magnificent plumage. Roosters have a long neck and tail, which makes them more magnificent. The black neck and tail contrast sharply with the white torso.

The weight of the birds is small: roosters reach 2.2 kg, and laying hens - 2 kg. The egg production rate is 180 eggs per year; under improved conditions, it can increase. These chickens need to provide a lot of space for walking. They can walk in the heat and in frost, because they tolerate temperature changes well.

We advise you to learn about the features of breeding chickens Lakenfelder.

The diet of laying hens should be carefully monitored: for this it is recommended to buy ready-made balanced feeds and vitamin supplements, as a result of which the laying of chickens increases.

Important! Lakenfelder chickens are very rare in farms, in addition, it is more difficult to care for them than for laying hens of other breeds. Therefore, it is better for novice breeders to pause with this rare breed and first try their hand at breeding more undemanding chickens.

Breeding of chicken meat and egg breeds

To breed laying hens of meat and egg breeds, you need to know the following provisions:

• they begin to lay eggs early (aged 4–5 months);
• most breeds are small in weight, but their meat is very tasty, which is appreciated by gourmets;
• the poultry diet should include a sufficient amount of vitamins so that its egg production does not decrease;
• chickens should have free access to fresh water;
• you need to take care of a warm house without drafts, with straw bedding. It must be kept dry, clean and avoid excessive humidity;
• laying layers of these breeds have high immunity, therefore, chickens have almost one hundred percent survival;
• if you are a novice breeder, first breed more undemanding chickens to gain experience in this matter;
• Allow enough space for all the hens to walk. It is an additional source of vitamins for poultry.

Before you start raising chickens, read in detail the conditions of the particular breed and adhere to all recommendations for the care.

Breeding chickens is both an exciting and responsible business. To achieve success in it, you need to make a lot of effort. But if you diligently follow all the recommendations for caring for laying hens, they will thank you with high egg production and high weight.