Characteristics and description of Hercules breed chickens, maintenance rules

Chickens of the Hercules breed are considered quite popular. They have an impressive mass and powerful body. The indisputable advantage of the breed is its high productivity. Therefore, many farmers are engaged in raising birds. To achieve noticeable results in this, chickens should be provided with good living conditions. At the same time, it is important to properly equip the poultry house and feed the chickens correctly.

Story

Birds of this breed were bred in 2000. This happened at the Ukrainian Institute of Poultry Science, located in Kharkov. The chickens were obtained from broiler crosses by crossing with other breeds from the gene pool.

Description and characteristics

Chickens of this breed have a number of features. Before you start breeding birds, you should familiarize yourself with their basic characteristics.

External data

The birds got their name due to their impressive body mass. The birds are characterized by a strong body and a wide back. The massive body is decorated with a fluffy and large tail, decorated with rounded braids.

Chickens have a dense chest and a round, toned belly. The head is small in size, and there is no fluff on the muzzle. Small eyes have a red or orange tint. The beak is small in size and curved in shape.

Males and females are characterized by scarlet combs. Moreover, in roosters they are larger in size. There is voluminous plumage in the hip area. At the same time, there is no gun on the limbs.

This breed does not have a standard feather color. This is due to the fact that several species of birds were involved in its production. Therefore, chickens can have light, gray-blue, or dark feathers.

Character

Chickens of this breed have a calm character. They have a peaceful disposition and are friendly towards other chickens and other birds. Therefore, there is no need to be afraid of conflicts and fights.

Productivity

Breeders of these chickens note their high productivity. The following indicators are typical for birds:

• egg production – 220 eggs per year;
• weight – the male reaches 4.5 kilograms, the female weighs 3.3 kilograms;
• egg weight – 65-70 grams;
• maturation - chickens begin to produce eggs at 5-6 months;
• survival rate - for young animals this figure is 91%.

Puberty and egg production

Laying hens lay their first eggs at 5 months. Sometimes puberty occurs at six months. The key task of poultry farmers is to provide quality nutrition to laying hens. Thanks to this, laying begins faster and there are no problems with eggs.

Egg production parameters are 200-220 pieces. All eggs are large in size and weigh 60-70 grams. They are characterized by a large yolk, which accounts for 40%. The eggs are covered with a light shell.

Maternal instinct

Chickens of this breed do not have a brooding instinct. This is not surprising, since hybrids and crosses have long lost this feature, and Hercules is no exception. Laying hens behave calmly throughout the year.

But when hatching offspring, they become too active and even behave aggressively. This attitude towards young animals forces farmers to use an incubator.

Advantages and disadvantages of birds

The main advantages of birds include the following:

• rapid development of young birds;
• calm character;
• heavy weight and good presentation;
• large eggs;
• big yolk.

However, the breed also has disadvantages. When breeding birds, the offspring of 2-3 generations are less productive compared to the parental lines.

Features of keeping chickens

In order for chickens to develop normally, gain weight well and produce a lot of eggs, it is recommended that they be provided with the right conditions.

What should a poultry house be like?

The birds of this breed are large in size, so they need a large chicken coop. It is important that the birds feel comfortable.Therefore, it is not recommended to place many individuals in one area.

Since birds are heavy, farmers have to make changes to the structure of the poultry house. It is not worth installing perches in it, since the chicks will not be able to climb on them.

Therefore, it is recommended to pay special attention to the floor covering. It is on the litter that chickens spend maximum time. The floor should be covered with hay or straw. It is also permissible to use peat. It is important to constantly monitor the condition of the litter. It is recommended to change it periodically.

Temperature, humidity and lighting

This breed is allowed to be bred even in the northern regions. Chickens can winter in a poultry house without special heating. Even in cold weather they can easily walk outside.

Birds tolerate snowy weather well. Thanks to this, their immunity is further strengthened. It is important to take into account that a drop in temperature to -20 degrees prohibits walking.

Lighting parameters vary depending on the age category of the birds. Chicks need levels of 40 lux, while adult chickens need 7 lux.

If a rooster lives in a room with females, it is recommended to increase the illumination slightly.

Control of humidity parameters is of no small importance. It should be 50%. Wet bedding, water and feed can increase this figure. Therefore, it is recommended to systematically ventilate the room and get rid of unnecessary moisture.

Walking yard

These chickens cannot live in a chicken coop forever. They need fresh air and constant walks. Therefore, it is recommended that birds have a walking yard. It is important to ensure that it is spacious. This will help avoid discomfort and conflicts.

Birds love to eat green grasses in spring and summer.To do this, it is recommended to plant clover or nettles in the walking yard. It is also acceptable to use cereals. It is worth building a courtyard and chicken coop on an elevated place. This will prevent flooding of the area with sewage.

Planned herd replacement

Poultry should be kept in the yard for 2 years. Then it is recommended to update the stock. Older birds cannot boast of high egg production parameters and tender juicy meat.

Molting and break in egg production

Chickens that lose their old feathers are not very attractive. However, this phenomenon is considered a variant of the norm and does not cause much discomfort. Birds tolerate this process normally and recover quickly.

Birds are characterized by a large number of feathers. However, in 60-70 days they change completely. During this period, it is important to give the chickens animal fats - for example, broths.

Some chickens do not molt. In such a situation, it is necessary to use non-standard techniques. However, in most cases, poultry farmers do without this.

Cannibalism is considered the key danger for birds. In such a situation, chickens eat individuals of their own breed. A proper and balanced diet will help you avoid this.

Breed diet

To ensure the normal development of chickens, it is important to feed them properly. The basis of a good appetite is considered to be fresh air, water, and the prevention of pathologies. It is recommended for Hercules chickens to place a container with stones, shells and chalk.

The diet of birds varies depending on the time of year. At the same time, meals must be complete and balanced. The growth period of chickens lasts 12 months. Therefore, in the first year they should be given protein feed based on cereals.

Additional products include vegetables, fruits, and root vegetables. You should definitely give your chickens green herbs. They can be used fresh or dried. Sources of additional minerals include insects, worms, and flax seeds. Chickens also need salt and meat and bone meal.

Is it possible to raise poultry?

Chickens of this breed are obtained by crossing 4 species of birds. Therefore, you won’t be able to breed them yourself. In the case of crossing crosses or hybrid breeds, the chicks lose their genetic characteristics. It is possible to preserve the characteristics of the breed only in the first generation. Then they disappear.

When chicks are obtained from eggs, only a quarter of the breed characteristics can be preserved. To obtain purebred birds, breeders buy hatching eggs from special poultry farms.

If you follow all the recommendations for breeding chicks, the hatchability of chicks reaches 85%. The chicks hatch very small, but their weight increases quickly.

Diseases and prevention from them

To avoid the development of diseases, you should follow these recommendations:

1. Do not place chicks and adult chickens in the same coop. Chickens have less strong immunity, so even simple viruses will negatively affect their health.
2. If a sick bird is identified, it should be resettled immediately.
3. It is recommended to ventilate and disinfect the room in which infected individuals lived.
4. It is important to control the composition of the feed. High-quality food minimizes the risk of disease.
5. You should avoid polluting the chicken coop. Unsanitary conditions lead to many diseases.

Possible problems during cultivation

Birds of this breed do not cause serious difficulties or problems.They have excellent immunity and quickly adapt to new climatic conditions and habitats.

Analogs

There are no real analogues for this breed. The only type of chicken that resembles Hercules is considered Hungarian giant. It is characterized by good egg production and large body weight.

Hercules chickens are very popular among poultry farmers. They are highly productive and have tasty meat.

To avoid common diseases and other problems, it is important to provide chickens with proper care.