Characteristics and description of Loman Brown chickens, productivity and maintenance

Chickens of the Loman Brown breed are of the egg type. They are raised for their eggs. The birds have light brown feathers and are light in weight. In the first years of life, chickens lay eggs every day. For 2-3 years, egg production decreases, so the flock is renewed with young chickens. Birds have good immunity, a calm character, eat a variety of cereals, raw and boiled vegetables, and herbs.

Description and characteristics of the Loman Brown breed

Loman Brown chickens are an egg-laying breed of poultry bred in Germany in the last century. Chickens are bred for eggs. The meat quality of such a bird is low. Lohman Brown chickens are genetically engineered to have high egg production.

In addition to increased productivity, this breed of bird has another useful feature - it can take root in any climate zone. However, it is impossible to obtain full-fledged offspring from eggs at home. The breed was bred from 4 hybrids; young birds are bred in breeding poultry farms. In order to raise Loman Brown chickens, you need to buy young stock or hatching eggs.

Appearance

Adult laying hens weigh 1.9-2.1 kilograms, roosters weigh no more than 3 kilograms. Birds have light brown feathers with a reddish tint; they may have light or dark feathers in the tail, wings and around the neck. Chickens have a neat build and light bones. The plumage is dense, the tail and wings are well developed. Birds of this breed have a small head with a bright red crest and round earrings.

Character of chickens

Birds of the Loman Brown breed are active, but not aggressive. Their character is calm, not timid. Roosters rarely fight and do not share territory. Loman Brown chickens have a good appetite. They are kept separately from other poultry due to their small weight. Out of 100 chicks, 96 survive. Birds are unpretentious in care and adapt well to any living conditions.

Egg production and when they begin to lay eggs

Loman Brown chickens begin to lay eggs very early - at the age of 21 weeks. The egg production of one chicken lasts 80 weeks.The weight of the bird during this period is only 1.7-1.9 kilograms. In the first year of life, one hen produces 310-320 eggs weighing 63-64 grams. If chickens are provided with at least 14 hours of daylight, they will lay eggs every day, even in winter (except during molting periods).

The eggs of Loman Brown chickens are light brown in color. In the second year, productivity decreases by 15 percent, and in subsequent years it decreases by another 20 percent.

The older the chickens, the less often they lay eggs, but the eggs themselves increase in size.

Growing costs and profitability

Loman Brown chickens are inexpensive (prices are in equivalent): hatching eggs - from 0.5 dollars, day-old chicks - from 2 dollars, young animals 4.5 months old, ready to lay eggs - from 10 dollars. Chickens lay eggs for only 2 years. After the end of the egg production period, they can be used for meat.

Growing costs include the cost of feed (about 1-2 dollars per month), vaccines, vitamins, and utility bills associated with keeping birds. In a month, one chicken will lay 25 eggs with a total cost of 2-3 dollars. Usually at least 10-20 birds are raised at a time. The cost of keeping chickens is fully covered by the cost of eggs.

Main pros and cons

Advantages of breeding Loman Brown chickens:

• rapid growth and sexual maturation of the bird;
• high productivity;
• unpretentiousness in care and maintenance;
• high offspring survival rates;
• excellent quality eggs.

Disadvantages of breeding Loman Brown birds:

• The egg production of one hen lasts only 80 weeks;
• it is impossible to obtain purebred offspring at home;
• You cannot overfeed the bird, otherwise it will begin to gain weight and stop laying eggs every day.

Features of keeping roosters and laying hens

At home, Loman Brown chickens are kept in cages or open enclosures on the floor. The planting density is 6-8 individuals per 1 square meter. The poultry house must be equipped with perches and nests for egg-laying. For 20 birds, the minimum chicken coop size is 10 square meters.

Requirements for the place of detention

Loman Brown chickens can be kept indoors throughout the entire laying period. In households that raise a small number of birds, they usually set up a poultry house and an outdoor walking area.

The room where chickens are kept must be warm, have windows for light access, and doors. The inside of the windows is protected with a metal mesh. Lay straw or sawdust on the floor of the room in which the chickens are kept. You must constantly monitor the cleanliness and dryness of the litter.

The poultry house must have perches. These can be wooden blocks 5 centimeters thick and 1-2 meters long, located at least 50 centimeters above the floor level. Chickens sleep on roosts.

In order for laying hens to lay eggs, they are equipped with nests. These can be wooden boxes or wicker baskets. The nests are lined with soft straw or sawdust. Placed at a height of 50 centimeters from the floor. For 4-5 laying hens, make 1 nest.

Lighting and temperature

IN the chicken coop is equipped with a heating system and lighting. The air temperature in the poultry house should be 18-22 degrees Celsius. When the temperature drops to 3-5 degrees below zero, chickens may experience hypothermia and frostbite on their combs and earrings. In winter, the chicken coop needs to be heated. At temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, chickens will not lay eggs.

Daylight hours should be 13-14 hours a day. Lighting lamps are located at a distance of 2 meters from the floor.The poultry house is artificially illuminated only in the autumn-winter period.

Preparing a walking yard

Chickens will get sick less if they can go outside every day. Having the opportunity to go out into the fresh air, birds will be able to independently search for food, take sun and air baths, and will lay eggs that are more complete, from a biological point of view.

The chickens first need to prepare the yard for walking. The site can be surrounded by a fence 2 meters high or the birds can be given the opportunity to walk throughout the entire territory of the garden plot. Walking areas should contain sand and ash, feeders with grain, drinking bowls with water and containers with lime. In winter, birds are allowed outside if the air temperature does not drop below 3-5 degrees below zero.

Installation of feeders and drinkers

For feeding and watering chickens, special devices are installed in the chicken coop. Feeders are arranged in such a way that chickens cannot throw them over or leave droppings in them. Traditional long grooved wooden boxes or plastic hopper feeders are used as feeding containers and can be placed on the ground or suspended from the ceiling.

Crushed grain or mixed feed is poured into the feeding container. In the chicken coop you need to equip another feeder - for mineral supplements (limestone, chalk, salt). Any container can serve as a drinking bowl: a plastic shallow plate, a ready-made vacuum or siphon drinking bowl.

Molting and break in laying

Loman Brown chickens usually molt in the fall - from October to December. Birds do not lay eggs during molting. During this period, chickens' appetite decreases and they lose weight. After molting the situation returns to normal. The chickens begin to lay eggs as before.

Planned herd replacement

Loman Brown chickens are kept for the production of eggs. Birds lay eggs every day for 1-2 years. At 2-3 years of life, old chickens are replaced with young animals.

What to feed the bird?

Diet and chicken feeding standards Loman Brown depends on the age of the bird. Laying hens are fed 2-3 times a day. Throughout the day, chickens are given different food, but little by little (20-30 grams each). Birds should not be overfed, otherwise they will become fat and stop laying eggs.

Adult chickens

It is not recommended to feed adult birds whole grains. This food is difficult to digest. The grain is digested by the stomach within 6 hours. Grain feed needs to be detailed. From grains, birds are given corn, barley, wheat, oatmeal, millet, sunflower and flax seeds, and sprouted wheat. You can buy ready-made feed. One bird should receive 110-120 grams of feed or cereal per day.

Chickens are given dry and wet food. Wet mash prepared from steamed cereals and boiled vegetables is given in the morning and afternoon. At night, chickens are fed dry crushed grain.

As an additional source of vitamins and minerals, chickens are given chopped vegetables and root vegetables: carrots, cabbage, pumpkin, turnips. In spring and summer, you need to put fresh herbs in the feeders: nettle, clover, alfalfa. Free-range chickens provide themselves with green food. On the territory of the chicken coop there must be a plate with limestone, chalk, and salt. Chickens need fresh water in their drinking bowls every day.

Chicks

Small chicks that are born are fed immediately, food is given every 2 hours, even at night. Corn grits, boiled yolk mixed with semolina, and boiled chopped nettle are poured into the feeder. There should always be clean water in the drinking bowl.You can give chickens kefir and cottage cheese.

Week-old chicks are fed 7 times a day. They are additionally given millet, barley, wheat or oatmeal, as well as boiled potatoes, herbs, and grated carrots. Compound feed is added to the diet of month-old chicks. From 3 months, chicks are fed like adult chickens.

Breeding rules

Loman Brown chickens cannot be obtained from eggs laid by domestic hens. For breeding, hatching eggs or day-old chicks are purchased from producers.

Incubation

To incubate chickens at home, you need to purchase a special apparatus that will play the role of a hen. The incubator must maintain an optimal temperature for the development of chicks. Fresh, clean, crack-free eggs are placed in trays with the blunt end up. The incubator should warm up to 36-38 degrees Celsius before laying. The eggs are turned over from time to time. A container of water is placed in the incubator to maintain the desired level of humidity. The chicks hatch at 21 days.

Raising chickens

Once born, the chicks are taken from the incubator and placed in a small box. The air temperature in the room should be 29-33 degrees Celsius. After 3 days, the temperature is reduced by 1 degree, the chickens are released onto a warm floor.

Day-old chicks, 6 hours after hatching, are allowed to peck a little corn grits. In the first 1-2 weeks after birth, chicks are not allowed outside. They are kept in a room with an air temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. Chickens need to be properly cared for: regularly fed, watered, removed droppings and old food.

Possible problems during breeding

Healthy chickens are active, eat well and gain weight.If the chicks are cold, they have damp and dirty bedding, an unbalanced diet, and viruses and bacteria enter the weakened body. Chickens sit in one place for a long time, do not run, fall on their paws, lower their heads and wings.

Sick chicks are separated from healthy ones. They give them medicine or kill them. At an older age, chickens may stop laying eggs during molting. After a month, egg production returns to normal. Poultry productivity is affected by molting and natural aging.

Diseases and methods of combating them

Loman Brown chickens have good immunity. With improper care and poor nutrition, birds can get sick.

Common diseases and treatments:

1. Coccidiosis is an infectious disease of the stomach in which birds become lethargic, sit in one place, eat poorly, diarrhea, and droop their wings. If signs of disease are detected, you should contact a veterinarian. Chickens are given antibiotics and the drugs Coccidiovit, Avatek, Sakoks.
2. Ascariasis is a helminthic disease in which chickens become lethargic, eat poorly, and stop laying eggs. Treat with the drug Piperazine (0.2-0.5 grams diluted in 1 liter of water).
3. Tuberculosis is an infectious disease in which birds fall on their feet, move little, and eat poorly. Sick chickens are isolated from healthy ones and killed.

Loman Brown chickens are the most profitable breed of birds, characterized by high egg production rates. Laying hens lay eggs every day and eat as much as ordinary chickens. The only disadvantage of this breed is that the birds do not reproduce naturally. Every 2 years you need to buy chicks or hatching eggs.