Tsarskoye Selo breed of chickens: description and characteristics, rules of keeping

Short summers and long cold winters in most regions of Russia, especially in Siberia, prevented the breeding of productive poultry. The Tsarskoye Selo breed of chickens has no problems adapting to harsh climatic conditions. She is hardy, unpretentious, versatile: she gains good weight within 1-2 years, has good egg production.

Origin of the breed line

The breed was bred by Russian scientists at the end of the 20th century. When obtaining a stable genotype, broilers-6, New Hampshire and Poltava clay rocks were used as progenitors.The purpose of the selection is to obtain highly productive poultry for breeding in households.

Description and characteristics of the Tsarskoye Selo breed of chickens

Tsarskoye Selo chickens are meat and egg type. The bird is unpretentious in keeping, resistant to diseases, tolerates low temperatures well.

Exterior and color

Tsarskoye Selo chickens have elegant and lush plumage. The variegated red and black outfit gives the poultry a decorative look. The red tint prevails on the wings, torso, and neck. Black feathers with stripes and patches are found in the tail. Cockerels are brighter and more expressive than hens.

Adult bird reaches a large size. The average weight of roosters is 3200 grams, of hens - 2800 grams. Paws are high, bare, light yellow. Beak of the same shade. The scallop, earrings and lobes are small (especially in chickens), deep red. The head is neat, on a long neck.

Productivity

The carcass weight of a one-year-old bird is sufficient to be used for meat. At this age, cockerels go to the slaughter. The hens are left for another year to produce eggs. Upon reaching 2 years old, the herd is renewed, as the productivity of laying hens drops.

Puberty and egg production

Young laying hens start laying at 5-6 months of age. The final maturation of chickens occurs by the end of the year. More than 170 eggs can be obtained from one adult chicken per year, depending on care. Eggs, even in young chickens, are large - up to 60 grams, brown.

Chicken temperament

Tsarskoye Selo chickens are mobile, curious. Roosters are aggressive towards the "enemies" of the chicken family: cats, dogs, wild birds. There can be quarrels and fights inside the herd, especially if the roosters do not have enough hen girlfriends.

Main advantages and disadvantages

The bird is not afraid of low temperatures, keeping active and productive. During incubation, the fertilization rate of eggs is 100%. The survival rate of chickens is about 98%. The Tsarskoye Selo hen has retained the instinct of incubation and does not leave the nest if it sits on the eggs. The disadvantage of the breed is a short productive period: up to 2 years for meat and eggs.

Breed Varieties

In the Tsarskoye Selo breed, chickens with a rose-like and leaf-shaped scallop are distinguished. The first variety is more hardened, exceeds the second in mass. Leafy hens are more thermophilic and lay more eggs.

Features of maintenance and care

Tsarskoselskaya breed was bred for the northern regions. But it also thrives in warmer climates. When keeping, it is necessary to take into account that the bird is mobile and curious.

Poultry

It is not necessary to maintain a high temperature in the house for an adult bird.Chickens are active, their well-being and appetite are not affected by temperatures close to zero degrees. The Tsarskoye Selo breed does not need perches for a night's sleep. Floor keeping is safer for birds with a weight of about 3 kilograms and significant dimensions. The area of the premises is determined by the number of livestock. One bird should have at least 0.5 square meters. Nests are important for laying hens (at the rate of 1 nest per 5 hens), installed in quiet, shady places at a height of 50 to 70 centimeters.

The bird needs good lighting: a combination of natural and artificial. For convenience, a timer is installed that automatically turns on and off the lighting fixtures. At night, it is recommended to leave a low-power lamp constantly on so that the bird does not worry.

Place for walking

Tsarskoye Selo breed of chickens needs a place to walk.The bird loves to walk and is not afraid of a cold. The approximate area for walking is 1.5 square meters per head. To organize walking, an aviary is installed next to the poultry house. In rural areas, chickens have more room to roam outside the garden.

Feeders and drinkers

It is necessary to ensure that the bird does not consume contaminated feed and water. Water is changed 2 times a day. Drinking should be free of impurities, chlorine. The autodrinker is washed every time so that mold does not form on the walls. Water temperature - 15-17 degrees.

Feeders are installed at a height of 10-15 centimeters above the flooring. The design of the feeders should not give the bird the opportunity to stand in them with their paws, be convenient for removing food residues. Permanent feeders are installed for the grain mixture.

Vegetables and herbs are given in a special container that is well washed and disinfected. Sand and crushed shell rock are poured into containers convenient for birds and stored in a permanent place in the house.

Shelt and lay break

During the molt, poultry stop laying and are prone to disease. Tsarskoye Selo chickens remain active during this period. Their molting period can last up to 2 months. Delayed molting indicates a lack of vitamin D in the chicken diet.

What to feed Tsarskoye Selo chickens?

The diet of chickens should not differ significantly at different times of the year. Vitamins, mineral supplements must be present constantly. The basis of nutrition is crushed grain of wheat and corn. Oats, rye and barley should not exceed 10% of the dry feed. The grain mixture is prepared in the form of a wet mash. Crushed grain is poured into a container in accordance with the proportion and a little water is added. Mixer should not be dry or sticky to hands.

Supplement to the main diet should be:

• peas, beans (boiled, crushed);
• vegetables (boiled, mashed);
• fruits (raw, chopped);
• greens (fresh, dried);
• vegetable oil;
• bone meal;
• chalk.

If there is feed for chickens, the diet is adjusted depending on its composition.

Seasonal Diet

In the spring and summer, fresh grass is added to bird food daily:

• dandelion;
• swan;
• clover;
• louse.

Grass is given whole or cut. After 30 minutes, uneaten leftovers are removed.

Shredded tops of carrots, beets are added to the mixers. Root crops (carrots, beets) are boiled and cut. Zucchini, pumpkin, apples, pears are given fresh. In the autumn-winter period, a mash is prepared from boiled vegetables, adding flour from dried grass to it.Potatoes are boiled and crushed. Give without mixing with other vegetables.

Daily ration

Feeding chickens is divided into 3 doses, with an interval of 6 hours. In the morning and in the evening they give a grain mixture, greens. At lunch, the main share of food is vegetables. Grain or compound feed make up about 20% of the volume. The amount of feed per bird is, on average, 80 grams per day.

Based on the number of livestock, feed is calculated and prepared for 1 feeding. Chickens should be full within 10 minutes. Uneaten leftovers from the feeders are removed. There should always be fresh water, shell rock and sand in the house.

Subtleties of breeding

For an active bird, it is necessary to provide a place for constant walking and a spacious chicken coop.

Possible diseases

Tsarskoselskaya breed of chickens is resistant to infections and colds. The cause of death can be parasites, which are carried by mice, rats, sparrows, crows. Vaccination of chickens and a balanced diet of young animals will increase the immunity of adult birds.

Cold

Colds can be caused by drafts in the chicken coop and cold floors. If the bird has become lethargic, stopped laying eggs, walks with an open beak, then it is necessary to plant it in a dry, insulated room and replace the water with vitamin decoctions. In severe cases, antibiotics are used.

Coccidiosis

Infection with coccidia most often occurs during walking, when the bird pecks earthworms and greens along with the ground. Infection symptoms:

• blue earrings and comb;
• loose and frequent stools;
• sluggishness;
• the bird is freezing, which is why it constantly crests;
• loss of appetite;
• thirst.

The sick bird is placed in a cage. Treatment - antibacterial drugs. Prevention - vaccination of chickens, daily cleaning in the house. With signs of coccidiosis - disinfection of the premises and equipment.

Pasteurellosis

He althy chickens can become infected by ticks by pecking at the feces of diseased wild birds. The period from infection to the first symptoms does not exceed 2 days. The disease can take place in acute or chronic form. Signs of acute bacterial contamination:

• thirst;
• loss of appetite;
• temperature up to 44 degrees;
• scallop cyanosis;
• mucus foam from the nose;
• blood in stool;
• apathy.

It is impossible to cure a bird infected with pasteurellosis. Sick chickens are to be slaughtered, carcasses are to be disposed of. The high survival rate of pathogens requires careful and repeated disinfection of the premises and equipment. Prevention - vaccination of chickens from 6 months.

Worms

Ascariasis is a helminthic invasion that affects laying hens and the parent flock.Infection occurs through wild birds or purchased chickens. Signs of infection - decreased egg production, loss of appetite, thirst. Treatment is carried out for a long time with drugs containing fenbendazole.

Lice, lice, ticks

The source of infection of chickens is a wild bird. Insects bring a lot of anxiety to the bird, because of which it loses part of its plumage, loses weight, stops laying eggs, and becomes vulnerable to infections and other parasites. Timely chemical treatment of chickens and disinfection of the poultry house give a good result in the fight against mallophagosis.

Where can I buy eggs and poultry?

You can buy eggs and chickens at VNIIGRZH St. Petersburg or from private breeders.

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