Andalusian blue: description and characteristics of the breed, rules of keeping

Naturally, meat and egg indicators are the main characteristics of chickens that breeders pay attention to. However, birds that stand out for their extraordinary exterior, plumage with original shades, are also in demand. The Andalusian blue hybrid is always of interest. The breed becomes a real decoration of private households and poultry farms.

History of occurrence

Thanks to the work of Spanish breeders, poultry breeders have received Andalusian blue birds for breeding. This is the result of crossing chickens of the blue fighting breeds and the black and white Minorca.The result of the work is amazing: chickens are distinguished by an exotic shade of plumage and good productivity. The decorative look of the bird is the main advantage, so the laying hens are mainly used to decorate the poultry house.

Description and characteristics of the breed

To appreciate the breed of chickens, you need to take into account the conditions of their breeding, productive qualities.

Exterior and color of chickens

General view of the Andalusian blue bird: a long and strong body of graceful forms, an elongated wide head with a large single, erect crest (in chickens, the crest falls a little to one side). Long wings fit snugly to the sides. On the torso, a wide, full, rounded chest stands out.

The extraordinary color of plumage is a special advantage of the breed. The color of the feathers is black and blue (in roosters on the mane, back and lower back, the feathers are darker than the general background). An approximate division of plumage according to the color palette: 50% blue feathers and 25% black and off-white.The contrasting combination of the crest, earrings of rich red color and black and gray plumage looks very bright and elegant.

The disadvantages of the breed are the absence of a pattern on the plumage, a non-standard serrated crest. Changing the color of the plumage (feathers too dark or light) is also a deviation from the standard. Explicit marriage - a red bloom on the plumage, the presence of bright white feathers on the wings, tail.

Maturity and productive qualities of the Andalusian blue

Andalusian hens start laying at the age of 5-6 months (about 160 eggs per year, egg weight - 55-60 g). The meat qualities of individuals are average - a chicken weighs 2-2.2 kg, a rooster - 2.5-2.6 kg.

Bird Character

When breeding the Andalusian blue, you need to take into account its quarrelsome disposition, especially when other birds appear. Chickens react quite calmly to their owners, but show aggression towards birds of other breeds.Stressful situations negatively affect the egg production of chickens, so it is recommended to keep different breeds in separate fenced areas.

Main advantages and disadvantages

Like any breed of bird, the Andalusian blue chicken has positive and negative qualities. Key Features:

• extraordinary appearance and original plumage color;
• early ripening;
• grow and develop well in free keeping conditions;
• unpretentiousness in food.

A few of the shortcomings deserve attention:

• cluches don't tend to incubate eggs;
• the bird flies well, so the sites are fenced with high nets/fences;
• noisy and somewhat aggressive behavior in the presence of other chicken breeds;
• does not tolerate low temperatures, combs and earrings quickly freeze over in frosty weather.

Maintenance and Care

Like any poultry, Andalusian Blue chickens need a warm indoor coop and run area. It is strongly not recommended to constantly keep individuals in an enclosed space. In such conditions, without long walks and exposure to fresh air, chickens lose weight and egg production, diseases appear.

Features of the house

The place where the birds are kept must meet certain requirements. Key points:

• no gaps, because drafts provoke the occurrence of diseases;
• sufficient area of the room (at the rate of 3-4 birds per square meter). If the livestock is smaller, the chickens may freeze. And high density leads to poor ventilation and disease;
• floor is recommended to be protected from rodents, so tin flooring is used. Peat, straw or hay are suitable as bedding;
• small containers with wood ash or sand will allow the bird to clean feathers comfortably at any time.

Important! The bedding in the room is changed regularly, while the floor is treated with special disinfectants.

Perches are set up in the room. Perches are not fixed above 50 cm to prevent injury to birds in the event of a fall. It is not recommended to keep the Andalusian Blue breed without perches, as the plumage and figure will be deformed in birds.

Lighting and ventilation in the chicken coop

Chickens need low light for 11-12 hours. Therefore, the room is equipped with appropriate lighting. It is easier to install "smart" lights that turn on automatically.

Advice! The poultry house is equipped with a ventilation system (built into the roof). Or the building is supplemented with window openings.

Playing yard

Having a specially equipped area for walking is an ideal option for keeping an Andalusian blue. The optimal solution is to install a manhole door from the chicken coop to the site. To protect the bird from the scorching sun or rainfall, a canopy is installed on the site.

Chickens easily fly over low fences. Therefore, the site is fenced with a fence or a mesh 2-2.5 m high. In order for the walking area to be normally ventilated and illuminated, the territory is limited with a chain-link mesh or nylon mesh. The canvases are carefully fixed on supports.

Feeders and drinkers

Dry food can be poured into wooden containers - the volume of the container is important. The container is selected for the daily portion of feed.Fix the feeders to the walls (at a level not higher than 0.5 m). If wet or mixed food is used, metal or plastic containers are chosen, since the feeders must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected periodically.

Drinkers must be installed near the feeders, on the paddock. Birds drink a lot of water, especially young hens and chickens. You can buy factory designs for feeding - bunker-type devices. Or breeders make devices with their own hands from auxiliary materials (plastic pipes, buckets, bottles).

What to feed the birds?

Andalusian blue breed is unpretentious in nutrition. Feed must necessarily contain fiber, vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins for the full development of birds. When compiling a diet, it is recommended to take into account the age of chickens.

Chickens are mixed feed based on millet, barley and other finely ground cereals.Be sure to supplement the diet with cottage cheese, chopped boiled egg, ground herbs. By the age of one month, the chicken should increase its weight by 250-300 g. Chickens older than two months are transferred to coarse-ground feed mixtures intended for adult birds. For adult chickens, a wet mash is prepared based on cereals (oats, barley, peas, millet), with the addition of boiled vegetables (potatoes, beets, carrots). The summer diet must be enriched with chopped herbs 25-30 g per day. In winter, chalk, fish oil, bone meal are added to feed mixtures.

Chicken breeding

Self-breeding of the breed is a troublesome business, since laying hens show little maternal instinct. If there is no incubator, then they look after hens capable of incubating eggs. Nesting is arranged in a warm, dark place. At the same time, there should be free and easy access to the drinker and feeder. Nests are made for laying 4-6 eggs.

Breed diseases

When properly bred, blue chickens grow up with strong immunity from disease. The main danger for birds is a cold that occurs during drafts, in conditions of wet and cold content. A suitable prophylactic method is the inoculation of young animals.

An unpleasant moment can be beriberi, which manifests itself during molting. A balanced diet with vitamin supplements will help prevent beriberi.

Most poultry farmers breed Andalusian blue chickens solely because of the exotic species of birds. But at the same time, breeders note the pleasant taste of eggs and meat. Experienced farmers advise novice poultry farmers to purchase already grown young animals.

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