Chickens Dekalb White: description and characteristics of the breed, subtleties of maintenance, illness

Key characteristics when choosing a breed of chickens are productivity, endurance and unpretentiousness to environmental conditions. The Dekalb White chicken breed fits these criteria, which can be bred in private backyards and on an industrial scale.

Origin of the breed

A relatively new breed of chickens has spread from America. Selection studies were carried out by Dekalb Poultry Research, which explains the name of the breed. In the course of selection, the main task was to achieve maximum indicators of the quality and quantity of egg production.As a result, it was possible to develop a cross that is characterized by abundant productivity and increased egg mass.

Appearance of chickens Dekalb White

The breed does not differ in particular beauty, therefore, chickens are bred exclusively for obtaining eggs and meat, without preparing birds for exhibition events. Chickens have a medium-sized physique. The small head is located on a wide and short neck. The legs are short, the comb is red, unstable and usually hangs down. The weight of an adult female reaches 2 kg, a rooster - 2.5 kg.

During the peak period of laying, laying hens often look nondescript. Some individuals become plucked and shabby due to a strong consumption of nutrients.

Productivity

When planning the breeding of the Dekalb White breed, you need to familiarize yourself with the productivity indicators. This information will help calculate the required number of layers.

Eggs

During the year, a hen lays up to 350 white-shelled eggs. The mass of each is 70-75 g. The Dekalb White breed is characterized by active maturation of chicks to a sexually mature state. Birds start laying eggs from the age of 4 months, and after another six months, the peak of egg production begins.

Meat

After plucking and cutting the birds, it is possible to obtain 1.5-2 kg of pure meat. The products are distinguished by high taste characteristics and juiciness.

Temperament of birds

Chickens have a calm and peaceful disposition. This helps them get along easily with other breeds on a shared yard. Birds don't start fights and don't peck eggs. At the same time, it can be difficult for birds to adapt to new places, so a change in environmental conditions leads to a temporary decrease in productivity.

Pros and cons

The Dekalb White breed is valued for a number of comparative advantages. The list of positive qualities includes the following:

• high egg production with moderate feed intake;
• early maturity to productive age;
• soft character;
• possibility of breeding in cages;
• unpretentiousness to daily care and conditions of detention.

In addition to many advantages, the species has certain disadvantages. These include:

• underdeveloped incubation instinct;
• maintaining high productivity for only two years;
• need for chicken coop heating during cold winters.

Containment conditions

Despite the absence of specific requirements for environmental conditions, it is possible to achieve high productivity only if a number of nuances are observed. Properly arranging a place for breeding birds, you will be able to get the maximum benefit and reduce the risk of developing diseases.

Ventilation and lighting

Ventilation in the poultry house can be arranged using a standard exhaust outlet with a damper or by installing an integrated ventilation duct, which is placed under the roof. Fresh air circulation is essential to eliminate pungent odors and prevent bacterial growth. For lighting, it is recommended to use a pair of fluorescent lamps or a white LED strip.

Chicken coop interior

When constructing a poultry house, it is recommended to adhere to the indicator of 5 adult chickens per 1 square. This will provide the birds with sufficient space and will not allow them to freeze with the onset of cold weather. It is important to protect the room from through blowing and seal all existing gaps.

Windows should be equipped with sealed double-glazed windows. The main requirements for perches are convenience and stability. Places for placing birds can be built on several floors, because due to the light weight of the hens, they easily climb to the upper tiers.

Drinkers and feeders

Dekalb White hens should have constant free access to compound feed and clean water. Drinkers with liquid can be made vertical, which will save on the arrangement of the house. A nipple drinker will cost more, but it will be more convenient to use. In a small backyard, you can put simple cups of water and food, but they will get dirty more often.

Place for walking

The best option would be to add a yard for walking to the chicken coop so that the birds can always get out into the fresh air. It is preferable to arrange a place for walking on the grass so that the chickens can additionally eat green fodder. It is also recommended to install a canopy from the sun and rain, so that the birds could hide during adverse or too hot weather.

The dimensions of the courtyard directly depend on the free space in the courtyard - it can be a couple of squares or a spacious fenced area. A fence up to 2 m high is built along the perimeter of the courtyard. To protect against birds of prey, you can cover the courtyard with a net.

Seasonal molt

Shedding is a natural process for Dekalb White chickens. This method of updating plumage protects the body of birds from overheating or hypothermia. Feathers begin to fall out first in the neck, then on the back, in the abdomen and wings. The process is completed by changing the feathers on the tail.

Usually molting occurs in autumn, and in spring only chicks that enter sexual maturity molt. The renewal period of the feather cover takes 1-2 months. During molting, the body of chickens is cleansed of accumulated toxins, metabolic processes are accelerated, sexual activity stops, and egg production decreases.

What to feed?

Properly selected diet for chickens has a positive effect on their development and productivity. Birds should be provided with a nutritious diet high in protein and calcium.The lack of these components will cause the shell of laid eggs to be soft and deformed.

Chickens

You need to feed the young in plenty, constantly pouring food into the feeders. It is not allowed to give chickens hard-to-digest food. The best option would be to use special compound feed for birds of the Dekalb White breed, containing all the useful components. When compiling a diet on your own, you need to include carbohydrates, proteins, fats and a vitamin complex.

Adults

Adult chickens of the Dekalb White breed can be fed with ready-made compound feeds or mashes and mixtures from prefabricated components. The advantage of using ready-made feeds is that they are balanced in terms of nutrient content, contain a vitamin and mineral complex and can be selected according to the age of the birds.

When preparing food for chickens, you can use fresh grass, corn and wheat grits, grated potatoes and carrots, chopped green onions. Birds can be given water not only with pure water, but also with fermented milk products, including kefir.

Breeding Tips

One of the drawbacks of the Dekalb White breed is a poorly developed brooding instinct. Due to the suppressed maternal instinct, it is recommended to use an incubation machine for breeding offspring. For incubation, it is required to select from all the eggs the best specimens of large size, on which there are no defects.

Since during the first two months, hens do not lay fully developed eggs, it is better to use material from the third month of their egg production for breeding. Using a professional incubator, even a novice farmer will not run into problems, as the chick survival rate is almost 100%.

What diseases is the breed prone to?

Violation of the recommended diet and adverse environmental conditions increase the risk of developing diseases. The Dekalb White breed is characterized by several diseases with severe symptoms.In order to notice their manifestation in a timely manner, you need to regularly inspect the condition of the chickens.

Hypovitaminosis

The causes of hypovitaminosis in chickens is the lack and poor absorption of vitamin A and provitamin carotene by the body. The disease leads to slow growth and development, a drop in immunity, the manifestation of dermatitis, peeling of the epidermis, and a decrease in productivity.

To combat the effects of hypovitaminosis, you need to add the missing components to the basic diet. In particular, it is recommended to give birds red carrots, green food and complex vitamin preparations for food.

Pecking

Pecking is considered a pathology of bird behavior and leads to the fact that chickens show aggression towards other birds, pluck feathers, and peck at laid eggs. The problem often occurs in adult birds during periods of feathering and laying.

To prevent pecking, you need to watch the birds and separate aggressive individuals from their counterparts.

Reduce the risk of pecking and aggressive behavior of Dekalb White birds in a number of situations by changing the lighting to infrared lamps.

Overheating

Elevated temperature in birds adversely affects their development and egg production. To reduce the likelihood of overheating, the chicken coop should be equipped with ventilation, and in hot periods, put baths with cool water.

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