It belongs to the egg breeds of chickens. Meat and egg breeds of chickens

Leghorn chickens.

This is the most common breed of egg-laying chickens. Birds are distinguished by high egg production; they lay large eggs with pure white shells. Leghorns spend less feed on egg production than other breeds, they are mobile and are able to find a lot of feed on paddocks. Chickens of this egg-laying breed are very precocious: they begin laying eggs at 5-6 months of age and, in good feeding conditions, continue laying eggs, as a rule, for 10 months.

Chickens of this breed do not have a pronounced brooding instinct. It manifests itself only in individual individuals, which has a positive effect on the egg production of the herd.

As you can see in the photo, the body of these egg-bred chickens is light and elongated:

There are many varieties of plumage color: white, partridge, black, fawn. The comb is leaf-shaped, erect in roosters, and drooping in chickens. Beak and legs yellow color. The earlobes are white and oval. The earrings are red. The back is wide, the legs are unfeathered.

Cockerels mature early and can be used for mating from 7-9 months of age; they are ready for fattening and slaughter from 2-3 months of age. The average live weight of roosters is 2.5-2.8 kg, chickens - 1.8-2.2 kg.

Leghorn chickens are distinguished by high egg productivity not only when kept on range, but also in cages. The average weight of one egg of chickens of this breed is on average 55-58 g. The average egg production is 220-250 eggs per year. Record figures were also recorded - 351 eggs per year.

Russian white chickens.

This is another egg breed of chicken that deserves special description. Russian Whites were developed in Russia by crossing Leghorn birds with local breeds. Chickens of this breed have a strong build and are similar in appearance to meat-egg breeds. They have a long, wide body and a somewhat larger head than Leghorns. The feathers are white, the beak and legs are yellow. The egg production of chickens is 180-200 eggs per year, egg weight is 60 g, the weight of roosters reaches 3.0 kg, hens - 2 kg.

Breeds of meat-producing chickens include heavyweight Plymouth Rock, Cornish, Cochin, Brahma, etc.

Plymouthrock chickens.

The breed was created in the USA by crossing black Spanish, white Cochin, Dorking and black Javanese. The body of the bird of this breed is massive and oval in shape. The head is large, with an erect, leaf-shaped crest. The legs and beak are yellow, the plumage is cross-striped, with black and white, strictly demarcated stripes alternating on each feather.

When describing this breed of meat chicken, white Plymouth Rocks deserve special attention. The live weight of an adult chicken is 2.7-3.4 kg, a rooster is 3.6-4.3 kg. Chickens are hardy and acclimatize well. During the year they produce from 160 to 200 eggs, the average egg weight is 60 g. The bird reaches sexual maturity at 7 months of age. The incubation instinct is poorly developed. Incubation qualities are satisfactory, chick hatchability ranges from 75-80%.

White Plymouth Rocks are the main breed for producing broiler mothers. Specialized meat lines are characterized by rapid growth, excellent meat quality and meaty body shapes. Breeding work with this breed is aimed at increasing the intensity of growth in early age, egg productivity.

Cornish chickens.

The breed was bred in England by crossing local breeds of fighting Malay and Azil chickens.

Pay attention to the photo - chickens of these meat breeds are divided according to the color of their plumage into red, white and dark:

Live weight of birds is 3.3-3.6 kg, roosters - 4.2-4.5 kg, egg production 110-130 pcs., egg weight 58-60 g. Pullets begin laying eggs at 6 months of age. The young animals grow and develop well. Chickens of this breed are bred in almost all poultry farms where they produce broilers.

The breed was bred in China in the 9th century. These birds have a rounded body, a small leaf-shaped crest, a small tail, short legs with feathered fingers.

Look at the photo - this breed of chicken has fluffy plumage, fawn, white, black, partridge color:

Chickens are good brood hens. Egg production 100-120 eggs, egg weight 50-60 g, eggs with brown shell. The weight of roosters is 4-5 kg, hens - 3.5-4 kg.

This is one of the best meat breeds chickens, it was brought from North America and obtained by crossing gray Cochins with gray Malayan chickens. Brahma chickens come in light and dark varieties. They have a strong stocky body, a small ridged crest, and legs that are thick and covered with feathers. Egg production is 80-100 eggs, weight - 50-60 g.

The next section of the article presents photos and descriptions of meat and egg breed chickens.

Breeds of chickens producing meat and eggs differ significantly in their productive qualities from breeds producing eggs. Due to the versatility of the breeds of these chickens, they are most often bred in household farms. They are calmer and there is no need to build high fences for them. Oviposition begins 5-6 months after hatching. The incubation instinct is well developed. Among them are the following rocks: Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Sussex, Moscow black and Poltava clay.

Rhode Island chickens.

This meat and egg breed of chickens was bred in the USA by crossing red Malayan and fawn Cochins with brown Leghorns, Cornishes and Wyandots. The breed was brought to Russia in 1925. Chickens of this breed have thick shiny red-brown plumage, a black tail with a green tint, small wings, strong legs, a yellow beak and a leaf-shaped comb.

Egg production 180-200 eggs per year, eggs with good incubation qualities; The shell color is brown, egg laying begins at 7 months. The weight of roosters is 3.5-3.8 kg, hens 2.7-3.0 kg.

New Hampshire chickens.

This one of the best meat and egg breeds of chickens was bred in the USA and brought to poultry farms in the European part of the USSR in 1946. appearance they are not much different from Rhode Island. New Hampshires have lighter plumage than Rhode Islanders and higher egg production. This bird has a calm character, so it can be kept in cages.

Chickens of this breed of combined productivity have an egg production of 190-210 eggs per year with an egg weight of 62-65 g. Pullets begin laying eggs at 6-7 months of age. The weight of adult roosters is 3.5-4 kg, hens - 2.5-3.0 kg.

As the name suggests, this breed of chicken was bred in Moscow. The birds have black plumage with a golden-black mane. The head is wide with a leaf-shaped erect crest.

Egg production 170-200 eggs per year, egg weight 60-65 g; The egg shell color is light brown. The weight of roosters is 3.5-3.7 kg, hens - 2-2.5 kg.

The Sussex breed was developed in England in the county of Sussex by crossing local chickens with Dorking, Cornish, white Cochin, Ornington and light Brahma chickens. There are several varieties of these birds. When describing this meat and egg breed of chickens, it is worth highlighting the light Sussexes: their plumage color is silvery-white; mane feathers with black stripe and white edge; The tail feathers are black, the inner surface of the wing feathers is also black.

Chickens have well-defined meat qualities and egg production is quite high. The comb is leaf-shaped. The live weight of adult roosters is 3.3-3.5 kg, chickens - 2.5-2.8 kg.

Egg production in 12 months is 180 eggs, egg weight 60-62 g. Incubation qualities are good. Chickens are well preserved. By 70 days of age, their live weight reaches 1.2 kg.

The breed is bred in many areas and is used to create egg lines with colored egg shells, and also as a mother form in the production of broilers.

These chickens were bred in the Poltava region and bred in Ukraine. The color of their plumage ranges from light to dark fawn, the tips of the flight feathers and tail are black.

As you can see in the photo, the comb of this breed of meat and egg chickens is pink or leaf-shaped:

Live weight of chicken is about 2.2 kg, roosters - 3 kg. Egg production 190-200 eggs. In terms of productivity, Poltava chickens lean more towards the egg type. Egg lines have been created and improved, the birds of which are used to produce hybrids.

In conditions of large-scale, industrial production of eggs or chicken meat, it is not pure breeds that are used, but highly productive hybrids obtained using them. Hybrid poultry are the best cross-breeds of chickens, geese, turkeys, etc., the product of targeted, painstaking, expensive work to create specialized ones for one important selection trait (egg production, egg weight, growth rate of young animals, feed costs, adaptability to industrial technology, etc.) lines, followed by checking them for positive compatibility.

The cross lines created in this way, which receive the appropriate name, are widely used in large-scale egg production or for the production of broiler chickens. Thus, broiler chicken is a hybrid bird obtained by using 2-3-4 lines specialized for different productivity, obtained on the basis of the corresponding breeds, one or another direction of productivity. The word "broilers" comes from the English. to broil - to fry over an open fire, and is associated with a meat product instant cooking and is in no way related to the concept of breed. It is a product of their use for the purpose of hybridization, i.e. obtaining and practical use such a biological phenomenon as heterosis, or hybrid vigor, which indicates the superiority of the offspring over the original parental forms in important selection characteristics.

Specialized lines and crosses of the best egg and meat breeds of chickens are created in specialized scientific centers Russia and countries near and far abroad.

Russian poultry farms in the area of ​​egg productivity are currently working with a number of foreign and domestic crosses. The main ones among them are Lohmann-brown, Dominant brown D-102, Borki-117. The following is a description of these cross-breeds.

Chickens Cross Lohmann-Brown.

When creating the hybrid, the Rhode Island breed was mainly used; it is a four-line hybrid. The main characteristics of the cross are given in the table “Main productive characteristics of Lohmann-Brown cross hybrids.”

Table “Main indicators of meat and egg productivity of Lohmann-Brown cross chickens”:

Cross Dominant brown D-102.

Two-line hybrid. Paternal line B is of the Rhode Island Red breed, and paternal line M is of the White Rhode Island breed.

The final hybrid chickens are adapted to harsh conditions. Their egg production under optimal housing and feeding conditions reaches 280-290 pcs. for 72 weeks of life, with an average egg weight of 61-62 g in the table “Performance indicators of the cross Dominant brown D-102”.

Table “Performance indicators of cross-breed chicken Dominant brown D-102”:

The hybrid is two-line, created at the Poultry Research Institute (Borki) in 1997. The paternal form is created on the basis of the White Leghorn breed (line 20), and the maternal form is based on the Rhode Island breed (line 38). Laying hens of the final hybrid lay eggs with colored (brown) shells, are distinguished by calm behavior, have fairly high productivity (in the table “Productivity indicators of the original lines of the Borki-117 cross”), increased resistance to Madder disease, quickly increase live weight, and are well adapted to keeping in a cell battery.

Table “Productivity indicators of the original lines of the cross-breed chicken Borki-117”:

Created on the basis of specialized lines: paternal - 38 (red Rhode Island) and maternal - 68 (white Rhode Island) (in the table “Productivity indicators of Borki-color cross birds”).

A number of other crosses are also used, including foreign selection - ICA Brown, Highline, Tetra SL, etc. These crosses are more demanding on the technological regime and have very high productivity. Thus, at 135-140 days of age, chickens of these crosses reach 50% egg production, the egg production rate reaches 300-312 pcs. with an average egg weight of 63-64 g and feed costs per 1 kg of egg mass - 2.06-2.2 kg.

Table “Indicators of meat and egg productivity of Borki-color cross chickens”:

For the production of broiler chickens the following crosses are used: Smena, Arbor Acre 3, Cobb-500, Dominant, Gibro, Broiler 65, etc.

At 5-7 weeks of age, chickens of these crosses reach a live weight of more than 1.6 kg, with a feed consumption of 2-2.2 kg per 1 kg of gain. Modern hybrids, under certain conditions (due to dietary supplements), reach 2.5 kg during this period.

Choosing egg-laying chickens for home breeding is a rather difficult task. However, having certain knowledge in this direction, it is, of course, possible to cope with it. In this article we will look at the most popular breeds of egg-laying hens and their characteristics.

General signs of egg-laying chickens

There are many different directions, but they all have many common features:

• Egg-bearing animals are distinguished by their relatively small weight, which does not exceed 2.8 kg. However, representatives of the meat and egg direction have excellent meat indicators and egg production.
• The wings are long, with a wide span.
• The comb is straight, bright red, large.
• Egg-laying chicken breeds are active and mobile.
• Birds have a good metabolism, so they constantly need food.
• Egg-laying hens mature quickly and are ready to lay eggs at five months of age.
• The incubation instinct is absent or reduced to a minimum.

Egg-laying chicken breeds do not require any special care and do not need any special conditions. But at the same time, in order for the eggshell to be strong and hard enough, they constantly need various vitamin and mineral supplements.

Advantages

Breeds of egg-laying chickens (a description of the best representatives will be provided below) have the following undeniable advantages:

• High egg production.
• Large weight of eggs.
• Hardness of eggshell.
• Disease resistance.
• Good survival of offspring.
• Unpretentiousness in the diet.
• Lack of aggression.

Thanks to the efforts of poultry farmers, modern representatives of the egg trend have all these qualities fully developed.

Let's look at which egg-laying chicken breeds are the best.

Leghorn

The White Leghorn is a classic in egg farming. This is, perhaps, which was developed in Italy in the 19th century.

The bird is relatively small in size: the live weight of an adult laying hen is 1.6 kg, of a rooster - approximately 2.5 kg. The body is quite proportional, the chest is rounded, the back is wide, slightly elongated. Representatives of the Leghorn breed have a medium-sized head with a beautiful bright red comb. In roosters it is erect, in hens it hangs slightly to one side. Eye color changes with age. In young birds they are orange, in adult birds they are pale yellow. The color of the legs also changes with age. In young chickens they are bright yellow, in older chickens they are pale, bluish-white. Based on these characteristics, the age of the birds can be determined. There are more than 20 varieties of colors of chickens of this breed, but in Russia it is the white representatives that are most common. There are birds with golden, black, brown, blue and variegated plumage.

Leghorns begin to lay eggs at five months of age (at approximately 18-20 weeks), the birds are especially productive in the first year of life. At comfortable conditions one hen can produce 250 and sometimes even 300 eggs per year. The eggs are quite large (average weight 60 g). The breed of white egg-laying Leghorn chickens lays white eggs, while motley birds have brown eggs.

According to owner reviews, Leghorn chickens are quite active and are almost always on the move. It is advisable to keep birds in a barn with the possibility of walking. In the place of detention there must be enough light and fresh air for full development. It is also important to ensure cleanliness. The barn should be equipped with perches, feeders and nests.

For walking birds, a small area fenced with a net is quite enough.

White Russian

This is a hybrid of Leghorns and Russian outbred birds. The White Russian is considered one of the best egg-laying breeds. Productivity is 230-250 eggs per year (in some cases it can reach 300), which is slightly lower than that of Leghorns. The average weight of one egg is approximately 55 g. This breed of chicken is slightly larger in size than Leghorns. The birds have a large leaf-shaped bright red crest.

According to the owners, the undoubted advantage of this breed of chickens is their resistance to stress, cold and many diseases. Birds mature quickly, are balanced and not aggressive.

Loman brown

This is a very productive breed. The bird is excellent for growing in regions with cold climates. Loman brown tolerates severe frosts well, chickens lay eggs even in winter. This hybrid breed was bred in Germany.

Since these are egg-meat chickens, they are large and massive. The body is wide, the back is rounded, slightly arched. The tail is large, and the beak of both chickens and roosters is quite powerful. Color - brown. The live weight of an adult laying hen is from 2 to 2.5 kg, a rooster weighs on average 2.5-3 kg. They begin laying eggs at about 5 months. In a year, one bird can produce about 320 eggs weighing 63-64 g. The shell is light brown. According to reviews, representatives of this breed are distinguished by a calm temperament, resistance to stress, and friendliness. Birds tolerate being kept in cages calmly.

Tetra

This is a universal egg-meat breed, bred by one of the Hungarian companies.

Chickens are practically no different from birds of similar breeds. The body is well developed, rectangular, the head is not very large with a hard, light yellow beak. The neck of chickens is quite long, the tail is of medium size. The legs are white-yellow in color and of medium length.

The wings are medium in size, fitting tightly to the body, the plumage of the birds is silky. Hens are red or brown, roosters are white.

Birds begin to lay eggs at four to five months. They can produce up to 300 eggs per year. Like all egg-laying breeds, it is especially productive in the first year of its activity, after which egg production gradually decreases. The eggs are large (up to 65 g), the shell is brown.

Like all universal breeds, the tetra is also famous for its dietary delicious meat, and gains marketable weight quite quickly - in just four to five months. Reviews about these laying hens are only good.

Dominant

When considering egg-laying breeds of chickens (the names of the best representatives are given in the article), one cannot fail to mention such a bird as the dominant, bred in the Czech Republic. According to reviews from owners, the breed is distinguished by its beautiful appearance, quality of feed, and resistance to diseases. She is also unpretentious to the conditions of detention, but the most best quality chickens are, of course, their good productivity and tasty, healthy meat.

The breed has several subspecies, differing in color and body shape. However, they all have a large, massive body and a small head. The wings of birds are tight-fitting, the plumage is lush, which gives the dominants a squat and dense appearance. The plumage is light, black and white, motley, dark.

The live weight of an adult laying hen is about 2 kg, a cockerel is 2.5-3 kg. Chickens begin to lay eggs at 4.5 months, and in the first year they produce up to 310 eggs. The eggs are large - up to 70 g, the shell is quite strong, brown, white or cream in color, which depends on the subspecies of the laying hen.

Minorcans

The name of this breed comes from the area where it was bred by breeders (Minorca island, Spain). Minorcas were brought to Russia in 1885.

The breed looks very original. The birds have black plumage, a red crest, rather large white earlobes and wide, long scarlet earrings, giving them a rather impressive appearance. The back is quite long, sloping towards the tail, the chest is wide, and the legs are high. The head is black, medium-sized, graceful. The bird's beak is black. In roosters the crest is erect and large, in hens it hangs down.

Minorcas are not suitable for industrial breeding because they are demanding in terms of living conditions.

Minorcas begin laying eggs at the age of five months. In the first year they are capable of laying up to 2000 eggs. The eggs are large (60-80 g). Another advantage of this breed is that they can lay eggs regardless of the time of year.

The disadvantages include the delicacy of the bird: in frosty conditions, the legs and scallops may be subject to frostbite. Also, this breed does not tolerate drafts, high humidity, and cold.

Birds do not have the instinct to hatch, as a result of which eggs must be placed in laying hens of other breeds or placed in an incubator.

Pushkin striped-pied

This is a relatively new breed, bred in 2007 in Russia.

The bird's body is wide, trapezoidal, wide, and the neck is long and vertical. A spike is clearly visible on the crest, which goes to the frontal part from the back of the head. The back of the birds is smooth, narrowed towards the tail, the wings are long. The shape of the head is elongated, the size is small. The beak is of medium length, slightly curved. The eyes are bulging and orange. The legs are long and gray. The color can be striped-motley with white down or black and white.

Pushkin chickens are slightly larger than other egg breeding breeds, which is especially attractive for breeding them, since after the end of the egg production period, they can be used for meat.

The weight of an adult chicken is 2 kg, a rooster is close to 2.7-3 kg. Egg production begins at approximately 5 months, productivity up to 280-290 eggs per year. The shell is strong, white or light cream, weighing up to 60 g.

The Pushkin breed of chickens is unpretentious to living conditions. Calm temperament. According to farmers, birds do not run away in case of danger, but crouch down, bending towards the ground, so they are easy to catch when slaughtered.

Hamburg breed

The bird was bred in Germany by crossing chickens brought from other countries with local individuals.

The Hamburg breed is distinguished by a slender, elongated body of medium size, a long neck, and a high raised chest, which gives it a proud appearance. The color of the comb is pink, the earlobes are white, like those of a Minorka.

Since several breeds of chickens were involved in the development of the Hamburg breed, their color can be very different - black, white, fawn, silver-striped, partridge, spotted, golden-striped, blue.

Laying hens weigh 1.5-2 kg, cockerels about 2-2.5 kg. In a year, one laying hen is able to lay up to 380-400 eggs weighing 45-50 g. The eggshell is white.

Summarize

So, we looked at which chicken breeds are the most egg-laying and found out reviews from the owners. When choosing poultry, it is important to consider:

• Purpose of breeding: for periodic sale or uninterrupted egg production.
• What is the area allocated for raising chickens?
• Conditions in which the bird will be kept: in cages, aviary.
• In what region and in what climatic conditions will the chickens be raised?
• The degree of adaptation of a particular breed to given conditions.
• Availability and price of chickens of the selected breed.

It is worth purchasing young animals only after all the nuances of future breeding have been thought through and premises intended for keeping the birds have been organized. It is also important to read detailed literature about which breed of chickens is egg-laying and a complete description of breeding. Only if these conditions are met, chickens will be able to delight with beautiful, large and even eggs throughout the year.

Practical chicken breeding is of interest to many farmers and some summer residents who move to their dachas for the summer. What could be better than a fresh egg for breakfast, laid by your own chicken? However, entrepreneurs with a commercial streak do not shy away from raising chickens. From the point of view of organizing a small business, raising chickens for eggs is most justified.

But is any chicken suitable for this? Of course not. According to their purpose, chicken breeds are divided into egg-laying, meat-egg, meat, decorative and fighting. And if the egg production of the former per year can reach 300-350 eggs per laying hen, then the chickens of the last three breeds are unlikely to produce more than 100 eggs per year, and the average egg weight will also differ several times. The largest eggs are found in laying hens of egg-laying and fighting breeds.

Why not breed ordinary outbred chickens, since their chickens will probably cost less? Of course, this can be done, but good results With this approach there is no need to wait. A dozen mongrel chickens can still feed one family, but it is unlikely that it will be possible to organize the production of eggs for sale. Breeding work to improve and consolidate certain qualities of chickens is not in vain carried out by specialists over several chicken generations. Breeding a new breed can take several decades, all in order to achieve the best performance.

General signs of egg-laying chickens

So, if the purpose of breeding chickens is to obtain eggs, it is worth focusing on representatives of egg-bearing breeds. Despite the diversity of representatives of the breeds of this direction, they all have common features:

• medium-sized birds with light bones, the average weight of birds rarely exceeds 2-2.5 kg;
• wide wingspan and long tail feathers, especially in roosters;
• large bright red combs and lobes of adult hens and roosters, indicating the sexual maturity of the birds;
• absence or minimization of the brooding instinct;
• even birds adapted to cage keeping are distinguished by their mobility; aviary keeping is preferable;
• early maturation and beginning of egg laying at the age of 4.5-6 months;
• good appetite, increased intake of minerals, especially calcium.

Characteristics for comparing the quality of the resulting products

What advantages do egg-laying chickens have, what qualities have breeders improved in them over the centuries? Of course:

• egg production;
• egg weight;
• egg shell hardness;
• disease resistance;
• offspring survival;
• lack of aggression;
• unpretentiousness in the diet.

The efforts of poultry farmers have yielded results: modern representatives of the breeds have collected the most developed of these qualities.

Video - Selecting laying hens for breeding

Leghorn is the progenitor breed of all modern laying hens.

The Leghorn chicken breed, developed in the 19th century, remains unsurpassed. Almost all modern egg-laying breeds are obtained by crossing Leghorns with other chickens. Leghorn hens hold the records for the maximum number of eggs per year (371 eggs), maximum egg weight (454g), and the largest number of yolks in an egg (9 yolks).

Leghorns lay their first egg at the age of 17-20 weeks and continue to lay eggs, under comfortable conditions, almost all year round. One hen produces from 250 to 300 eggs per year, and on average it is second only to the German Loman Browns and Highsex. The average weight of an egg is 60-62 grams. White Leghorns lay white eggs, while Pied Leghorns lay brown eggs. The average weight of a chicken is 1.5-1.7 kg, a rooster - up to 2.5 kg. Hatchability of chickens in a clutch is up to 92%.

Leghorns have one feature that often prevents them from being productively kept outside of factories. They cannot tolerate extraneous noise and are prone to noise hysteria.

Under the influence of noise, birds can begin to hit the wall of the chicken coop, throw themselves at the wire fence, and injure themselves and their neighbors.

During the experiment, it was proven that leghorns exposed to noise had a decrease in egg production, while hens that listened to calm, light music for 6-8 hours a day began to lay eggs 10% better. In addition, these chickens have reduced immunity and are susceptible to many diseases.

Leghorn birds are distinguished by their proud posture. These are small but tall chickens, with a triangular body, a bright red comb and earrings. The comb of chickens hangs to one side, while that of cockerels stands upright. Growing hens have light pink combs and earrings; when they enter the egg-laying season, they become bright red. The elongated back is slightly concave in the middle, the chest is protruded forward. Very mobile, light birds.

The most common are white leghorns, which are characterized by rapid acclimatization. Sometimes there are also variegates that do not adapt to new conditions so quickly, but lay “yellow” eggs, which are in greatest demand among consumers. In total, more than 40 color varieties of chickens of this breed have been registered.

White Russian - improved leghorn

White Russian chickens are a cross between Leghorns and local Russian outbred chickens. Work to improve Leghorns and breed the Russian breed lasted 24 years and ended in 1953.

Since then, the Russian White is rightfully considered one of the best egg-laying breeds. Egg production is slightly lower than that of Leghorns - 230-240, in some cases up to 300 eggs per year. The weight of an average egg is 55-56 grams. The sizes of chickens are slightly larger than their Leghorn ancestors - 1.6-1.7 kg for a chicken, 2-2.6 kg for a rooster. The comb is large, leaf-shaped with 5 teeth, bright red in adults.

The undoubted advantages of the breed include resistance to stress, resistance to cold and many chicken diseases. Chickens of this breed are devoid of aggression towards their fellow tribesmen, are balanced, and mature faster.

As a result of breeding work, the subspecies “Russian Snow White” was obtained, some of the chickens of which are already covered with white rather than yellow down at one day of age. In addition, the subspecies is focused on cold resistance and tolerates temperatures up to 10 degrees below normal.

Loman Brown is the most egg-laying breed

The record holders for average egg production per hen - 300-320 eggs per year - are German medium-sized brown hens of the Loman Brown breed. Breeding Loman Browns is very popular in Russia; they acclimatize well. Perhaps their popularity is also explained by the fact that even day-old chicks of this breed can be easily differentiated by gender: the down of hens is fawn, and the down of cockerels is white.

The production characteristics of chickens of this breed are very high. In addition to excellent egg production, they are distinguished by a high average egg weight - 63-64 grams. Adult hens weigh from 1.8 to 2 kg, cockerels - up to 3 kg. Representatives of the breed are distinguished by a calm temperament, resistance to stress, and friendliness. They can easily tolerate being kept in cages, although, of course, keeping them out for a walk is more preferable.
They enter reproductive age at 5.5 months, after which they lay well for another 20 weeks.

Hisex - endurance and productivity

In the course of breeding work, Dutch scientists in 1970 developed another Leghorn hybrid, which is now extremely popular in Russia - the Highsex. Due to their color, some chickens are classified as the “Hisex Brown” hybrid, and some are classified as the “Hisex White” hybrid. Officially, the Highsex is still considered not an independent breed, but a hybrid of the Leghorn, which does not prevent these chickens from being widely bred on farms and poultry farms around the world.

Hisex brown is more productive than the white hybrid; the egg production of chickens of this breed reaches 310-350 eggs per year, and white chickens of the same breed - 300 eggs. The weight of an egg for a white hybrid is on average 60 grams, for a brown one it can reach 70 g. The weight of white chickens is 1.7-1.8 kg, brown - 2.3-2.6 kg. Both hybrids are distinguished by good resistance to infectious, fungal and helminthic diseases, undemanding food requirements and tolerance of very low temperatures.

In general, domestic chicken breeders prefer the Hisex Brown hybrid as the most prolific, egg-laying and tenacious.

Minorca - large eggs and aesthetic appearance

An original-looking breed that farmers often breed for aesthetic reasons. The black plumage, bright red comb and large white catkins give the hens and roosters an impressive appearance. Unfortunately, the breed is not suitable for industrial breeding, because... is very demanding in terms of living conditions, and therefore continues to remain in the yards of small chicken breeders.

In addition to good egg production (up to 200 eggs per year), Minorcas can boast delicate taste meat, very early maturation of young animals, and most importantly - eggs that are simply gigantic by chicken standards (up to 80 g). This breed has another advantage - chickens lay eggs almost regardless of the time of year. The breed was specially selected for laying the largest possible eggs in a dense shell.
The disadvantages of the breed include its delicacy: in frosty conditions, scallops and legs are easily susceptible to frostbite, Minorcas do not tolerate high humidity, drafts, and cold.

Tetra SL - a modest working laying hen

The Tetra SL cross, which is not so common in small farms, however, has good egg production rates - 300-310 eggs per year. Externally, Tetra chickens most closely correspond to the stereotyped representation of the concept of “pied hen”.

Tetra SL - breed of chickens

With appropriate feeding, they lay eggs almost every day all year round. For regular egg laying, it is necessary to provide a sufficient amount of calcium in the food and light in the areas where the birds are kept. They lay dark brown eggs weighing 64-65 grams. This hybrid is often considered as a meat-egg hybrid, because taste qualities The meat is good and the chickens quickly gain weight, but, like all egg breeds, not too much.

A big plus is the ability to sort chickens by gender already at one day of age (by down color). The chickens have a fawn or dark brown color, a neat small comb, a small head and a lean body shape, short tail unit. Cockerels when they are chicks are white, gray or black. Growing up, most of them fledge white or white with occasional black roosters.

Let's sum it up

You need to choose the breed of chickens that you will breed based on the following considerations:

• purpose of breeding: for family and friends, for periodic sale of eggs, for uninterrupted production of egg products;
• area allocated for raising chickens;
• living conditions: cage, aviary or mixed keeping of birds is expected to be established;
• region, its climatic features, the degree of adaptation of the selected breed to these conditions;
• availability of chickens of the chosen breed, both in price and in the possibility of getting them near your site.

Only after carefully thinking through all the nuances of future breeding and organizing premises for keeping chickens, after reading detailed literature on breeding the chosen breed, is it worth purchasing young animals. If these conditions are met, laying hens will delight you with large, beautiful and even eggs all year round.

Not everyone wants to buy store-bought eggs from factory-raised chickens. This is understandable. Domestic chickens for eggs are the key to a quality product on your table.

And in some cases, raising domestic chickens can become an additional income - a family mini-enterprise, because home eggs are more expensive than factory eggs.

To do this, you need to have a room - a barn, a good food supply, buy a bird of egg breeds and create suitable conditions for it. Did you know?

Egg-laying chickens do not have a large body weight - their weight usually does not exceed 2.5 kg. At the same time, they have “rich” plumage with long tail feathers, sweeping wings and a rather powerful straight serrated crest.

Also, chickens of egg breeds are characterized by rapid development - by 100-140 days it is already a fully formed adult, ready to lay eggs.

Which breed of egg-laying chickens should you choose for yourself or for your small business? Review of breeds and their characteristics.
The birthplace of the breed is Italy, known since the 19th century. This egg-laying breed is the most popular and is the progenitor of almost all modern egg-laying breeds. As a result of many years of selection, various breeds appeared, but they were originally based on good laying hens - the Leghorn.

This is one of the most hardy, unpretentious, and easy to breed breeds even for novice poultry farmers.

It should be taken into account that these chickens are overly shy and susceptible to noise stress. If the background noise is high, it needs to be reduced. But chickens acclimatize perfectly, thanks to this they are equally good for breeding in both southern and northern regions. Full maturation of the chicken occurs in 140-145 days - the first eggs are always small, the next ones weigh 60-62 grams. Egg production of White Leghorn chickens:

On average, a chicken produces 300 eggs per year. The breed is widely used not only in domestic but also in industrial poultry farming. Important!

Leghorn chickens are a very active breed, they need walking; keeping them in captivity will lead to loss of egg production. hardy, active, unpretentious, with strong immunity. Cage or aviary housing alone is not suitable for them - they need walking. Chickens are fast-growing, with excellent not only egg-laying, but also decorative qualities.
Their plumage is dense - white-silver-black or golden-brown and black. The feather pattern is in the form of alternating waves. Wings and long tail feathers are well developed. Brekel is one of the largest egg-laying breeds; the weight of a chicken can be 2.5-2.7 kg. A laying hen produces 180-220 eggs per year. Egg weight – 62-63 g.

Homeland - Germany. The date of breeding is the beginning of the 70s of the last century. This is a highly productive, unpretentious species with stable immunity. They have early development– 120 days. They are distinguished by good cold resistance - egg production does not decrease when it gets cold. They are perfect for our northern regions.
Loman Brown chickens are the best layers (up to 320-330 eggs per year). Egg weight – 63 g. The main breeding materials for it were the Plymouth Rock and Rhode Island breeds. The bird has brown and white plumage. A chicken weighs on average 1.9 kg. Walking is desirable, but not required. If this is a cage or enclosure, you need to make sure that there is no excessive crowding.

On average, a chicken produces 300 eggs per year. The breed is widely used not only in domestic but also in industrial poultry farming. The Loman Brown chicken breed needs high-quality complete food with sufficient protein content, micro- and macroelements. Highly nutritious combined feeds - necessary condition for high productivity of the breed.

This is a Spanish dwarf, decorative, egg-laying breed of chickens. Chickens are agile, graceful, small, with dense, often black, plumage, sometimes with white. Characteristic features are white earrings and a slightly hanging beret-shaped crest.
The weight of the laying hen is 2.5-2.6 kg. The Minorca chicken breed has several subspecies - American, English, German. Laying hens mature in 155 days. The productivity of the breed is 175-185 eggs per year. White egg weighing 65-70 g.

Or Snow White. Homeland - Russia, more precisely the USSR. To develop the breed, they used the white Leghorn and local domestic chickens as a basis. The breed finally established itself in the 60s of the last century, and by the mid-70s it became the leading egg-laying breed for industrial breeding in the Union.
It is characterized by dense white plumage, long wings, a beautiful long tail, and yellow paws. Chicken weight – 1.8-1.9 kg. Egg production begins at 150 days. White eggs weighing 55-57 g. Egg production - 190-200 eggs per year.

To do this, you need to have a room - a barn, a good food supply, buy a bird of egg breeds and create suitable conditions for it. There are separate breeding species of White Russian with an egg production of 220-230 eggs per year.

Homeland - USA. An unpretentious, undemanding, calm bird with a strong immune system. The color of the plumage is white or brown. Weight - about 2 kg, ripening - 170-180 days. These are good chickens for eggs, their productivity is 250-340 chicken eggs per year. Egg weighing 62-65 g. The advantages of the breed also include high quality eggs and relatively low feed consumption by the bird.

To do this, you need to have a room - a barn, a good food supply, buy a bird of egg breeds and create suitable conditions for it. High Line is currently one of the leaders among egg-laying birds both in industrial breeding and in domestic breeding. This is one of the leaders among economically profitable breeds.

Homeland - the Netherlands. The breed (cross) was established in 1970. These are active, but not combative, but calm chickens. The color of the plumage is brown-golden. Laying hens mature in 140 days, weight – 2.1-2.2 kg.
Egg production is about 300 eggs per year. The color of the eggs is brown, the weight of one is 61-62 g. The breed is unpretentious, with good survival rate, but light-loving. For stable performance, you need to extend daylight hours as much as possible.

Or the highsex white is a subspecies of the Dutch highsex with white plumage. This cross is smaller, weighing 1.7-1.8 kg. Egg production - from 140-145 days. Productivity – 290-300 eggs per year. Egg weight is 61-62 g, shell color is white.

They are characterized by low live weight and poor meat productivity (), but they have a very high egg production. They are bred both on large poultry farms and on private household plots. .

Egg breeds of chickens have a skinny build, poorly developed bones and legs. The most common and productive are leghorns. They hold the record for the most eggs laid in one year - 365 eggs.

Today, egg breeds are actively used to obtain more productive egg crosses and hybrids.

Many egg-laying chicken breeds are folk and were bred a long time ago. For example, the Fayumi breed appeared in Ancient Egypt. Breeders for breeding egg breeds almost completely ignore the meat quality of poultry, the main thing is that it has a very high egg production. This is due to the fact that chickens have at the genetic level such a feature as the relationship between body weight and egg production, that is, in essence, the lower the body weight, the more eggs the chicken lays. An exception to this can be dwarf chickens of decorative breeds.

All the time, chickens of the egg type were subjected to selection. Breeders have always wanted to create a breed that will lay more eggs. However, no one has yet surpassed the Leghorns. Various selection methods were used: crossing, breeding selection, improvement of a breed or line for certain qualities (exterior or productive).

All egg hens have several qualities unique to them. Egg hens are characterized early dates puberty occurs on average at the age of 4-5 months. By temperament, egg hens are usually shy. In terms of their appearance, they are distinguished by their small live weight. They have a lean backbone. At the same time, the wings and tail feathers are very developed. The plumage, as a rule, fits snugly to the body, quite dense. Egg hens are very active and mobile, this is due to their very small size and fast metabolism. They have a very good appetite. When feeding egg hens, you must always remember that they always need food with a high calcium content, this is necessary for the proper formation of eggshells. As a result of very long selection, egg hens have completely lost their maternal instinct, so females almost never sit as hens.

In order for egg hens to show maximum productivity, it is necessary to create for them good conditions content. The lighting mode has a very important effect on the egg production of chickens. The ideal daylight hours for egg breeds should be 14 hours. At home, it is best to provide chickens with artificial lighting. Then the chickens will lay eggs every day, with the exception of the molting period.

Every year that hens are kept, their egg production decreases by 15-20%. It should be noted that the weight of the egg increases noticeably. At home, it is more advisable to keep laying hens for no more than 3 years.

Today, as a result of selection, more and more egg eggs are appearing.

On this page you will find full list the most common egg-laying chicken breeds. A photo will be attached to the description.

Egg breeds of chickens - complete list

Russian white chickens are the main source of eggs in Russia. The Russian white breed of chickens was created back in the USSR. To obtain this breed, local Leghorn chickens and roosters were used. Then the largest birds were selected, with better egg production and greater egg mass.

The average weight of roosters reaches 2.5-3 kilograms, and chickens 1.8-2 kilograms. The egg production of laying hens is 200-250 eggs per year (however, there were specimens that produced more than 300 eggs). The average egg weight is 55-60 grams. Chickens are able to lay eggs from 5 months of age. More details: .

This breed is distinguished by high egg production and outstanding beauty. The Andalusian breed of chickens is very similar in appearance to Minor chickens, but their physique is much slimmer. These chickens have a bright scarlet comb. Quite large earrings. Andalusian chickens have very beautiful colour plumage: black, with a metallic green tint. Breeders tried very hard to preserve this breed trait.

Egg production is 190-220 eggs per year. Eggs weigh on average 55-63 grams. This breed exhibits the worst maternal qualities - it practically does not mother hens.
The Andalusian breed is quite large: the live weight of roosters is 3.5-4.5 kilograms, and that of chickens is 3-3.5 kilograms. More details: .

Italian partridge chickens are a very old Italian breed. It was bred on the basis of local chicken breeds. The average live weight of roosters is 2.3-2.8 kilograms, and chickens 1.5-2 kilograms. The egg production of this breed is 180-240 eggs per season. Puberty occurs in the fifth month of life. More details: .

Hamburg chickens are a very old breed of egg production (it can also be classified as). To date, the origin of this breed is not known for certain. There are several versions about this. Maybe these chickens were brought to European countries from India. One thing is important - the Hamburg breed of chickens has made a very big contribution to the selection of new breeds of chickens.

Hamburg chickens have a very high egg production. In one year they lay 200-220 eggs. The average weight of an egg is small - 50 grams. These chickens have practically lost their instinct to incubate. The average live weight of adult chickens is 1.5-1.7 kilograms, and that of roosters is 1.7-1.9 kilograms. The young of these chickens have good fattening qualities. More details: .

Campina chickens

Campino chickens are a very old breed. They took her out ordinary people. This breed belongs to the egg production type. These chickens were bred in Belgium. A lot of breeds were developed on their basis.

Today, these chickens are preserved as a genetic species, and are also bred on household farms. For Russia, this breed is a real rarity.

Leghorns are the most productive egg-laying hens. They hold the record for demolishing the most large quantity eggs per year - 365!

Leghorn breed was developed in Italy in the 19th century. They have played a huge role in the modern selection of chicken breeds. Soon Leghorn chickens came to the USA, where they were crossed with Minorkas.

Leghorn chickens were first brought to our country in 1925 from the USA and England.

Leghorn chickens are a small breed of chicken. The average live weight of adult chickens is only 1.5-2 kilograms, and that of roosters is 2.2-2.6 kilograms. Sexual maturity occurs at the age of 17-19 weeks. The average egg production is 260-280 eggs per year. The color of the egg shell is white. The average egg weight is 55-58 grams. Leghorns have a completely suppressed brooding instinct. More details: .

Chickens Carpathian greenleg

Carpathian Greenleg chickens are a very old breed, the origin of which is not known for certain. The first mention of this breed was recorded in 1879. Carpathian greenlegs are most common in Poland. The type of productivity of this breed has not been established. In Russian literature she appears as egg breed, and the Poles call it meat and egg.

Minorca chickens.

These birds very quickly gained popularity in our country. This breed is most popular among farmers who raise poultry on their personal plots.

Adult chickens weigh on average 2-2.5 kilograms, and roosters weigh 2.7-3 kilograms. Egg production is 170-200 eggs per year. The average egg weight is 55-60 grams, the shell is white. Puberty occurs at the 5th month of life. More details: .