Chickens of the breed (cross) Dominant: description, maintenance and care

Dominant chickens were obtained by Czech breeders as a result of crossing egg-bearing breeds in order to obtain crosses with better survival and adaptation to environmental conditions. Layers and roosters of this species have black, red, brown and speckled plumage. The advantages of the species, breeders include the ability to easily distinguish the sex of chickens by color during the first days after birth. Dominants are characterized by early maturation, after which they bring up to 300-320 eggs per year. At the same time, the advantage of the variety is the high nutritional value of meat, which distinguishes them favorably, for example, from Hisex.

General information, characteristics and description of Dominant chickens

Varieties of Dominants differ among themselves not only in the color of the feathers, but also in productivity, as well as a greater or lesser degree of adaptation to unfavorable environmental conditions, for example, a cold climate. Experts say that, subject to the minimum necessary conditions of detention, the survival rate of chickens is 100%. With a general unpretentiousness and a peaceful disposition, Dominant laying hens are distinguished by an almost complete absence of hen instincts. This circumstance somewhat complicates the process of planned replacement of the herd, for which breeders purchase hatching eggs, whose incubation is entrusted to the flocks of other species of birds.

Dominant chickens yield from 300 to 320 eggs with an average weight of each in the range of 65-70 g. At the same time, not only masonry products, but also meat with high culinary and nutritional characteristics are of value to breeders. The average weight of chickens of this hybrid ranges from 2 to 2.2 kg, while they have a small head and a strong constitution with a slightly elongated body shape. Kur Dominant is distinguished by the ability to provide good masonry when a smaller area is required compared to the Hisexes. However, they do not take a sharp change in diet or place of residence poorly, which, according to experienced breeders, does not affect their performance.

Video: review of the owner of chickens cross Dominant

Origin

The beginning of the breeding work of Czech specialists was laid by the desire to breed a breed of crosses that, with high productivity rates, are resistant to most characteristic diseases, and are well adapted to keeping conditions. During the breeding work, they took such breeds of chickens as Sussex, Leghorn, Cornish, Rhode Island and Plymouthrock as the initial species.

Important! The obtained crosses Domimant, in addition to the listed characteristics, combine high egg productivity with excellent taste characteristics and nutritional value of the meat obtained.

Appearance and description of the breed

Hybrid individuals of the Dominant are birds with a relatively small head and body of a dense constitution and large size.

By the way! Due to the squat type of build, low abdomen and widely spaced legs, chickens look quite impressive, despite the fact that in fact their weight is about 2.2 kg.

The earrings, face and crest, which has a leaf-like shape, are painted in scarlet tones in representatives of this species. The sizes of the catkins range from small in females to decent in males. Birds of this breed have different shades of feather color, tightly fitting to the surface of their body. Their limbs are painted in light shades of yellow tones, the thighs are well-defined, and the legs are characterized by a fleshy constitution.

The eyes of Dominant hens are expressive, and their iris has an orange tint.

You should know! Experienced farmers claim that the advantages of this type of chicken include the ease of holding gender identity... According to their reviews, immediately after birth, the roosters are covered with lighter colors, while the hens can be distinguished by a darker coating layer.

Purpose of the breed

Breeders purchase Dominant chickens for their farms mostly for the high productivity of crosses with excellent immunity and unpretentiousness of the bird. In addition, this variety of layers and roosters provide farmers with replenishment of meat, which has a high nutritional and culinary value.

Character

According to the description, Dominants have a calm character, show moderate activity and get along quite easily with other representatives of birds and humans.

Important! Nevertheless, according to the owners, birds often emit excessive noise, singing and clucking, created when this type of laying hens are kept in the courtyard.

Experts note the high susceptibility of representatives of this species to various types of stressful situations, however, they emphasize that this does not affect the parameters of laying hens.

Productivity

Experienced farmers have always appreciated chickens reaching their active lay period at an early age as this minimizes their maintenance costs. It is to this type of laying hens that Dominant chickens belong, which begin to lay at the age of 5-6 months. And if most breeds of birds begin the laying period when a certain body weight is reached, equal to at least 50% of the mass of an adult, these crosses are distinguished by the fact that their weight gain lasts up to 11 months.

By the way! Despite the fairly rapid maturation of the overwhelming number of chickens in the livestock, some individuals reach an active egg-laying phase at 7 months. This feature also has advantages, the essence of which is to extend the laying time at its end in most of the herd.

Crosses of this breed have won the sympathy of most of the breeders around the world due to their high egg production, the average values ​​of which fluctuate in the range of 300-320 pcs / year. The average weight of eggs of Dominant chickens is 65-70 g, the color of the shell can range from brown to dark brown.

Advice! However, these indicators can be increased by creating conditions close to optimal values ​​for the maintenance of the grass and using feeds with a balanced content of vitamins, minerals and necessary additives.

Video: Dominant laying hens and first eggs

Varieties of chickens Dominant

One of the distinctive characteristics of the Dominant chickens, of particular interest to farmers, is the decorativeness of the 12 known varieties of layers, which make it possible to provide a variety of hens in the courtyard.

Below will be a description of the most popular types of Dominant hens.

Black D109

Chickensblack The dominant is characterized by the predominance of dark shades in color, the viability of the chicks is estimated by experts at 97%. According to the reviews of the breeders, individuals D109 are distinguished by the fact that they easily survive temperature drops in the chicken coop, as well as unpretentiousness.

Note! The egg production of chickens is 310-315 pieces / year with an average weight of each egg of about 70 g.

There is also a black D149.

Sussex D104

Some breeders consider the Dominant Sussex D104 (sometimes called Sussex) as the second most popular variety after the black variety. The survival rate of chicks of this variety is 98%, in appearance, the representatives of the species resemble Sussex, from where they acquired the name. Chickens of this species are distinguished by good adaptation to changing weather conditions and rapid weight gain. The average annual productivity of quails of this species is about 320 eggs with a light brown color.

There is also a variety of Sussex D304.

Blue D107

In color, this variety is most similar to the birds of the Andalusian breed. According to experts, Dominant blue chickens D107 are distinguished by good adaptation to the climatic conditions characteristic of the place of their keeping. The shell of the eggs has distinct shades of brown.

By the way! At the same time, layers of this species surpass the birds of the black variety both in terms of egg production and in terms of the survival rate of young animals.

Brown D102

This bird species is a cross between a brown and a red species Rhode Islands... The productivity of the brown Dominant D102 is about 315 eggs during the year, while breeders note the characteristic brown shade of the eggshell.

There is also Brown D192.

Red striped D159

To distinguish representatives of this variety, the color obtained by crossing striped individuals of red shades of the variety allows Rhode Island from Sussex... During the period of active laying, hybrids of the Dominant D159 breed are capable of producing over 300 eggs.

Red D853

Representatives of the variety red Dominants D853 obtained by crossing Rod Islandwith brown and red colors. According to the breeders, the entry of layers of this species into the stage of active egg-laying occurs at the 23rd week, while the representatives of the species are distinguished by average productivity indicators.

Also popular types of the Dominant chickens are: speckled (striped) D959, amber D842, partridge D300, tricolor D301, Leghorn D229.

A wide variety of Dominant species allows breeders to choose the most suitable for them in color, keeping conditions and productivity of individuals.

Features of caring for adult chickens and Dominant chickens, their breeding

Dominant chicks are distinguished by high survival rate, the quantitative indicators of which fluctuate in the range of 96-100%. At the same time, chickens of this species are characterized by a high rate of overgrowth with feathers and weight gain.

By the way! A distinctive feature of females that distinguishes them in the general population of crosses is a higher growth rate of feather cover.

To ensure the correct growth and development of young Dominants, experts recommend providing a number of conditions, including:

• Given the high sensitivity of chicks to ambient temperature, it is recommended to ensure the microclimate temperature in the room at a level of 30-32 ° C.

Important! In the future, it is required to reduce the temperature by 2-3 ° C every next week until the optimal microclimate is reached at the level of 18-20 ° C.

• To maintain the immunity of young animals at the required level, the breeder is recommended to take a number of measures aimed at ensuring the sanitary and hygienic condition of the drinkers, feeding containers, bedding and the chicken coop.
• The daily ration of chickens should preferably be given according to a specific schedule, divided into 6 feedings.

Note! Food should be balanced in composition, fresh and crushed to small fractions, include disinfected sand, which is necessary to improve the functioning of the digestive tract.

• As a drink for chicks, you can use heated water or a composition based on pharmacy glucose with the addition of ascorbic acid, which is necessary in the first weeks of life to strengthen the immunity of the young.

Important! It is best to carry out daily chick walking on a specially equipped area, protected from wind and drafts, not earlier than they reach 3-4 weeks of age.

Video: chickens Czech Dominant

Conditions of detention

The conditions created in the hen house have a direct impact on the egg production and the quality of the meat obtained from layers. In this regard, experienced breeders, when keeping Dominants, recommend providing the following conditions:

• Despite the fact that this species of birds is able to withstand small subzero temperatures without a decrease in productivity characteristics, in order to ensure high egg production, it is recommended to insulate the house and ensure that the temperature is maintained at least -5 ° C.
• The planning of the area required to maintain the planned number of individuals should be carried out based on the calculation of 1m² for 4-5 layers.
• It is better to use peat or straw as bedding, with its preliminary mixing with a layer of lime, which prevents the appearance and reproduction of pathogenic microflora.
• A distinctive characteristic of Dominants is that the females of this variety of layers do not always stop producing eggs during the change of feather cover, which leads to a deterioration in the quality of the clutches.

Advice! Given the high degree of depletion of the queens at this time, the farmer can facilitate the process of shell formation by adding mineral supplements to the diet.

• The walking area ensures not only the receipt of a sufficient amount of solar radiation necessary for development, but also the independent search by birds for the nutritional components required for balanced development.

Note! Experts note that daily poultry walks on the walking area significantly improve the taste characteristics of meat.

Video: one-year experience of keeping chickens Dominant

Diet

Given the high productivity of layers of this species, the diet of Dominant chickens should provide for the intake of a complex of necessary nutrients and minerals into the body.

The nutrition of adults must be divided into 3 feedings, while in order to ensure high productivity, experienced farmers recommend:

1. Introduce heated mash, prepared on the basis of meat broth or skim milk with the addition of oil cake, vegetables, cereals and vitamin complexes, into the diet of layers.
2. Add to the food of layers the missing amount of green feed in the winter in dried form, previously prepared in the spring and summer.
3. Equip the room, in addition to the feeders, with 3 containers with small stones, shells, chalk and water and provide free access to them for all members of the livestock.
4. Cereals included in the diet of laying hens should contain a minimum amount of fat and have a maximum concentration of protein compounds.

Advice! Experienced breeders recommend adding boiled carrots, potatoes, millet, chalk, bone and fish meal, yeast, pumpkin, corn and barley to the diet of Dominant layers.

Video: feeding Dominants

How to breed

The difficulties associated with updating livestock are determined by a number of specific features of breeding Dominants, among which experienced breeders call:

• Poorly developed egg-hatching instinct manifested in these hens.
• The need to purchase chicks from specialized suppliers, since, given the breeding nature of the origin of the species, in other cases the transfer of breed indicators is not guaranteed.

In connection with the listed features, the farmer may resort to the help of layers of other types for eggs purchased from poultry farms.

Experienced breeders to reduce dependence on the supplier of breeding characteristics are purchasing a mother herd of young Dominant layers.

Diseases and prevention

Breeders claim that subject to the minimum necessary hygiene conditions and timely vaccination of young animals, there will be no problems with keeping the Dominant population at all.

Chickens Dominant, according to the statements and reviews of breeders, have a high natural immunity to many characteristic diseases and adapt well to the climatic conditions characteristic of the place of their keeping. However, in order to avoid infection, it is not superfluous to carry out routine vaccination of the livestock and treatment of adult layers in the presence of a viral infection of the herd.

Important! Despite the unpretentiousness of laying hens to the temperature conditions and humidity in the room, individuals of this variety are very sensitive to the action of drafts. In this regard, most diseases can be avoided by maintaining the necessary sanitary and hygienic maintenance of the room and the absence of drafts in the chicken coop.

Advantages and disadvantages

Czech crosses of the Dominant breed have a number of advantageswhich led to their high popularity among breeders:

1. high rates of productivity (egg production);
2. excellent taste and nutritional value of meat;
3. good health and high natural immunity;
4. earlier maturation of the reproductive system;
5. unpretentiousness in relation to conditions of detention and diet.

Note! Among disadvantages breeds containing them, farmers single out only a group of problems associated with the renewal of livestock.

A hybrid variety obtained by Czech breeders by crossing various breeds under the name Dominant, has a number of advantages over other types of chickens. Among them, experts distinguish high immunity and natural unpretentiousness at the same time high egg and meat productivity. Among the disadvantages of the Dominant crosses, breeders include a poorly developed instinct for incubating eggs in layers and the impossibility of transmitting the characteristics of the species when using non-breeding genetic material.

Video: overview of chickens of the breed (cross) Dominant