If you enter the query "turkey-chicken hybrid" into a search service, the search engine will most likely return pictures of chickens with a bare red neck, similar to the neck of an angry turkey. Not actually a hybrid in the photo. This is a hairless breed of chickens that appeared as a result of a mutation.
The breed is believed to be native to Transylvania. But this opinion is controversial, since they have just begun to spread across Europe from Romania and Hungary. In these countries they were called Semigrad holosheyk. The authorship of the breed is also claimed by Spain, more precisely, Andalusia. The bare-necked Transylvanian (Spanish) chickens are especially common in Germany and France. In France, its own breed has already been bred, which has nothing to do with the Transylvanian bare-necked chickens. At the same time, holoshets are very rare in England and unknown in the United States.
Interesting! One of the European names for bare-necked chickens is "turken".
The name is formed from the compilation of the names of the parental species, traditional for hybrids. It stuck due to confusion, when genetic research was not yet developed and it was believed that the bare-necked chicken was a hybrid of a turkey with a chicken. In fact, the North American turkey does not interbreed with any of the pheasant species, and the bare-necked hen is a purebred bird of the Banking hen species.
Although the breed is absent in the United States, it was recognized by the American Poultry Association in 1965. In Great Britain, the first naked chicken was shown in 1920. On the territory of the CIS, a Transylvanian (or Spanish) version of naked chickens is bred.
Interesting! Bare-necked chickens also exist among the bantams, but they are not a dwarf form of the Transylvanian (Spanish).
In the photo there are bare-necked roosters. On the left is a Spanish woman with a bare neck, on the right, a French girl with a neck.
Compared to the French version, Spanish chickens are more like an angry turkey.
Chicken Holosheyka: characteristics of the species
Naked chickens were obtained by crossing a turkey with a chicken, so this breed is difficult to attribute to any species. The hens got their name due to the absence of feathering in the neck and goiter. This can be explained by the fact that the follicles in these parts of the body are absolutely undeveloped. With age, the exposed areas of the bird become rough and wrinkled, and the skin color turns red. A small feather cap can be seen on the top of the bird, and a red "bow" in front.
Chickens holosheyki
The brood hen can be distinguished by its bright round earrings, and their comb is deep red in color.
Bald spots in chickens can also be seen under the wings, these bare spots are called apterias. The inner part of the lower leg is similarly devoid of feather cover.
Holosheyki have a varied palette of color cover, ranging from white and variegated to brown and black. The bird has a slightly curved yellow or black beak. The face of the chickens is scarlet, the eyes are red-red. The comb is bright red. Medium earrings.
Chickens with a bare neck have a small cylindrical body, a rounded belly. The pectoral muscles are well developed. The wings do not fit tightly to the body, therefore they look slightly saggy. The paws of the breed are strong, with 4 toes. The bird's tail is small, but voluminous, slightly raised.
Interesting! Chickens shed every year, during which time they completely change the outer layer of their skin.
A hen can reach a weight of 2 to 3 kg, and a rooster - 4 kg.
According to the reviews of experienced poultry farmers, it is unacceptable that the eyes and face of a bird of this breed are too dark, and the earrings are white. Also, an underdeveloped body and yellowing of bare skin are not allowed.
Sixth place
Dutch white-crested chickens are considered one of the national symbols of Holland. There is an opinion that in the distant 15th century they were an ordinary meat and egg breed, however, breeders, deciding to improve the appearance of chickens, poured into them the blood of Polish Crested beetles. Perhaps this is also why all crested chickens are called Polish. The Dutch white-crested chicken has an extraordinary appearance - all of its plumage has a rich black color and only the lush crest is distinguished by its whiteness.
We can meet chickens of beauties on the canvases of the 17th century animal painters. And some breeders eventually began to call crested birds hens with a hairstyle, and each "hairstyle" is unique in its own way. Naturally, the Dutch white-crested is primarily an ornamental breed. To have such a specimen on your farm is happiness for a breeder-collector. However, the beauty chicken should provide you with 140 eggs.
Breed productivity
Chickens Amroks
In Soviet times, this breed was not used in any way, since the bald skin in the neck area frightened people off, they considered the bird sick and infectious. Therefore, no benefit could be derived from it, and there was no point in keeping.
Breed productivity
The situation changed when people learned how productive such a chicken can be. This bird is a good laying hen. As soon as the hen reaches the age of 5-6 months, it immediately begins to lay eggs. In one year, you can get from 140 to 160 eggs, each of which can weigh 50-60 g. The color of the shell can be beige or white.
Naked chickens are also prized for their delicious meat. It can be considered dietary, such easily digestible meat can be consumed not only by adults, but also by children.
Based on the fact that the weight of a bird can reach 2-3 kg, and the breast is well developed, such a breed can be considered not only egg, but also meat.
Meat breed
Selection of bare-necked chicks
Chickens Plymouthrock
When buying chickens of the French or Spanish breed, the first thing to pay attention to is the body. If it is underdeveloped, this is the first sign of illness in birds. What else to pay attention to:
- Legs should not be frail.
- If the eyes are dark in color, this also indicates the presence of a disease.
- If feathers are found in the apterial zones (where they should not be), this is not an acceptable norm for the bird.
- Yellowing on bare areas is also a sign of illness.
It is worth noting that chickens have excellent stamina. Approximately 95% of the young survive.
Selection of bare-necked chicks
Bird care features
Naked chickens, despite their exotic appearance, are actually unpretentious to care for. To grow them, you do not need colossal costs and knowledge, but nevertheless, it is important to follow some care rules.
Dwarf chickens
For the bird to feel comfortable, the room temperature must be at least 0 ° C. Despite the fact that the golosheyka lacks feather cover in some parts of the body, this does not in any way affect the bird's resistance to cold.
Note! No matter how hardy the bird is to frost, it is advisable to maintain the air temperature in the chicken coop + 10-15 ° C.
The optimal litter is peat, as it removes bacteria and prevents excess moisture.
In hot countries, voles can be grown directly on the street. In places with a cool climate, it is better to build a chicken coop.The bird will be able to endure the summer period without difficulty (after all, the Spanish breed is accustomed to the heat), but the winter time will be much more difficult for the bird to survive. Therefore, it is important that the chickens are in the hen house, the temperature in which will be from +5 to + 15 ° C.
Walking
Holosheikas are calm and rather peaceful birds, but not passive. Of course, females are much calmer than males. However, such activity can be inherent in males of any other breed. In order for the birds to grow better, they need to be released for a walk in the yard, even in winter. If the temperature outside drops below 13-15 degrees, the walking should be interrupted.
On a note! Holosheikas love sunlight, it is just as important to them as green food. Therefore, the yard should not be placed in a shady location.
Herbaceous vegetation will be of great benefit to chickens, it can partially replace the grain feed they are used to, therefore, the farmer can save on food for the holosheyk. Dust trays are also helpful.
Testimonials
- Victoria, 43 years old: “And although the appearance of these chickens is not very attractive, their productivity is high. For their maintenance, I equipped my small barn. There is additional lighting there in winter, and I also installed a heater there. I feed the birds with fresh grass, potatoes, boiled eggs, nettles. But in winter I buy special compound feed, because at this time the body of birds is lacking vitamins. I really like eggs. They are nutritious and quite large. One hen can produce up to 4 eggs per week. "
- Margarita, 41 years old: “Holosheyka is one of my favorite chicken breeds. They are so quiet and picky to care for that sometimes you can forget that they are in your household. In the summer, I feed them only in the morning and evening. And in the afternoon they are with me for a walk. But in winter I switch to 4 meals a day. Their diet contains potatoes, corn, boiled eggs, mixed feed, mash of oat and wheat groats. "
Holosheikas today are one of the few breeds of meat and egg direction, which are actively used for breeding at home. They are distinguished by a quiet and balanced character, are able to quickly adapt to the climate and are not whimsical in their diet. In our other articles, you can familiarize yourself with the do-it-yourself feed granulator.
Choice of feed
Beginners who were not previously familiar with this breed may not worry too much about what food is best to give to the bird. Holosheks are absolutely unpretentious in food, therefore, their diet may include the same food as that of ordinary chickens. It includes: cereals, clover, potatoes, dairy products, corn grains and more.
Choice of feed
Sprouted grains and various vegetables are perfect for laying hens. So the bird will be able to get the necessary nutrients and elements. You can also diversify the diet of shanks with yeast, ground eggshells and chalk, since these products contain calcium, which is necessary for poultry.
On a note! Adding sand to food is beneficial for digestion.
It is not uncommon for farmers to use a combination feed that allows the hens to get all the nutrients they need, but it is important that the food is balanced. The daily norm for an adult weighing 2 kg can be considered 120-130 g. For each subsequent increase in the bird's weight by 240-250 g, 10 g of an additive can be added to the portion. This type of feeding will help raise large and healthy birds.
The water in the drinker must be constantly replenished.
Important! A bare-necked chicken should not be fed too much, an overweight bird will simply stop laying eggs.
Treatment options for alopecia
The main
If chickens go bald, veterinarian advice is very important. It is advisable that it is the specialist who decides how to treat chickens when feathers fall out on the neck, back or anywhere else.
Drug therapy is being carried out, because the situation cannot be saved without drugs. There are several methods of alternative therapy, but they must be combined with medications.
To achieve the maximum effect, it is necessary to carry out complex therapy. To cure the chicken, the irritant is eliminated and the causes of alopecia are excluded.
Next, we will look at the main methods of therapy for alopecia.
What drugs to treat
If the chickens peel off, you can save them with the help of medicines:
- Desi spray - a remedy for the healing of ulcers that appear in the foci of baldness;
- Ganasupervit - water-soluble vitamins;
- Gamavit is an immunomodulator for weakened chickens.
- Chiktonik is a complex of vitamins for saturating the body with microelements.
Details on the use of the last drug are described in the article "Instructions for the use of chiktonics for chickens."
Also, as a medicine, feeds with a high content of vitamins and microelements are used, aimed at restoring feathers. Operin has proven itself well.
Additional funds
If the cause of the baldness of the laying hen is in the attack of parasites, the feathers of the entire livestock are treated. Aerosol Arpalit, Butox liquid, Neostomazan, Insectol, Frontline drops are used. Step-by-step instructions are described in the articles "How to get rid of chicken fleas" and "How to get rid of chicken feathers".
The drops should be applied to the withers, and the aerosol should be sprayed over the entire surface of the feathers at a distance of 20 cm. The preparations eliminate only parasites, but not their eggs. Therefore, after 1-1.5 weeks, the treatment is repeated.
Traditional methods
In parallel with the drug treatment of bald chickens, it is permissible to use folk methods. Chopped fallen plumage added to food helps well. In such a bait there is a lot of cysteine, which contributes to the growth of plumage.
Also, parts of hooves and horns of cattle crushed into dust will help to replenish the necessary trace elements in the body of chickens.
Breeding
When breeding this breed, it is important to consider the number of females and males. The male is able to fertilize up to 10 females.
Eggs should be laid out in an incubator, as hens do not sit on them for a long time. But they take great care of their offspring. At first, chicks should be kept in a warm and dry place, which should be periodically ventilated. Gradually, as you grow older, the temperature is lowered. Chicks grow quickly and gain weight, and keeping them is also not a hassle.
The chicken diet includes the following foods:
- Shredded eggs;
- Broken grains;
- Carrot;
- Beet;
- Greens.
Wheat bran can also be added to feed for chickens, they contain all the necessary elements. After 2 months, it is worth adding corn grains and fish oil to the diet, they will help prevent obesity.
The chicks' feeders need to be replenished every second hour. Accordingly, they must be kept clean and uneaten food removed. So you can preserve the health of the chickens.
Breeding chickens
Growing and keeping
Naked chickens are unpretentious in keeping and growing, they are calm, moderately active. The species is resistant to frost, however, poultry farmers keep the temperature in the hen house at the level of 12º -16º in winter, humidity - 60-70%.
The room is equipped so that there is no dampness and drafts. The floor is covered with peat bedding. It destroys harmful bacteria. For cultivation, a yard for walking is being built in a sunny area. For continuous egg production in the autumn-winter period, artificial lighting is equipped. The duration of daylight hours for chickens should not exceed 14 hours. With an excess of light, chickens become nervous, they can get sick or start pecking at each other.
The disadvantage of the breed is the reluctance to incubate the offspring. When breeding, you may need an incubator.
The survival rate of babies is 95-98%, they grow quickly. Daily chicks are kept at a temperature of 26 ° -30 °. Only after a week the temperature begins to gradually decrease. Feeding Hollow chicks like normal chicken chicks.
For breeding hybrid species of chickens (Sasso, Brahma, Chinese silk), chicks or hatching eggs are usually purchased. In the second generation of chicks, the characteristics that they received as a result of crossing breeds degenerate. Holoshee chicks with black eyes, yellow skin and a weak body are discarded.
