How to distinguish chickens from chickens? Day old chickens

All the little chickens look exactly alike. To distinguish chickens from cockerels in appearance is extremely problematic. However, several quite accurate special methods for determining the sex of chicks still exist. About which ones, and we'll talk further in the article.

The ancient method

So, how to distinguish a daily chicken from a chicken from a chicken? This can be done, for example, in the same way that has long been used in Russian villages. This method is a little rough and not too accurate. But try to determine the sex of the chick in this way you can still. The chicken should just be taken by the legs and raised in the air. It is believed that the males at the same time hang quietly. Hooks also try to take the right position in space, pulling their heads forward.

You can try to use the method and softer. For this, the chicken is simply placed on the back of the palm in such a way that its head is left without support. The hen, as in the first case, will raise it, and the cockerel will "drop" back. Of course, in this case, as in the previous one, it takes too long to torture the chick.

On the question of how to distinguish the chickens chickens from cockerels, there is another answer. The chick must be carefully taken by the "shoulders" of the wings with both hands and slightly raised in the air. It is believed that the chickens at the same time begin to quickly move legs. The males are just quietly hanging.

All these methods are not too complicated, but, unfortunately, and not particularly reliable. The percentage of determining the sex of chicks during their use is low.

How to distinguish chicken chickens from cockerels: a modern way

Abroad, at poultry farms, where sorting of chicks is usually performed on the first day after hatching, a fairly simple, gentle and at the same time accurate method is used to determine the sex. It consists in the fact that the chicken is pulled back by the winglet and looks at the feathers. If two of their series, which are on different levels are clearly visible, it means that this is a chicken. If all feathers have the same length - a cockerel.

Determination of sex in large chicks

Now let's see how to check the chicken (the cockerel or the hen goes around your yard) if he has already grown up. Here everything is quite simple. Experienced farmers believe that in the first weeks of the chicken grow a little faster than the males. Over time, the situation is changing. The males catch up and drive the chickens. Some owners of household plots determine the sex of the chicks also according to the growth rate of the tails. It is believed that the chickens, he begins to grow much faster - just a few days after hatching. Cocks only get them in a couple of weeks.

How to know the sex before hatching

It is believed that it is impossible to determine who will subsequently leave the egg-the chicken or the cockerel. However, in some farmers it is sometimes possible to increase the percentage of chicks out of the desired sex. In order to determine who will hatch in the incubator or under the chicken, you should carefully examine the egg. Many experts do not advise taking for breeding those in which the air chamber is located not at the center of the blunt end, but shifted. Meanwhile, some owners of household plots, breeding laying hens, on the contrary, prefer to lay these eggs in the incubator. Of course, they take only those in which the camera is shifted slightly. It is believed that from such eggs, chickens are mostly hatched. As far as this is true, it is not known. Perhaps it's only a matter of pure chance.

Also, to determine the sex of the future chicken, you can see the sharp end of the egg. According to some farmers, if it has bumps or, better yet, surrounding the protruding calcareous ring - chick hatching probability is high.

Care for newborn chickens

So, you now know how to distinguish chickens from chickens from cockerels. Now let's figure out how to properly care for the chicks. This is not technically difficult, but very responsible. This is especially true for newborn babies.

On the first day, chickens, after drying in an incubator at poultry farms and on large farms, are placed in special nurseries. Owners of household plots usually plant hatched chicks in cardboard boxes. During this period of their lives, babies should be given maximum attention. First, for them it is necessary to arrange round-the-clock lighting. Secondly, raise the air temperature to 30-32 degrees. To do this, you can put a plastic bottle in the box with heated water or sand, or use a conventional incandescent bulb as a heater. On large farms, the required temperature in the manger is maintained with special equipment. Keep it at 30-32 degrees should be the entire first week. The same applies to day and night lighting.

Care for chickens of diurnal age

Some farmers believe that the chicks should be fed on the first day after birth. Others advise to wait a day. The matter is that after an exit from an egg in an organism of chickens there is enough those nutrients which they received, being still inside. The stock is exhausted after 24 hours. At the end of this time, it is necessary to feed and water the kids. Both for broiler chickens and for laying hens it is best to use a special mixture of "Start" (the corresponding variety).

You can also feed the chicks with a regular boiled egg and millet. A couple of days usually begin to give the cottage cheese.

Drinkers for chicks should be used special. In ordinary small chickens can climb or just fall and get wet. This often causes the death of chicks. The fact is that when the feathers get soaked, there is a strong hypothermia of the baby's body . This is especially true for broilers. When overseeing a wet chick, it is necessary to dry it as soon as possible and place it in the most warm place.

Five-ten-day chickens

From the seventh day the temperature of the air in the box can be reduced to 28 ° C. It is necessary to cover the "dwelling" of children during this period not less than 17-18 hours per day. They are still fed with small-grained grains, cottage cheese and greens. It will be good to add carrots to the diet. In the five-ten-day-old chickens can already begin to accustom to the street. Of course, only if the weather permits. The chicks are taken out of the house right in the box and left for a while in the yard.

Further Care

From the age of ten, chickens are given fish or slaughter waste. In particular, they are considered useful for broilers. Cover the box with the chicks during this period should be approximately 14 hours a day. The most comfortable for chickens over the age of ten days is the temperature of 20-24 degrees. Nesushek at this time you can leave the street for a whole day and bring home only at night. Later, the chickens are transferred to a specially designated shed for them.

From the twenty-day age, laying hens usually start giving meat pouches (for lunch) and cereals (in the morning and in the evening). Broiler chickens at this time should already get boiled mashed potatoes (in small quantities), fresh cottage cheese, buttermilk, etc. That is, the chickens are gradually transferred to an adult diet.

Features of broiler content

The main goal of farmers in this case is to quickly set the mass of chickens. Therefore, most of the diet of birds should be cereal (at least 50%). Also it is necessary to limit movement of hens. On the paddock, they do not let out, unlike laying hens. The dimensions of the room in which broiler chickens will be kept must be such that each individual has about 60 cm of space. Very often, these chicks are grown not in an outdoor fashion, but in cages. In this case, the air temperature in the shed should be 2-4 degrees above the recommended temperature.

Since the broilers are not particularly resistant to diseases, the premises intended for chickens must be disinfected before they are "settled". Of course, this procedure will not be hampered by the laying of layers. Care for chickens lies in the fact that the bird of both directions of productivity is obligatory given mineral fertilizing. This can be, for example, ash or ground egg shell. It is worth placing on the shed containers with a small pebbles. As a vitamin supplement, especially when broilers are diluted, fish oil is often used.

Well, we have figured out how to distinguish chickens from chickens from males. Of course, it is quite difficult to determine with accuracy the sex of the baby that emerges from the egg. But in any case, no matter how many chickens and bettas are hatched in the incubator, care and care for them should be as carefully as possible.