Pygmy chickens: breeds, their description and photo

Poultry-lovers increasingly pay attention to ornamental birds, which include pygmy chickens. Interesting appearance, high egg-laying and delicious dietary meat make them more popular.

Famous breeds

All decorative chickens are divided not only into meat and egg breeds. There are special species that are bred exclusively for decorative purposes. Chickens of dwarf species usually weigh no more than 1 kg. Their egg production usually does not exceed 130 pieces per year.

The most common are such dwarf chickens:

- bentamka;

- Paduan;

- dwarf cochin;

- dwarf wyandot;

- black (silk);

- A dwarf flush flush;

- dwarfish New England;

- Dutch white;

- dwarf bramble;

- bantam java;

- Orlovka calico dwarfish;

- Millefler;

- Shabo.

But this is not all the known dwarf chickens. Breeds (the photo of representatives allows to understand, how much they are attractive), deduced for decorative purposes, attract even professional poultry breeders.

Wyandots dwarfish

The first representatives of this species appeared in the XIX century. His ancestors were sibrayta bentams, cochins, dark brahmas and Hamburg breeds.

Look these decorative dwarf chickens quite attractively. The body of the bird is dense and broad, the legs of the males are powerful with yellow plumage. Young chicken can begin to rush at the age of 5 to 7 months. A year from them, you can get up to 120 eggs, the weight of which - about 50 grams. Dwarf vandots differ in that they tend to be incubated. For a year they can give up to 3 broods of young chickens.

But in Russia these dwarf chickens are not very common, although their population in the world is quite large. Experts say that the most popular are the silver-fringed chickens, but there are about 15 varieties of color.

Dutch white-fleecy

This decorative dwarf hen has been known for a long time already. Its first images were dated XV century. The Dutch white breed is distinguished by a huge magnificent feather crest on its head. All representatives of this species have white color. Also belonging to the breed is set on the spot of black color, located at the bottom of the beak. In form it resembles a moth.

The body of most birds is covered with black feathers with a greenish tint, sometimes with red patches. Habitually common for chickens in the Dutch white-clad almost absent. But they have big bright red earrings. Especially they stand out among the cocks.

Black plumage, although it is the most common, is not the only one. Also there are blue and brown Dutch white-smoked dwarf chickens. Breeds, whose photos provide an opportunity to assess all their advantages, require special care. For example, the Dutch white-clad need to trim their feather comb, otherwise it grows to the shoulders of the bird.

Padua

The first recorded dwarf species were more than 100 years ago. Paduan are representatives of decorative crested breeds. But, unlike other species, the feather crest of them is rare, long and falls back. The beak of the Paduan is curved, it is bluish-gray in color. Lobes and earrings are small, often they are not even visible from under the feathers. The body of the Paduan is elongated, it narrows to the back. Their tail is wide and well sprung. Wings are long, they are tightly pressed to the body.

Despite the fact that the Paduan are considered decorative chickens, they are also bred in subsidiary farms. In a year they can demolish up to 120 eggs, and their meat is appreciated by gourmets.

Dwarf cochins

Most poultry farmers, fond of breeding ornamental species, especially highlight those species that resemble a ball in shape. This is how the cochins of Cochin look dwarfish.

Chickens completely, from head to foot, covered with feathers. Their beak is yellow, it is slightly curved, the comb is leaf-shaped. Ordinary and decorative birds of this breed practically do not differ, the standard cochins and dwarf chickens look almost equally. Photo of representatives of both breeds a layman can even confuse. Although the dwarfish view is similar to a ball because of its compact size, and the usual cochins are large enough.

The neck is of medium length, the back slightly bends and rises in the region of the waist. The thorax of the dwarf cochins is well developed. Their legs are set wide. What distinguishes them is that they are covered with feathers to the very toes. The wings and tail of the chickens are rounded, they are quite short. It is almost impossible to list all variations of the color of dwarf cochins.

Bentamki

This breed of chickens differs unpretentiousness, cheerful disposition, cockiness. They do not tolerate low temperatures, they can have a frost, earrings and even legs, but they are resistant to various diseases. If the bentamks are cold, they will not eat well, lose weight and even die. Therefore it is important in winter to keep them in warmed poultry houses.

Bentamki, like many other dwarfish chicken breeds, are excellent hens. They can lay eggs of various birds. They can sit out the offspring of valuable breeds of geese, ducks, chickens and other birds. To do this, simply provide them in sufficient quantities of food and water.

The young birds begin to swing at the age of 7 months. Chickens are very mobile, they quickly gain weight and are distinguished by increased survivability. Birds of this breed early feathers.

Black breeds

Silk, or, as they are called, black, pygmy chickens have been known for more than 2 millennia. But their standard was established only in the XIX century in America. Black chickens differ in that, regardless of their color, they have earlobes, a beak and a leaf-shaped comb are painted blue. On their paws there are 5 fingers, the latter being distant from the other four.

It is interesting that the birds feel the feathers very similar to wool. It is because of this that they are called silk. The chest and back of these birds are wide, the body is cubic, the shape of the body is rounded from all sides. The shins of black chickens are short with dense plumage. The color of these breeds of birds can be anything, there are both bright piebald, and light blue and even white representatives.

Annually such a dwarf hen can demolish about 120 eggs. She can not only breed her offspring. Birds of this breed are capable of breeding young birds of any feathery.

Japanese bentamaks

Birds of Shabo breed have been known for more than one century. Japan is their homeland. In countries of southeast Asia, Japanese bentamok were bred as home pets in well-to-do people's homes.

Despite the fact that many dwarfish breeds of hens are demanding of the conditions of detention and are prone to illness, Japanese bentamaks are quite tenacious. They are considered to be among the most hardy among all ornamental birds.

Chabas of shabo breed are distinguished by short legs and relatively massive body. They have a short back, long wings that touch the ground, a chest of a convex shape. The head of the Japanese bentamok is large, the crest with 4-5 teeth is leaf-shaped, the color of the beak coincides with the color of the plumage, it is strong and short. The tail feathers on the tail are high. On their necks they have magnificent feathers. Japanese bentamki can be black-silver, golden, porcelain, wheat-colored.

Features of the maintenance of ornamental rocks

If you are attracted by small chickens, and you can create suitable conditions for them, then you need to know a few nuances of caring for them. Decorative rocks are thermophilic. It is important for them to make a warmed house, otherwise there is a risk of losing all the chickens. At any time in it should be not less than 15 ^o C.

Feeding dwarf breeds is almost the same as normal. They need a varied diet, which includes grain, greens, cottage cheese, food waste and vitamin supplements.

In the poultry house there must be a bath for bathing, filled with sand or dried with crushed clay. Bathing in it helps birds get rid of parasites. Near the hen house should be a site for their walking. It is desirable to sow it with grass.

Most decorative chickens begin to sweep after six months. At the same time, their weight at this moment is about 0.6-0.7 kg.

In order for chickens of dwarf breeds to incubate eggs, they need to prepare nests for them. It can be shallow drawers, the bottom of which must be lined with straw. The best hens are chickens in 2-4 years of age. During the incubation period, they must be provided with water and fodder and a daily paddock should be organized at any time of the year. It is impossible to disturb the hens only on the first and last day of incubation.