The Polish Greenback is a breed of hens with an ancient history. But this does not mean that today the breeding of these birds is not popular. More and more people who have heard about the great taste of the meat and eggs of these chickens and the simplicity of their content are interested in the methods of their breeding. What is needed for this, read on.
Breed history
Accurate information on the origin of this species is not available today. There is a theory that the breed Polish greengrass was first mentioned in documents back in 1879. It is on the territory of Poland and the Ukrainian Carpathian region that this species is most prevalent. Therefore, the breed is considered indigenous to the Polish, but sometimes such chickens are also called Carpathian. 1923 is considered to be the date of official recognition of the breed standard.
Description and Features
The main feature of these chickens - greenish legs. Chickens and roosters have a memorable exterior. True, the chickens are duller, and the roosters, on the contrary, are bright and colorful.
Among the breeds of chickens you can find interesting specimens. For example, the feathers of Chinese silk are similar to the airy fur, blue eggs are laid by the Araucans, and the rams are chocolate, and the Jurlovian cocks are notable for loud and long-lasting singing.
External features
General form. Appearance of roosters and hens of the Polish greenback has a number of differences. Roosters have well-developed muscles, they are 10-12 cm above chickens, their legs are longer, and the body is stronger developed. Color The rooster of the Polish breed has a bright color — the belly with a black and green tint and a bright red-orange mane. The dense and dense plumage of the Polish rooster on the wings, lower back and sides is slightly darker. Paws at the leader short, greenish-gray color. With age, the unusual color of the paws fades.
Head. The comb is tall and erect, the head is a small oval-shaped. Polish cock boasts red large earrings that are almost invisible on a smooth head of the same red color. Chickens of this breed are much smaller than roosters, their torso has the shape of a trapezoid. The distinctive features of Polish chicken are a round breast, a flat back and a raised tail. The neck is small, scallop scalloped and neat. The plumage of a chicken is much more magnificent than that of roosters. Feathered Polish females have an orange-gray color.
Temperament
Like other hens of egg breeds, these birds are extremely shy, although they are very mobile and active. These chickens are very friendly and inquisitive, the main thing - do not restrict their freedom. They have a highly developed maternal instinct: protecting their offspring, the chicken can be extremely aggressive.
Important! The lack of free space can be the cause of the aggressive behavior of the Polish greenback, and even cannibalism.
Hatching instinct
This chicken is perfect mother. She cares and responsibly to incubate their chicks. And the offspring that appears protects against possible dangers and cares about it in every way. At the greensill the brooding instinct is so well developed that it can easily sit out even other nestlings.
Productivity
Many years ago, when the breed was only officially recognized, the Polish green-stalk was considered highly productive. But over time, breeders managed to get species that exceed the performance of these chickens many times.
Familiarize yourself with the egg breeds of chickens: leggorn, Ukrainian ushanka, Russians are white, orlovskie.
Live weight chicken and rooster
Body weight of one year old roosters - 2.7-2.9 kg. Chickens are smaller and more compact. Their weight for the first year is only 2-2.5 kg.
When they start to trot and what is egg production
Polish greenweeds become already mature in half a year. Chickens reach maximum egg production in the first year. The laying of the first year is considered the most productive. 180 eggs. Further, it decreases each year by about 10%. The average egg weight is 55 g.
Did you know? To carry the eggs, the chicken does not need a rooster at all.
What to feed
Polish chickens are unpretentious in food. Their diet is completely identical to the diet of most domestic breeds. Adults who are free-range can be fed only twice a day. The rest of the food for snack they find on their own.
Chickens
Newborn chickens are fed with home-made mash from boiled eggs, greens and cereals. Later on, when chickens reach two weeks of age, boiled root crops and grain crops can be introduced. Be sure to add to the diet of the young herd vitamins and minerals necessary for the full development of chickens.
Important! In order for the herd to be young, strong and highly productive, its planned replacement should be carried out at least once every 3-4 years.
Adult flock
Adult Polish chickens eat everything they offer. It is enough to feed the birds on the free-range during the warm season only in the morning and in the evening. The diet can be varied.
Will consider The main recommendations on the organization of feeding these chickens:
- An important component of the menu of these birds is wet mashes and porridges, in winter they must be warm so that the chicken keeps normal heat exchange;
- in the warm season, when the clubs begin to actively sweep, it is necessary to enrich the diet with fresh greens;
- in the season of laying it is necessary to increase the percentage of corn and oats in the diet; these birds will be happy to eat wheat, rye, barley, millet and mixed fodder.
Conditions of detention
There are no special requirements for the conditions of Polish chicken. All she needs is freedom of movement and maximum space.
Requirements for the house
The main requirements for the chicken coop - cleanliness and maximum free space. The room can be built of wood or brick. The area of the chicken coop per 10 animals should be at least 2 square meters. m. It must be insulated and equipped with ventilation. It is important that the room is not too wet, it should be well lit. The floor of the chicken coop must be covered with straw, place the feeders and drinkers. Greenbacks need roost. The space should be distributed in such a way that there should be at least 50 cm of timber per hen. These chickens do not like outsiders to invade their lives, so the perches and nests should be located in such a way as to maintain the distance between the birds.
For the nest equipment, wooden boxes or wicker baskets are best suited.
For this breed is not acceptable content in the cells.
Walking yard
These chickens are not intended for mass breeding, therefore walkout should be as large as possible. On one chicken, on average, should be about 4 square meters. m of free space. In addition, the stem cell should always be able to hide under a bush or in any other place. It is necessary to equip the walking yard with a shed so that the birds do not suffer from the sun and precipitation, and put troughs and water bowls on the street.
How to endure winter cold
Birds of this breed can boast excellent health and strong physique. They tolerate frosts well, even in winter they can be let out for a few hours to walk, provided that the air temperature outside is not lower than -14 ° C. But you should not abuse their frost resistance - a long stay of chickens in harsh conditions can cause the termination of laying. The temperature in the house should not fall below + 4-5 ° С.
Learn more about the features of the winter chickens.
Advantages and disadvantages
Polish Greenback has a number merits:
- strong immunity;
- low cholesterol in eggs;
- well-developed maternal instinct;
- unpretentiousness in the stern;
- high taste of meat and eggs.
- the need for half-free housing conditions, these birds do not tolerate cramped enclosures and lack of walking;
- average productivity;
- slow growth of chicks.
Did you know? Domestic chickens on our planet three times more than people.
Video: Chicken Stems
Reviews of breed Polish Greendog
The Polish Greenback is not intended for mass breeding, it needs space and as much freedom as possible. High taste qualities of meat and eggs made Polish chicken an old favorite in individual farms not only in Poland, but also far beyond its borders. Many years ago, when Poland gained its independence, the green-toed stalk became a real trademark of the state. Today this bird is not a sign of patriotism, but a source of healthy, natural food, which can be grown by almost everyone.