Decalb is considered one of the most productive laying hens. Indicators of not only egg production, but also the weight of the eggs are significantly superior to other types of chickens. Birds do not need special care or any specific food, which is also considered one of the brightest advantages.
Breed history
The Dekalb breed of chickens is a new egg cross that was bred in the United States. The company Dekalb Poltri Research was engaged in the creation of this species. At first, the company made fertilizers with hybrid seeds. In the 60s of the 20th century, the “Poultry Princess” was introduced - this is the name given to the bird.
During the creation of this species, the main goal was to obtain a bird with high productivity and a long period of egg socking. The bird was supposed to give eggs of the highest quality.
Today, the company is the main and largest supplier of Decalbes. Active work by breeders is ongoing to improve cross. There is a high probability that over time the productive properties of the described bird species will also increase.
Bird exterior
The appearance of the breed is practically no different from other types of chickens. Dekalb has a compact body, the body is medium in size, the skeleton is very light, the chest protrudes slightly, rounded, voluminous belly. Not too big a head, a leaf-like scallop that leans slightly to one side, like the earrings are painted red.
The plumage is well packed, it is not only white, but also brown. The beak is small, yellow, strong. The weight of an adult bird reaches 1.5-1.8 kg, males - about 2 kg.
There is not too much difference in the herd, not only in terms of egg production, but also in egg weight. This quality is appreciated precisely in case of breeding of birds on an industrial scale.
Decalb is an unpretentious bird, so it will feel quite comfortable both in cages or in a house, and in an aviary.
Productivity
Layers today show maximum egg mass. Active efforts by breeders have led to the creation of a species, which laying hens in just one year can produce 330 eggs. The average weight of one egg ranges from 60-64 g. The white (white) Dekalb chicken gives light-shelled eggs, in Dekalb Brown, a brown-tinted egg.
One of the main features of the breed is maturation in a short time. As a result, the period of oviposition occurs in 4 or 5 months. At 40-41 weeks, about 95% falls.
There are no too strong differences between Decalb and other egg breeds of birds. But it is this species that gradually and stubbornly crowds out other laying hens both in private and industrial farms. Decalb gives some of the best indicators, which slightly exceed such a common form as Highsex.
In the following video, the breeder talks about the productivity of the Dekalb chickens:
Natural Egg Drop
With the onset of molting, a natural decrease in productivity is often associated. There is a molt for 63-67 weeks. Artificial effects on chicken can contribute to an accelerated molting period. To do this, follow these tips:
- daylight hours are reduced, which should be close to the mark of 2 hours;
- only a drinker with water is left and the food is removed;
- after about 10 days, after the feed and light conditions are limited, the indicators of light are gradually added (by 30 minutes per day);
- then the feeding of the bird changes - the calorie content of the food increases, which should be greater than before molting.
Due to this type of forced molting, the unproductive period decreases, which instead of 60 days will last no more than 45 days. Throughout this time, the bird does not bear eggs at all. After the plumage changes, the masonry activity also resumes.
Advantages and disadvantages of the breed
This breed of birds has both advantages and certain disadvantages. The main advantages include such qualities as:
- high egg production;
- large eggs;
- puberty occurs early;
- there is the possibility of keeping birds in cages (how to make a cage for chickens with your own hands is written here);
- calm and peaceful character;
- unpretentiousness to the conditions of detention.
The cons include:
- laying hens have no instinct for incubation;
- short period of productivity.
The main disadvantage of the Dekalb breed is the almost complete absence of incubation. If you plan to independently breed and breed chickens, you must additionally look for a brood, but only another breed. You can also use the incubator.
Herds are changed every 2 years, which is one of the disadvantages of the breed. A longer bird keeping makes no sense, since after this time there has been a sharp decrease in productivity.
Decalb chickens
Decalb is one of the comfortable breeds that is recommended for beginner farmers to take, especially if the main goal is to get a large number of large eggs.
When acquiring birds, certain rules must be taken into account:
- In the chicken coop on 1 square. m should be no more than 5 layers. Thanks to this indicator, birds will not freeze in winter. If you exceed this indicator, biting and a later period of the onset of puberty may occur.
- During the construction of the chicken coop, a choice is made on a concrete or earthen floor. In the case of using a wooden type of coating, the boards must first be soaked with special solutions. The earthen floor needs to be covered with a deep litter.
For a large farm, a concrete floor becomes an ideal choice, but with a minimum number of livestock this may not be justified.
- For the chicken coop, choose a dry place, which is located on a hill. The relief is important, as the earthen floor will actively absorb water. If the house is located in a lowland, crushed stone is necessarily poured on top of the floor with a layer of about 20 cm.
- The ideal coating would be dry peat, sawdust or straw. A preliminary disinfection of the floor surface is carried out.
To get a deep litter, the layer should be at least 15 cm thick, but first it needs to be well dried. If necessary, a new layer is periodically laid out. A good litter and a fairly dense landing of birds allows you to keep warm in the chicken coop during the period of frost. - On the south side there is an arrangement for birds climbing. A small threshold is being built, about 5-6 cm high from the floor. The height of the hole should be 30 cm.
If you need advice on how to make a chicken coop yourself, then this article is here.
Ventilation and lighting
There should not be strong drafts in the chicken coop. Careful sealing of all holes and cracks in the walls will help to avoid this, it is advisable to install double-glazed windows on the walls. Ventilation is equipped with a door and a window, however, this option is extremely undesirable. It is not only ineffective, but also provokes a rapid loss of heat.
A good choice would be to install special mechanical ventilation using a fan and exhaust pipe. This option is most suitable for large farms. But for small chicken coops, too much electricity costs will not be justified.
Rational and simple is the installation of supply and exhaust pipes, the diameter of which should be about 200 mm. An exhaust pipe is installed directly below the ceiling so that it protrudes about 1 m above the roof. A supply pipe is installed no lower than 30 cm from the floor, which should be 40 cm above the roof.
Thanks to this type of pipe arrangement, it is possible to conduct passive and efficient ventilation. The main advantage is that heat will not be lost during ventilation.
Using incandescent lamps, the correct light mode is maintained, and the room will be additionally heated. It is important that the daylight hours are approximately 15 hours, which is why chickens are efficiently carried in the winter.
Interior design of the chicken coop
During the arrangement of the chicken coop, special attention should be paid to the number of nests. The height of egg laying is also taken into account - every day 10 hens will bring about 8 eggs. Therefore, there must be at least 3 nests per 10 layers. Perches are located at a height of about 90 cm from the floor and several floors.
The birds of this breed are quite light, so perches in several tiers do not cause any difficulties. It is also comfortable to equip horizontal variants of perches, which occupy a large territory, but the hens will not get dirty from the droppings of birds sitting above. You can optionally install bars with a width of about 5 cm.
The most litter is always collected under the perch. To prevent the spread of infection, cleaning is required as often as possible.
Clean water must be present in the chicken coop. You can use various options for drinking bowls:
- vertical
- nipple;
- simple bowl.
How to make a drinker with your own hands - read here.
In order for the birds to regularly clean their feathers, they need a simple ash. You can install a basin with ash both indoors and on the walk. If the ash bath is inside the chicken coop, this will lead to an excess of dust. But for winter, this is the most suitable option.
Chicken Feeding
Food is given at least 4 times, but only in small quantities. It is forbidden to make too long intervals between feeding. A feature of this breed of birds is an accelerated metabolism.
60% of the total diet should be in the afternoon. It is at night that the active maturation of eggs begins.
The following components should be present in the diet of Decalb chickens:
- About 60% of the nutrient mixture consists of crushed grains. But it cannot be that it was only one culture. An ideal option would be to mix several species at once. The priority should be corn, including wheat, barley in combination with oats is suitable.
- Fresh herbs are a mandatory part of the diet of birds. Most beneficial is alfalfa and fresh nettle. For the winter season, it is worth harvesting grass flour, it is recommended to purchase ready-made grass granules in specialized stores.
- Products are introduced into the feed, which will be the sources of calcium necessary for the proper formation of the egg shell. If the chicken carries many eggs, this leads to depletion of this microelement in the body. You can avoid this trouble if you mix egg shells, finely chopped shells or simple chalk into the diet.
- Salt is added to the feed. Yeast, oilcake, fishmeal are also suitable.
A great alternative would be special mixes designed for laying hens. The composition of these types of feed contains all the substances necessary for birds during the beginning of active masonry.
Each bird needs 100 g of feed per day. It is not recommended to give too much food, as there is a risk of developing obesity and reducing productivity. If sudden changes to the menu occur, the number of eggs may decrease for a while.
Chick development
Since with age a decrease in the activity of laying hens occurs, it is recommended to breed young animals every 2 years. Hens of this breed are almost completely devoid of the instinct of incubation, so you will need to additionally purchase an incubator. You can also give eggs to hens of other breeds, of course, if there is such an opportunity.
Decalb is characterized by good fertilization rates - about 95% of the eggs can be used for hatching. If an incubator is used, this indicator drops to almost 80%. Approximately 90% of hatched chicks survive safely.
Eggs suitable for incubation are not more than 5 days old. It is important that they have no defects, are approximately the same size. Before laying an egg in an incubator, it is recommended to examine it on an ovoscope, which will help to accurately exclude the likelihood of a developmental disorder.
For the withdrawal of young animals, it is not recommended to take eggs from young chickens that are carried no longer than 3 months. The fact is that this type of egg is not fertilized, since Decalb has a delayed puberty period relative to the beginning of masonry.
Incubation
The maturation of eggs is 20 days. The temperature regime determines how successfully hatching will take place. Of great importance is the level of air humidity and the quality of the eggs used. An ovoscope test eliminates the likelihood of two yolks, a dark gray spotting under the shell, the death of the embryo or fungal symptoms.
After checking, all eggs are disinfected using simple potassium permanganate or "Ecocide". After that, the eggs are laid in the incubator. It is necessary to take care of the temperature and humidity level (about 60%).
Maturation of the embryos and subsequent hatching of the chicks should take place under conditions as close to natural as possible. If the chicks are overheated, they hatch quickly, but will be weak and painful. Chicks that have not been warmed up will have certain problems with the healing process of the umbilical cord.
The first days after incubation
In the first 10 days after hatching, chickens need special care. Before the young growth reaches 5 days, it is placed in a wooden and spacious box, the bottom of which is covered with a layer of paper, a grate is placed on top.
It is not recommended to use an extra litter, as chicks have sensitive paws and there is a risk of injury.
Chicks are fed corn grits or millet. At night, the box must be additionally heated using infrared lamps; on warm sunny days, it can be taken outside.
In the early days of chicks, a comfortable temperature is about 30 degrees. Gradually, it can be lowered to 26 degrees. After the birds turn 4 weeks old, it is allowed to lower the temperature to 18 degrees. Gradually, offspring are accustomed to walking.
Nestling food
The chicks are fed with the following recommendations:
- the first 10 days after hatching - hard-boiled eggs, cereals, chopped greens;
- from the 10th day of life, the eggs are gradually removed and replaced with compound feed, which should contain 23% of the protein component;
- during growth chickens feed on grain, which is better absorbed in combination with chopped greens;
- young growth is given fish oil - for 1 chicken no more than 1 g;
- boiled root crops are gradually introduced into the diet;
- when the chicks reach 8 days of age, you can give raw root crops;
- young animals should always have access to fresh and clean water, but it cannot be cold.
Regularly disinfect drinkers and feeders.
Conditions of detention
Set up a dry and reasonably warm paddock, but only outside the house. It is important that there is proper ventilation in it, even a slight draft should not be allowed.
For 1 square. m of premises should be no more than 20 chicks. After 6 weeks per 1 square. m should be no more than 17 chicks, after 12 weeks - 10 chickens.
Bird hygiene
Swimming in ash allows chickens to clean their feathers on their own, removing insects and germs. For this purpose, a box filled with plain wood ash is placed next to the chicken coop or inside.
What diseases is the breed prone to?
Like any other poultry, Decalb chickens can be exposed to various diseases and pathologies. A list of the most common diseases of chickens and methods for their prevention are described in our next article.
Poultry reviews of chickens Decalb
Ekaterina, 30 years old, economist, Sumy. I was persuaded for a long time to take this breed, but I still did not dare. After reviewing the characteristics, I decided to take it. I purchased everything at the poultry farm, officially, so there was no doubt that the chickens belonged to this breed.
At 5 months, hens started to rush, large eggs. But during the molting period there is a short break. So that in winter the egg production does not fall, I use additional lighting.
Dmitry, 40 years old, economist, Voronezh. I don’t really understand how exactly in terms of external characteristics Dekalb differs from other breeds. There are practically no differences in chickens, but when the laying hens are fully grown, and the egg laying period begins, it becomes noticeable and visible. The size of eggs became a feature of the Dekalb breed for me - they are almost all the same size and weight. Therefore, this view is a priority for me.
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Decalb chickens have valuable productive qualities, which differ from other industrial egg crosses. Today this breed is beginning to enjoy great popularity in Russia, not only among experienced, but also novice farmers.