Barbezieux chicken breed from France
The Barbieuzeux breed of chickens was bred in France many centuries ago. In the 18th century it was almost lost, but at the beginning of the 20th century it was restored. Chickens belong to the meat-and-meat direction. They are bred in elite farms, since Rooster meat is considered a delicacy, it is supplied to the most expensive restaurants. The breed is very famous both in France and abroad. She came to Russia in the early 2000s.
Barbezieux chicken breed
Description of the breed
The main feature of Barbesier chickens is their large growth and large size. This is one of the tallest modern breeds... In every movement of these birds, strength and power are felt. In addition, their black plumage looks very impressive against the background of a huge crimson comb and white earlobes.
Here is a brief description of the breed and characteristics of the appearance of French chickens:
- The head is large, rather wide.
- The scallop is tall, leaf-shaped, with pronounced denticles, stands upright or falls to one side.
- The earrings are elongated and large.
- Scallop, earrings and faces of a bright crimson hue.
- The earlobes are large, oval, white in color, contrasting with the black feathers and crimson faces of chickens and roosters.
- The eyes are large, expressive, brown with a red tint.
- The neck is elongated, well developed.
- The body is powerful and muscular.
- The back is widened, tilts slightly back.
- The shoulders are moderately prominent.
- The wings are parallel to the back, tightly pressed against the sides.
- The tummy is convex
- The thighs are strong, very well developed.
- Paws are thick, high, blue-lilac in color.
- The plumage is black, brown or dark brown blotches are allowed, in roosters - a green tint.
Disadvantages of thoroughbred chickens are considered violations of body proportions, small height and weight, feathers of a different color, except for the standard, gray paws. The character of Barbesieu is relatively calm. They are not aggressive, but very active and curious. All the time they walk around the yard, looking for small animals and grains, studying all the cracks. Chickens and roosters do not fly, for this their mass is too large.
Breed productivity
Chickens of the Barbesier breed are universal, for this trait they have been appreciated by farmers for more than a decade. They say that the breeding of these birds helped one French poultry breeder to make such a fortune that he was able to buy himself an old castle. It is recommended to have such birds in private households and on small farms, where it is possible to provide free range.
The characteristics of productivity and the main indicators in chickens are as follows:
- The growth of roosters is 70 cm, of females - 60 cm.
- The mass of males is 4.5 kg and more, females - 3.5 kg and more.
- The number of eggs per year is 160-200 eggs.
- The mass of one egg is 75-90 g.
- Chickens begin to lay at 5.5-6 months.
The meat of Barbesier chickens has a specific red hue and is very tasty. It is appreciated by gourmets from all over the world. Roosters can increase weight up to 14 months, and hens - up to 12 months. The eggs are very large, even with an average egg production, their total weight is equal to the annual weight of eggs from the best breeds of layers. Productivity changes little throughout the year. Chickens rush even in molting period and during the winter cold. To do this, you need to provide pets with lighting for at least 12-14 hours a day.
Chickens are resistant to many diseases, the survival rate of young and adult birds is very high. They perfectly tolerate dampness, as they were bred in a region with high humidity. Colds are also not terrible for chickens and do not affect their productivity.
Advantages and disadvantages of the breed
Like any other breed, Barbesier chickens have a number of their advantages and disadvantages, although the advantages outweigh, otherwise the breed would not have survived a second birth. The advantages of this variety include:
- The highest quality of products, especially meat.
- Good performance in the egg and meat business.
- Disease resistance.
- Tolerance to any climate, especially humid ones.
- A large percentage of chick survival.
- Nice appearance.
The French breed also has its drawbacks. Chickens are bad brood hens, therefore, they often need incubator... Chickens fledge for a long time, require long-term heating. Tall stature can cause diseases of the joints of the legs... With age, the quality of chicken meat decreases, therefore it is recommended to send chickens for slaughter no later than 2-2.5 years.
Features of maintenance and feeding
The Barbesier breed of chickens is quite unpretentious. The content should only be with walking. Closed houses and breed cages are not suitable. No more than 3 individuals can be settled on 1 m². Nests arrange at a height of 40-50 cm with an area of 40-45 cm². There should be 1 nest for 10-15 hens. The litter is made standard, from straw or shavings, with an admixture of wood ash or hydrated lime. Partially change it, remove only the top layer.
The coop should be well ventilated and well lit, heating is optional. It is important to ensure that there are no drafts in the room, and litter was always dry: this will help to avoid problems with paws in chickens and roosters. The walking area is made spacious. The fence should not be high, as chickens hardly fly. You can sow grass on the site, this will allow you to save on feed in the future.
You need to feed Barbesier chickens 4 times a day, strictly by the hour. In summer, half of the diet consists of fresh grass, tops and vegetables. More grain should be given in winter. At night, they are always fed high-calorie food: oats or corn. Wet mash is given for the second or third feeding. It is advisable to include foods rich in proteins in the diet: reverse, meat broth, fish or meat waste, bloodworms, earthworms. In the summer months, chickens find many of these products themselves.
The Barbesier breed is very tall. To prevent bones and paws from suffering from such a load, there must be an increased amount of minerals in the feed. It is best to give ready-made complexes from a veterinary pharmacy. You can replace them with enough chalk, shells, gravel, table salt, meat and bone or fishmeal rich in calcium and phosphorus. In winter and spring, hens are fed with premix vitamins, which increase egg production.
Breeding chickens
Barbezier hens are bad mothers and hens, so it is better to trust the eggs of females of other breeds or hatch the chickens in an incubator. With any method, you can get good healthy offspring. The hatchability and survival rate of chickens reaches 98-100%. When feeding and raising young animals, you should adhere to the following rules:
- Chickens fledge late, therefore they cannot be released outside until they reach 3-4 weeks of age, they should be kept warm at a temperature of 28-32 ° C.
- Chicks grow very quickly, which puts a lot of stress on bones and joints. Mineral supplements are included in the diet from the first days, it is best to buy ready-made ones.
- To ensure stable growth, feeding must be adequate. The first days chickens are given a boiled egg, cottage cheese with lots of chopped greens, corn, oatmeal and barley. At the end of the first week, boiled vegetables are connected.
- To prevent disease, all chicks should be vaccinated at 8 weeks of age.The schedule and list of vaccinations will not differ from those used in other breeds.
How much does a hatching egg, chicks and adult Barbesier hens cost? This breed is quite expensive. The price of an egg is 100-200 rubles. Daily chickens can cost 250-350 rubles and more. The price of monthly chickens is 600-800 rubles, and adult chickens and roosters are 1500-2000 rubles. If you professionally engage in breeding Barbezieu, find places to sell meat and eggs (mostly prestigious restaurants or shops with exclusive products), you can make good money on the French breed.