The New Hampshire chicken breed is one of the most popular. This species is aimed both at obtaining meat and eggs, and has high productivity indicators. Among the advantages are unpretentiousness and the possibility of detention in not the most favorable conditions. The birds have a fairly fleshy constitution, they lay eggs that are not too large, but not small, and have received strong immunity.
Historical information about the breed
The breed got its name from the place where it was bred. In the state of New Hampshire, scientists have been breeding a unique species of chickens. Birds had to have sufficient meatiness, give a large number of eggs with the possibility of complete maturation in a short time. The offspring should have survived well, and the adult birds had to gain weight quickly.
And all the tasks were completely achieved - at the beginning of the last century, the New Hampshire feathered breed was bred. The view quickly became popular and sought after.
Appearance
New Hampshire chickens simply cannot be confused with other species and they will never remain unnoticed in the poultry house. Of particular interest is the bright color characteristic of this breed. Chickens of New Hampshire have a plumage of a rich and bright red hue, males have a lush tail, feathers have an interesting dark green tint.
The crest is red, the head is not very large. Cocks have a slightly larger crest than chickens. Magnificent plumage covers the whole body, feathers of dense texture, beautifully shimmer in the light. The body is well developed, the limbs are strong, the chest is wide. Paws are yellow, long legs, tail not too big.
The chicks have no less interesting appearance. The characteristic color allows you to recognize the sex of the bird. Males have white down on their wings, the body of the female is completely covered with brown feathers, and there are splashes of white stripes all over the body. The chicks grow up quickly, the color gradually changes, and soon young individuals acquire feathers of a rich red-brown color.
Characteristics of New Hampshire chickens
Roosters do not have a tendency to fight, they take care of chickens, not only notice, but also warn of possible danger.
One of the characteristic features of the breed's birds is great curiosity. If the bird is really interested in something, it starts to actively run around the yard, but does not try to take off.
Chickens do not like to lay eggs in places that have been specially equipped for this. Most often they are looking for another, more secluded and quiet place. If a tendency to incubation appears, the chickens do it with great pleasure, while they can also lay eggs of other breeds of birds.
Character
Representatives of the New Hampshire breed have a calm disposition, thanks to which they can be kept both in a chicken coop and in cages. Quite often, this scheme is practiced in large poultry farms. If the birds will be raised on a private farm, it is better to create comfortable conditions.
There is no tendency to pugnaciousness, the birds are very friendly, non-conflicting, they can be tamed. Due to great curiosity, it is necessary to take care of the safety of the space where the birds will live. An increased curiosity of individuals can lead to injuries.
Puberty and masonry
The period of oviposition begins early, which was one of the main goals of breeders. Full puberty in New Hampshire chickens occurs at about 6 months of age. However, during this period, only the laying of eggs begins, but the development processes do not stop. Chickens continue to grow actively until the age of one year.
In 12 months, one layer can produce about 200 eggs. This rate is influenced by many factors, including the nutrition of the bird and how well it is cared for. The eggshell is brown in color, weighing about 60 g.
One of the advantages of New Hampshire chickens is that egg laying may not stop even in the cold season.
Incubation instinct
Breeders have made great efforts to ensure that the birds do not lose their maternal instinct. But they could not fully fulfill their plans. The result was the New Hampshire breed, the birds of which became the owners of a weakened maternal instinct.
However, there are some representatives of layers in which the maternal instinct is quite strong and they can hatch chicks on their own.
Productivity
New Hampshire chickens are grown not only for eggs, but also for meat products. The main emphasis is placed directly on the mass of chickens. To date, work continues to achieve the perfect balance between muscle mass and egg performance.
A feature of birds of this breed is active growth and weight gain, so they can be used as roasters or broilers. The mass of live poultry can fluctuate, but according to existing standards, the weight of the chicken is about 3-3.5 kg, the rooster - 3.5-4.5 kg.
Egg production dynamics
Over the course of two years, the productivity of birds is gradually increasing, but after this period, a decline occurs - per year one laying hen begins to produce about 130-145 eggs.
Keep this in mind when planning to plan a routine chicken replacement in advance. If this process is carried out gradually, it is possible to renew the herd in time and at the same time not to lose the volume of egg production.
Meat characteristics
Birds have a genetic predisposition to rapid growth and in a relatively short period of time can reach a mass of 3 kg. Often, New Hampshire chickens are bred for meat, because there are excellent survival rates - about 85% among chickens and 90% among adults.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of New Hampshire chickens:
- birds are not whimsical in care, therefore, it is not required to specially select a diet or create certain conditions;
- high performance;
- chickens can be grown for both meat and eggs.
The breed also has certain disadvantages:
- poorly manifested instinct of incubation;
- with the onset of cold weather, a tendency to colds appears.
Features of the content
Among the main advantages of New Hampshire chickens is their unpretentiousness in care. Therefore, no expensive equipment is required for arranging a chicken coop. It is enough to know some subtleties of the content.
If you need advice on how to make a chicken coop yourself, then the article here will be useful to you.
Chicken coop requirements
When equipping a chicken coop, the following tips should be considered:
- The chicken coop should have a wooden floor covering. It must be covered with a layer of dried hay or wood sawdust. In winter, the thickness of the litter should increase.
- Decontaminate the house with hydrated lime before placing the birds. It is necessary to regularly sanitize.
- For preventive hygiene, it is required to additionally install a basin filled with ash. While bathing in ash, birds get rid of parasites that can inhabit feathers.
- Perches are not recommended. A great option would be to install the nests directly on the floor.
- It is important that the drinkers are not too large. For information on how to make a drinker yourself, look for information here.
- Do not forget about high-quality ventilation in the room, but drafts should not be allowed.
Walking yard
Chickens in New Hampshire need a place to walk regularly. They like to move and look for additional food during a walk - for example, small insects or grass. It is not necessary to set a high fence, as the birds do not try to take off.
Feeders and drinkers
Drinking bowls with feeders must be installed in the chicken coop without fail. You can find out how to make a do-it-yourself feeder here.
Ensure that birds have clean water and food at all times. Do not allow debris to accumulate in the drinkers or the water begins to bloom, as this can lead to the development of various diseases.
To young individuals who have reached 2 months of age, give purified or boiled water. Also, disinfect feeders with drinking bowls at least once every 7-10 days.
How do they handle cold and heat?
The breed is considered hardy, so it easily tolerates adverse weather conditions. It has good resistance to sudden changes in temperature.
If the birds live in very low temperatures, there is a risk of severe frostbite. That is why it is required to take care in advance about providing additional heating of the chicken coop in winter.
How to care for the breed?
New Hampshire chickens are not demanding of their place of residence, have a quiet, balanced and friendly disposition. They can be kept not only in spacious rooms, but also in cells. However, it is important that the cage floor is covered with a layer of sand that needs to be changed periodically. This will help prevent excess humidity.
In the hen house, it is imperative to regularly clean it, prevent the formation of dampness and drafts. If you neglect this advice, the chicken can catch a cold. It is recommended to disinfect the premises as often as possible using laundry soap and boiling water.
Nutrition
Chickens in New Hampshire do not need any special diet or special food. It is enough to have a balanced diet, since not only well-being, but also the performance of the herd depends on this.
During feeding, it is worth giving preference to protein foods, and the diet should also include:
- During walks, chickens independently collect fresh grass. In winter, the grass can be introduced in a dried form by harvesting in the summer.
- Vegetables provide the bird with fiber and vitamins.
- Compound feed, but can be replaced with a mixture having a similar composition.
In the winter season, hens do not stop laying eggs, so it is recommended to increase the diet by 10%. You should not overfeed the birds, as this can lead to obesity, because in winter there are no full walks.
Shedding and egg laying break
Despite the high productivity of the breed, a short break in the laying of eggs may occur during molting. This shouldn't be a cause for panic, as the bird is now in need of additional support.
Molting is an important and natural process in which birds try to get rid of old feathers by starting to grow new ones. This period occurs in late autumn, as well as in winter, which is provoked by a short daylight hours.
To make it easier for New Hampshire chickens to tolerate molting, it is recommended to ensure proper and adequate nutrition, cleanliness and warmth in the chicken coop. After the molting is completed, the previous level of productivity is restored.
Herd replacement planned
In order to maintain a high level of egg production, it is necessary to periodically replace the livestock. Regarding the New Hampshire species, this period is two years from the beginning of the first masonry. Starting from the third year, there is a gradual decrease in productivity to 130-150 eggs. Over time, egg laying completely stops.
A change of rooster every 4 years will help to maintain all breed standards. It is recommended to purchase it from other breeders.
Breeding
Incubation done correctly will produce healthy offspring. It is very important not only to know how to properly care for New Hampshire chickens, but also the peculiarities of compiling the diet of young animals.
Incubation
Even in cases where there is no hen, incubators can be used to breed offspring. You can only use eggs that are of high quality from well-developed layers. The eggs are placed in the incubator, after which it is required to maintain the optimal temperature and humidity level, periodically turn the eggs over.
It is recommended to opt for the automatic view of the incubator, which perfectly copes with the task. If the rules of the incubation process are followed, then 100% hatching of chicks can be achieved. But the eggs must be from healthy breeding birds.
Chick care
Place the chicks in a clean and pre-washed room or drawer with a layer of paper. It is important to maintain cleanliness and dryness, to prevent drafts, to monitor the cleanliness of the drinker and feeder. It is forbidden to allow too much crowding of chicks, otherwise the young will begin to suffer from a lack of space or malnutrition.
In too close conditions, an increase in dampness occurs, which provokes the development of various chicken diseases and the death of chicks. At first, you need to maintain the temperature within +30 degrees. When the chicks have reached 14 days of age, they can be reduced to 22 degrees. The humidity level should be within 67-72%.
If the chicks are in comfortable conditions, they behave actively, eat well.
The diet
You need to feed the young growth of New Hampshire with fresh herbs, boiled eggs, low-fat cottage cheese, cereals and yeast. After the young are 2 months old, corn can be added to the diet. Protein is also required, which the chicks receive during the walk, eating worms and beetles.
At a young age, birds need bone and meat and bone meal and egg shells, since it is these products that provide the body with the necessary amount of calcium. It is also required to change the water to fresh water every day.
Proteins of both animal and vegetable origin must be present in food.
Growing chickens for sale
Due to the high survival rate, it is possible to raise New Hampshire chicks for sale. The main thing is to take care of optimal conditions for hatching chicks. An incubator becomes an ideal choice, but only large eggs obtained from well-fed layers can be used.
You need to feed the chicks with a boiled egg, which is kneading until a mushy mass is obtained. When the chickens reach 30 days of age, they need to be transferred to compound feed. Provided proper care and maintenance, the weight of 1.5 month old chicks should be about 1 kg.
Transportation can be carried out in cardboard boxes, observing the correct temperature conditions.
Diseases
The most serious problem for chickens of the New Hampshire breed is the tendency to colds. That is why drafts should not be allowed in the hen house. With the onset of cold weather, the room where birds live needs to be additionally heated.
Chickens can also be exposed to infectious diseases. If a suspicion of a disease is noticed, the bird must be isolated immediately. Failure to follow this advice can lead to an epidemic in the herd.
Breeding profitability
Breeding birds with the aim of starting a business is an interesting and profitable direction today. Both chicken meat and high quality eggs are always in high demand. Before starting the organization of your own business, you must first determine the goal, after which a specific breed of birds is selected.
Chickens of the New Hampshire breed are the best option, as they show high egg production and become sources of quality meat. This breed was specially bred for this purpose.
Product implementation
There will always be a demand for quality meat, but the number of proposals is constantly increasing. In advance, you need to take care of where the finished products will be sold. At first, you can sell meat and eggs at local markets.
If you plan to cooperate with large stores, you will need to take quality certificates and relevant documents. Thanks to the confirmation of the high quality and naturalness of the goods, the credit of trust among potential buyers increases.
Similar breeds
The parent of the New Hampshire breed is Rhode Island, thanks to which the birds became the owners of interesting red plumage. There are practically no differences between the two.
In the 1920s, a new breed was obtained, based on New Hampshire, and named "Christie". Birds have plumage of a lighter shade and large sizes. Also, the birds turned out to be much more elegant and active.
In the 40s, breeder Klorence Newkamer bred a breed that has a higher egg production and rich plumage color. The name was given in honor of the breeder. But today it is problematic to meet this breed, since not too many individuals were obtained.
Reviews of poultry farmers about the New Hampshire breed
Zhanna, 27 years old, teacher, Donetsk. The main feature of this breed for me was the high egg production. I have only five chickens, but they consistently produce five eggs every day. During molting, they stopped rushing and this process recovered after almost 3 months. The eggs are not too small, but they cannot be called large. The bird itself is sometimes too nervous.
Evgeny, 40 years old, entrepreneur, Moscow. A very beautiful bird, not demanding on the conditions of keeping, easily eats everything. Calmly tolerates various disadvantages of content, it rushes well even in the cold season. Breeding does not cause much difficulty, since almost 100% of all eggs are fertilized.
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New Hampshire has become a popular poultry species that is sought after by both professional and novice farmers. The breed has a high level of egg production and excellent tasting meat. A distinctive feature of birds is their attractive appearance and beautiful plumage. Representatives of the breed are often bred specifically for exhibitions.