Chickens Plymouth familiar and loved in our country.Unpretentiousness and endurance this breed, excellent taste of meat contributed to the popularity and spread of Plymouth in private household farms, as well as their use in the poultry industry.
History of breed
The name Plymouth Rock chickens received by the American city of Plymouth and attached the word rock - «rock».That is, there was a rock in the United States, near the town of Plymouth, but the word "rock" describes a compact and sturdy build of a bird."The author of" Plymouth was a farmer Worcester, crossed in the middle of the XIX century mongrel rooster painted barred chickens langshanskoy, Javanese and the Dominican species.
American Association of poultry at the beginning of the XX century cemented the breed standard Plymouth.In 1911 in Russia there were birds of this breed, and they had developed a national standard.
Appearance
Among obschepolzovatelnyh Plymouth rock chickens are considered the largest.Today decided to allocate two main subspecies of this breed - the American and English, with a larger body.Color feathers at Plymouth can vary from white to black, and distinguish all eight main color options:
- white;
- gray;
- fawn;
- yellow;
- striped;
- tied with silver (black);
- tied with a hawk;
- kuropatchaty.
Kuropatchaty color of feathers, which can "flaunt" Plymouth Rock chickens, photo, located below, illustrates.It should be noted that in our country the most common are white (industrial breeding) and striped colors.
In white chickens chicks hatch light color, while colorful - dark.Youngsters at day old is easily identified by the floor.This contributes to a bright spot on his head: bright and clearly delineated from chickens and pale and blurry at cockerels.OPERA chickens also easy to recognize: the roosters are lighter in color than the chicken.
General characteristics
As mentioned above, chickens Plymouth are close.In birds, a rather large and weighty body, a powerful chest and broad back, proportional to the head with a flat leaf-shaped crest and beak and oval earlobes "earrings" bright red.The tail is rather small and somewhat elevated, but their thick plumage, which is especially noticeable in the neck.Many owners say Plymouth little activity of birds and calm nature.For this breed, unlike some others, does not require a high fence will be sufficient and the average height of the fence.Chickens Plymouth (striped kuropatchaty and others) when walking gently lift the breast, which is why it seems quite proud posture of these birds.
Features breed
Plymouth obschepolzovatelskim attributed to chicken meat and egg breeds direction, but most owners breed them for meat tender and useful.Gourmets will not recognize the meat of this bird elite because his color is yellowish.As already mentioned, Plymouth - a rather sedentary bird.The advantage of the breed is the ease of adaptation to almost all climatic conditions, as well as resistance to most diseases.A distinctive feature is the rapid maturation of Plymouth.So, this breed chickens at the age of six months are already beginning to be carried.In the year, with good feeding and care, one adult bird can bring up to 170 eggs.Breed signs are stable, and Plymouth is well preserved in the offspring of his breeding quality.Chickens tend to incubating and tranquil behavior.Chicks grow quickly enough, but the feather slowly - only at the age of 43-50 days.Weight of the adult cock of this breed is an average of 4 kg, and chickens - from 2.7 to 3.5 kg.
