The Minorca chicken breed comes from the island of Menorca, which is located in the Mediterranean Sea and belongs to Spain. The local breeds of chickens on the island of Menorca interbred with each other, resulting in a breed that had an egg direction. The eggs were very large and tasty.
During the British occupation at the beginning of the 1885th century, Minorca chickens were taken to Britain. English breeders tried to apply the directional selection method to the breed in order to increase the mass of chickens. But all efforts ended in failure. From England, chickens came to Germany, and from there to America. In Our Country, chickens appeared in 1911, it is known that they were presented by the Turkish Sultan. Only in XNUMX the breed was standardized in Our Country.
External Data
The head is small, elongated, connected to an elongated neck. The crest is leaf-shaped, bright red, with 5-6 clearly cut teeth, erect in roosters, bent to one side in hens. The shape and size of the crest was one of the conditions for shaping the appearance of the minors. Minorocs have oval, white earlobes. The eyes are black or brown.
The back is wide, elongated and passes into a full, well-developed tail. The chest is wide and rounded. The body is elongated, trapezoidal. Graphite high legs. The wings are well developed, tightly pressed to the body. The body has white skin. The claws and beak are dark in color. The color of the feathers is rich black with a greenish tint. The combination of a brilliant black plumage with a bright red crest and bright white earlobes makes the Minorca one of the most beautiful birds. Look at the photo how black minors look.
Occurs, although extremely rarely, the white color of the Minoroc. In white minors, the comb may have a pink shape. The beak, metatarsus and claws are light in color, the eyes are red. Only a silver shade in color is allowed, other shades are outside the standard. The photo below shows a rooster of the White Minorca breed.
Product features
Minorca chickens have an egg direction. But the meat obtained from them is of very high quality.
- Live weight of rooster up to 4 kg, chicken up to 3 kg;
- Laying hens produce up to 200 eggs per year;
- The weight of the eggs is up to 70 g, the eggs are white, with a dense smooth shell;
- They begin to rush from 5 months;
- High fertility of eggs and safety of young animals;
- The chickens are growing very fast.
Features of breeding
When breeding a breed, it is necessary to take into account some special properties of the bird.
- Minorca are natives of an island with a mild Mediterranean climate. Therefore, representatives of the breed can only endure the winter in warm, heated poultry houses. Do not allow high humidity and drafts in the room with birds. Minorca react very badly to them.
- In summer, it is obligatory to organize a place for walking. Next to the poultry house organize a spacious aviary for walking. Stretch the net or make a high fence up to 1,6 m;
- The disadvantages of the breed include the fact that Minorca chickens have completely lost their incubation instinct;
- Birds are very shy, they can not be approached, they do not contact a person. But with other breeds of chickens coexist quite peacefully. Experienced poultry farmers advise rubbing combs with fat to prevent frostbite.
- Chickens are selected for the tribe at an early age according to vital signs. A little later, according to external data to maintain standards for the exterior. Hens at 5 months of age with the onset of egg production, and males when their comb begins to grow;
- Eggs for further breeding are taken from chickens that have reached 2 years of age..
- Chickens are fed the same way as normal chickens. First, chopped boiled egg, bran, crushed grain, grated vegetables and chopped greens are gradually added.
- Adults are fed compound feed or a mixture of several types of whole grains, adding vitamins, calcium.
- For birds, the availability of feed of animal origin is important.: meat and bone or fish meal, cottage cheese.
Compliance with breeding features will lead to a good result: chickens will be healthy and able to give viable offspring. The productive characteristics of the breed will not suffer either: egg production and meat, which is valued by the Minor for its high palatability.
Conclusion
Minorca breeding is more suitable for private farms, where the beauty of the bird is an important element for poultry farmers. If you can provide the bird with a warm house, a spacious aviary for walking and proper nutrition, then feel free to start breeding minorok. About the Minorca breed, see the video:
