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One of the most common breed of redbro in western poultry farms today is a large chicken, which some classify as pure broilers, others as a meat and egg direction. It is unclear even cross this or breed. owners of chickens of this breed have been arguing about this for a long time. But since this chicken is very similar to other similar breeds, it is difficult to say who exactly was bred by the person who claims that the redbro is a cross / breed.
It is believed that Redbro chickens are of English origin and are the result of crossing Cornish chickens with Malay fighting cocks brought to England. It was from the Malay roosters that the Redbro chickens got large sizes.
At the same time, the Hubbard laboratory, which breeds industrial crosses for large poultry farms, offers for sale three types of redbro: JA57 KI, M and S, which are somewhat different in their productive characteristics. This is not typical for breeds, but for industrial crosses. The redbro presented on the website of the laboratory is a breed of chickens, the description of which clearly indicates the presence of a recessive gene in females. The presence of this gene determines the phenotype of a chicken that looks like a rooster. In the breed, too, this is usually not observed.
Redbro chickens, detailed description with photo
It is quite difficult to describe the breed of redbro chickens without a photo clearly indicating the difference in types, since Hubbard does not provide a detailed layout by type. In Our Country, this breed belongs to the meat and egg direction, in the West they are more and more inclined to believe that this is a slowly growing broiler, that is, a meat breed.
The general features of chickens of this breed are almost the same:
- large head with a leaf-shaped crest and a strong beak of medium size;
- comb, face, lobes and earrings are red;
- the neck is medium in size, set high, with a bend in the upper part;
- the position of the body depends on the type of cross. For JA57 KI and M, the body is located horizontally, for S, the body is located at an angle to the horizon;
- back and loin smooth;
- wings are small, tightly pressed to the body;
- tail of roosters with black tail feathers. The pigtails are relatively short, black;
- metatarsus unfeathered, yellow;
- weight of laying hens up to 3 kg, roosters up to 4.
Interestingly, a similar description is typical for broken brown, red highsex, foxy chick and many others. It is impossible to say, based on the description of redbro chickens, what breed of roosters are in the photo below.
Meat productivity
Redbro is often called a colored broiler for its rapid weight gain. By 2 months, chickens are already gaining 2,5 kg. Chickens of this breed really grow faster than the usual meat and egg breeds, but are they really not inferior to industrial broiler crosses?
A comparison of the productive characteristics of Cobb 500 and redbro chickens with a photo shows that redbro chickens are significantly inferior to industrial meat crosses in terms of growth rate.
On a research farm in Maryland, they are raising two types of broiler chickens: the already familiar Cobb 500 and redbro “colored broilers”. According to experts, redbro chickens grow 25% slower than Cobb 500. Redbro chickens have less developed pectoral muscles, but more powerful hips. And most importantly, the taste of redbro broiler meat is more intense than that of Cobb 500.
Comparative characteristics of redbro and Cobb 500
| Breed | Cobb 500 | Red bro |
| Chassis | Short legs, heavy body | Longer legs, lighter body, upright posture |
| Plumage | Unfeathered bellies often seen | Fully feathered entire body |
| meat yield | Big chest and wings | big hips |
| Slaughter dates | 48 days | 60 days |
At the same time, slow-growing chicken meat is gaining popularity, and many chicken meat producers are switching to products from slow-growing chickens. Main reason: tastier meat. Companies such as Bon Appétit and Nestlé have already announced a gradual transition to slow-growing chicken meat. Bon Appétit claims that by 2024, its products will be made only from the meat of such chickens.
Comparing feed intake to produce a kilogram of meat shows that regular broilers eat more feed per day than redbros. Broilers need time to gain weight, which means they have a very good appetite. Redbros are more economical in terms of daily ration, but in the long run they consume more feed to produce a kilogram of meat. This is because redbros grow much less and are more mobile than regular broilers, which means that “colored broilers” require more energy, which they spend on movement.
Egg production
The egg characteristics of redbro chickens are low, regardless of type. For the egg breed, the redbro begin to rush very late: at 5 – 6 months. There are also differences in egg production depending on the type of cross.
Type M lays 64 eggs weighing 193 g in 52 weeks. Of these, 181 are hatching. Peak productivity is 28 weeks.
Type S during the same time produces 182 eggs weighing 55 g. Incubation 172. Peak productivity 29 – 30 weeks. Type S has higher body mass.
For home keeping, the most convenient type is JA57 KI, which has a fairly high egg production: 222 eggs in 64 weeks with an egg weight of 54 g. There are 211 hatching eggs from this amount. Peak productivity is 28 weeks. But in terms of meat indicators, this type approaches egg breeds.
Conditions of detention
Due to the similarity of redbro with other “red” breeds of chickens, it is difficult to find not only a video on growing redbro chickens at home, but also any visual information in general, about which we can confidently say that the video is about redbro.
According to the manufacturer, that is, the same company Hubbard, redbros are good primarily for private farms, since their maintenance and diet practically do not differ from the conditions for traditional breeds of chickens bred by folk selection.
As with any heavy chicken, a redbro is best kept on the floor or low perches.
Therefore, the arrangement of perches with a ladder by which chickens can climb a high pole is undesirable. They will be able to climb, but they are unlikely to guess down the stairs. Jumping from a height can damage the paws of a chicken.
Due to the calm nature indicated in the description of the redbro breed, reviews of chickens on foreign sites sound something like this: “I was very impressed with these chickens in terms of endurance and ability to eat any feed. It was fun to watch them free range. They have no problems with their legs, they grow well. Very active. They promise to acquire a meaty breast and powerful muscular legs in the future.
Information from the video of a foreign user only confirms this review.
Five-week-old chicks in the video really look very large and powerful. But the author of the video bought these chickens from a farm controlled by the relevant authorities and guaranteeing the sale of purebred poultry.
The comparative photo shows that on the same area there are significantly fewer colored chickens than conventional broilers.
Reviews about redbro chickens from users can even be negative. And it is most likely that the matter is not in violation of the content of these chicken crosses, but in the fact that they were bought not at all redbro.
Pros of redbro
Due to the lighter body and better feathering, they do not have bedsores and ulcers, as in broiler crosses. The poor feathering of conventional broilers is clearly visible in the photo.
The absence of a feather interferes with the maintenance of a conventional broiler in a private backyard. Such a bird needs special conditions. Unlike conventional broilers, the S cross does well running around the yard with other birds. The plumage of the redbro is of good quality.
The pluses include the resistance of crosses to diseases, which does not cancel the routine vaccination. In addition, these crosses tolerate cold well, which makes them almost ideal for keeping in the climate. But due to the small number of livestock of these chickens in Our Country, it is not yet clear whether they can be bred as a breed or is it really a cross that will give splitting in the second generation.
Of the minuses, only slow growth, late maturation of laying hens and greater feed consumption than broilers can be called.
Diet
With today’s requirements for chicken meat to come from a “free-roaming, happy chicken,” Hubbard began producing crosses that could live like a country bird. Therefore, redbro crosses really do not need a special diet.
Chickens are fed in the same way as chicks from a normal laying hen would be fed. In the early days they give food rich in protein. Later, the chickens are transferred to the diet of adult chickens. The owner himself decides what exactly to feed his bird, depending on his own views and preferences. “Colored broilers” successfully absorb both industrial compound feeds and self-made grain mixtures and wet mixers.
On a free range in the summer, redbro will find their own greens. In winter, they will need to be fed with finely chopped vegetables and root crops.
Reviews of owners of the breed of redbro chickens
Conclusion
The description of the redbro breed, photos of chickens and reviews about them are very controversial, as these chickens are often confused with other birds of a similar color. In particular, one can even come across statements that the redbro was bred in Hungary and is one of the breeds that are called the Hungarian giant. Therefore, you can only buy guaranteed purebred redbros only from breeding farms with a good reputation or directly from the Hubbard laboratory. But redbro is now gaining popularity among industrial producers, so soon chickens of this breed will be as easy as the now bred egg and meat crosses.