Characteristics and productive of Minorca chickens

Every owner is pleased to have not only productive but also beautiful birds in the yard. The Minorca chicken breed is one such bird. In our country, it has been living in private farmsteads for more than a century.

Not far from Spain there is a small island of Minorca, where this elegant bird gets its name from. Then the Minorca moved to England, crossed Europe, and swam across the ocean to America. They tried to increase the size of the breed, but they were afraid to worsen the excellent quality of the chicken’s meat and eggs by interfering with the genetics. Spanish Minorcas are now on the verge of extinction. The country has adopted a special program to preserve this species of chicken.

The bird was brought to Russia by a khan from Turkey in 1885. Today, the Minorca is preserved as a high-quality gene pool.

Description of the breed

The breed has three main lines, which differ slightly in time and objectives of their selection:

1. The Spanish Minorca is black. The plumage is slate-black with a dark green sheen. A small, graceful head. The comb is in the shape of a leaf with large teeth (4-6 pieces) standing vertically upwards (in roosters), in hens it hangs to the side, not covering the eye. The earrings are long and red. The earlobes are rounded, and bright white. The face of the rooster is red, not feathered. The beak is black, a lighter tip is acceptable in the rooster.The neck is quite long. The eyes are brown or black. The chest is full and rounded. The body is elongated, and when viewed from the side, it has the shape of a trapezoid. The wings are developed. The abdomen is well developed. Strong, high limbs. The metatarsus and claws are dark. The average weight of a female is 2.5 kg, and that of a rooster is 3 kg.
2. Minorca chickens of white color of the British standard. The plumage is white with silver, without other shades. The comb is leaf-shaped with roundings, well well-developed, a rose-shaped form is possible. In this case, the comb has a low “sit”, and narrows from front to back, below the shape. The white Minorca has reddish eyes. The beak, metatarsus, and claws are light with a pinkish tint. The weight of the hen is 2.7-3.6 kg, roosters – from 3.2 kg to 4 and a little heavier.
3. Dwarf Minorcas. The result of experiments by German poultry breeders. The hen weighs an average of 800 g, the rooster can reach 1 kg.

Advantages

• good survival rate (97%) and rapid maturation of chicks;
• egg production begins at 5 months, all year round;
• large quantity and nutritious taste of eggs;
• attractive appearance – shiny and smooth;
• white meat with excellent taste;
• peaceful nature towards other residents of the courtyard.

Flaws

• sensitivity to cold and damp weather;
• timidity;
• reluctance to hatch eggs;

Productivity characteristics

The Minorca chicken breed has excellent productivity characteristics:

• the average meat yield from each large specimen is 3 kg;
• egg production of first-year hens is 160-170 pieces, in the second year – 140 eggs. Dwarf breeds – 120 eggs;
• The weight of eggs of young hens is about 60 g, adult individuals – 70-80 g. For dwarf layers – from 35 g.

Signs of deviation from the norm

The egg production of laying hens directly depends on the purity of the individuals, so it is important to know the signs of deviation from the norm and reject such birds at the purchase stage.

• narrow body with a horizontal or convex back;
• tail of almost vertical (squirrel) type;
• an erect comb in hens and a drooping comb in roosters;
• a comb of an irregular shape, with teeth of different heights, not rounded at the back of the head;
• reddish or pinkish small lobes;
• face with a greyish tint;
• Light beaks and red eyes in dark individuals. Yellow beak in white chickens;
• inclusions of light, chocolate, and other non-standard shades of plumage. In white birds – inclusions of yellow and bluish spots;
• very short or dull plumage in adult birds;
• the color of the metatarsus does not correspond to the color of the plumage.

In Russia, the breed is not yet distinguished by its quality characteristics, so it is necessary to inspect the birds especially carefully before purchasing.

Content

Keeping purebred Minorca chickens does not present any major problems. You need to follow a few rules to raise them healthy:

• keep individuals in warm (but not hot), dry poultry houses without drafts;
• place perches no higher than 75 cm from the floor;
• the holding areas should be spacious and protected from adverse weather conditions;
• When frost sets in, rub the combs with fat to prevent frostbite.

Feeding

Chickens of the described breed are fed like ordinary ones – first chopped chicken eggs, and cottage cheese, gradually transferring to bran, greens, boiled potatoes, carrots, beets, and other vegetables. It is important to add yeast or meat and bone meal, vitamins.

Adults are well suited for feeding compound feed. At night, you can give Minorca chickens whole grain, and add sand to the daytime diet so that its small particles help improve the birds’ digestion.

Breeding

Eggs for the incubator should be selected from hens that are laying for the second year. When chicks appear, the selection is made in 3 stages:

1. at a younger age – according to the general condition;
2. females – upon reaching 150 days for egg production;
3. males – after the comb has grown, according to the exterior.

Minorca does not tolerate cold and dampness well until about 5 months, so it is better to keep it in a warm poultry house than to let it go outside. It is good to exchange breeding material with other poultry farmers.

With a warm poultry house and walking areas, any owner can raise a Minorca. And the beautiful bird will please him with excellent productivity.

Minorcas are early maturing – they mature by 5 months. They are good layers, producing 180 eggs per year and weighing 70-75 grams. The breed has become popular with many domestic farmers and poultry farmers due to its high egg production and low maintenance costs. The fact that breeding poultry is economically profitable has long been recognized – even in winter it lays well, in addition, the eggs are large and of excellent quality.

Minorca chickens have a small mass – hens weigh 2.0 – 2.5 kg, roosters – 3.0 – 3.5 kg. Another advantage of the breed is that their carcass is attractive, and light in color, and the meat does not disappoint in its quality.

By nature, they are active and timid, and do not let themselves be handled. When keeping them, it is necessary to take into account that they like to walk, so they feel better in spacious enclosures or rooms. The main thing is that there is no dampness or drafts. In winter, their combs are greased with fat so that they do not get frostbite.

Minorca chickens are not as good as brood hens. For incubation, eggs from hens that have been laying for the second year are used. The chickens grow well, quickly feather and are undemanding to feed. They are fed crushed eggs, grain, root vegetables, bone meal and yeast are added to the feed.

Protein supplements in the diet and vitamins are important for laying hens. The combined feed has a good effect on egg production. In terms of egg production, Minorca hens can be compared to Leghorns.