Chickens were among the first birds to be domesticated by humans. Thousands of years have passed since then, but even today they are the main poultry, which are bred not only on an industrial scale, but also in private farmsteads. The following varieties are divided: breeds, hybrids and crosses. And in terms of productivity, all varieties are divided into meat, meat and egg and egg varieties.

This article will talk about the egg breed of Rhodonite chickens, which are actively bred in many countries of the world. Chickens Rhodonite, in fact, are not a breed, but a cross, the history of the appearance of which will be described below.

General information about the breed

Breeders from Germany have bred many varieties of chickens with improved performance indicators, greater ease of care. They also created crosses, one of the best representatives of which are chickens of the Rhodonite breed (the erroneous version of the name is Radonite chickens). Such an industrial cross was created on the basis of Loman Brown and Rhode Island - highly productive crosses of egg production. Experts from Germany have developed two new strains. At the beginning of this century, Rhodonite chicken came to our country. At the Sverdlovsk Pedigree Poultry Plant, located near Yekaterinburg, they began to improve this cross. The task of the breeders was to adapt these poultry to the weather conditions of different regions of Russia.

A new strain of Rhodonite 3, which was bred at this breeding plant, and began to be bred in Russia both on an industrial scale and in personal subsidiary plots. The date of official recognition of this cross is considered to be 2008, when it was entered into the State Register.

Characteristics and description of the breed of chickens Rhodonite

Representatives of this cross took many positive qualities from their "parents", including the color of the plumage. The presence of certain features in specific individuals is determined by the genes that they received in large quantities.

Chickens breed Rhodonite

Females have a medium-sized head with a yellow stripe running down the center. The beak is yellow. The head is crowned with a leaf-shaped scallop larger than average in rich scarlet color. The earrings are well developed and have a characteristic yellow color. The plumage is dense, well fitting to the body. Its color is brown, light, and the feathers on the tips of the wings and tail are light gray. The skeletal skeleton is compact and does not differ in large size, its weight is also small.

Important! This cross is autosexual - in such individuals, the sex of the chicks can be distinguished already at one day of age.

The fluff of newborn cockerels is light yellow, a dark spot is visible on the head, and a characteristic light rim around the eyes. Distinctive features of one-day chickens: a light-colored fluff on the back and head, and the rims around the eyes are darker.

Like all other breeds of egg production, Rhodonite, white and colored chickens, are relatively lightweight, while differing in high egg production, which they inherited from their “parents”. The weight of an adult male can reach 2.8-3.1 kg, and the weight of an adult female is no more than 2.1 kg.

Characteristics of egg production: Rhodonite laying hens can lay up to 290-310 eggs per year. The eggs are large enough - the mass of one can reach 55-62 g. The shell is strong, its color is dark brown.

Eggs are dark brown

Many novice laying hens are interested in Rhodonite when they start to lay.This cross also received early maturity from its "parents" - the bird makes its first clutch at the age of 120 days, and the peak of productivity falls on the first year and a half of its life. At 2 years of age, laying hens rapidly reduce egg production. But this problem can be dealt with - there is now a "rejuvenating vaccine". If it is injected into chickens, they continue to actively rush for at least 2.5 months. Then the herd has to be changed.

Important! Do not be afraid to inject such a vaccine into chickens - it has been tested and has no side effect. Occasionally, a slight swelling may remain at the site of its introduction, which disappears after a couple of weeks.

According to the description of the Rhodonite breed of chickens, they practically lack the gene responsible for the hatching instinct - it disappears in the process of breeding such a cross. But usually crosses at home and do not breed - chicks will not be able to get all breed qualities, and breeding of cross-chickens is possible only on an industrial scale, when this process is observed by specialists.

In the description of Rhodonite chickens, it is worth mentioning their character. These crosses are unusually mobile and active, but not at all aggressive. They adapt well to new living conditions, get along well with other inhabitants of the poultry house, even young bettas do not fight with males of other breeds.

Although these chickens survive well even in winter and there is no need to additionally heat the house in winter, it is worth remembering: in order for the hens to continue laying eggs in winter, the room temperature must be maintained at least + 3 ° C.

Heating chickens is not required

Breeding nuances

Since these birds are distinguished by their unpretentiousness, even novice poultry farmers can afford their maintenance - it is enough to have a shed on the site without cracks, and also fence them off a walking area where these chickens can actively move. Along the way, they look for food on the site - grass, worms or bugs.

For this chicken cross, you should equip perches and nests in the barn. Usually the number of nests is calculated based on the number of laying hens - one nest for 2-3 females.

In winter, these individuals feel good at low temperatures, but the layers practically stop laying. Therefore, in the hen house, you should maintain a positive temperature in winter, and also regularly ventilate the room.

For floor maintenance, you should take care of the litter - the floor can be covered with sawdust, straw, river sand. To keep the room constantly dry, the damp litter is changed at least once every 6-8 days.

Chicken coop litter

Feeding this egg breed needs to be special. After all, if the hens do not have enough of certain macro or microelements, they will lay worse, and the quality of the eggs and shells laid will deteriorate sharply. In addition to special compound feed for laying hens, the diet of the Rhodonite cross should include:

  • grain mixtures;
  • boiled and fresh vegetables;
  • potatoes;
  • chopped herbs (parsley, dill).

In winter, these hens should also include dry nettles in the diet, which are harvested in advance.

Before you start breeding these crosses, you need to have a good idea of ​​how to raise Rhodonite chickens. Chicks have high vitality, up to 100% of the young survive in appropriate conditions. After hatching, the brood is placed in a box, near which infrared heating lamps are arranged. A soft cotton cloth is placed on the bottom of the box.

When the newborn chicks are dry, they can be given a hard-boiled egg, finely chopped together with a broken shell. The chicks are satiated quickly; after ½ hour, all food should be removed so that it does not sour.

Steep cooked

But chicks should always have clean water in the drinking bowl. They also leave the chickens and crushed grain so that they can refresh themselves at any time of the day. In the future, fermented milk products (including cottage cheese) and greens are introduced into the diet of young animals. From 14 days, they can enter meat, fish, fresh worms.Subsequently, the chickens are gradually transferred to adult food.

Breed advantages and disadvantages

This type of cross has the following advantages:

  • excellent egg production;
  • chickens of the Rhodonite breed rush even in winter;
  • unpretentious and not aggressive;
  • high vitality;
  • the cost of chickens is much lower than that of young animals of other egg breeds.

But this variety also has a number of disadvantages:

  • at slaughter, the meat yield is low;
  • representatives of the breed are too active;
  • be sure to equip a place for walking.

Despite the disadvantages, this breed is already quite popular with farmers who breed chickens for their egg production. Rhodonite crosses are also contained on an industrial scale, since it is quite profitable to keep them.