Probably every farmer engaged in poultry farming had heard of such a breed of chickens - Paduan. Their history is poorly studied, but there is no doubt that they were bred several centuries ago. Well, the unusual appearance will make them a real decoration of any household.
Appointment
In terms of appearance, it becomes clear that paduan chickens are primarily a decorative breed. For a long time it was. However, later their advantages were also appreciated by practical peasants and farmers. It is not surprising that over time they began to be bred as meat and egg breeds.
But still, their main function is still decorative. This contributes to an unusual character. Although chicken breeds are generally temperamental, in most cases they can be easily tamed and turned into the darling of the whole family. Such birds begin to go everywhere for their beloved master, with pleasure to peck food from his hand.
History
Unfortunately, the history of this amazing breed is studied rather poorly - too much conflicting information comes from all over Europe.
Some argue that the breed was bred in ancient Rome, that is, the story stretches for more than two thousand years. To prove this, a very significant argument is also taken - the term "Paduan" comes from the name of the city of Padua, located in Italy. Indeed, this city has long been famous for the fact that these amazing birds were raised and sold throughout Europe.
There are also many other theories about where the first paduan hens appeared - from Poland to England. But one fact is certain - for the first time it was registered by a German by the name of Frisch in 1763. Therefore, the possibility of Germany’s contribution to the creation and development of this breed cannot be denied.
Description of appearance
Once you see a paduan, it will be difficult to confuse it with some other breed of chickens. They have a large crest that covers their head almost completely. A thick plumage and a powerful beard openly delight the eye of any connoisseur. There are several subspecies that differ in colors; we will talk about them a little later. But the scallop as such in hens is completely absent, as are the catkins.
A powerful, slightly curved beak immediately strikes the eye, in some cases having a bluish tint. Both roosters and hens can boast a long and wide tail, which makes them look very impressive.
Powerful breasts protrude forward, legs longer than most chickens.
Varieties
Now that you know a rough description of paduan chickens, you can delve into specific varieties. Judging by the surviving data, the first representatives of the breed, registered in the middle of the eighteenth century, had a golden color. However, in the next three decades, several dozen new colors and shades appeared. Some of them even stood out in separate varieties. Let's talk about the most interesting of them.
- White - can boast of elegant livery, tail plumage is slightly darker than the rest of the body.
- Silver - black feathers mixed with white and neatly placed throughout the body.
- Black - have a uniformly black color, in some cases, feathers of a bluish tint come across.
- Golden - black feathers alternate unevenly with golden ones, which creates a special effect.
- Chamoa - white feathers combine with golden and brown.
There is also a dwarf breed that is worth highlighting. They are used exclusively for decorative purposes. It is not surprising - their egg production is very small, and they cannot boast of great weight.
Characteristics
Surely readers who are seriously considering the possibility of breeding these birds will be interested to know the characteristics of the Paduan chickens. It is worth telling more about them.
The breed will be correctly attributed to meat and egg, although they do not differ in special productivity, so, in most cases, farmers plant them solely for the sake of beauty.
Judge for yourself - healthy, young representatives of the breed carry up to 120 eggs per year, which can not be called a really good indicator. Although the eggs are quite large, about 50 grams.
Weight varies greatly depending on the variety. But even the largest uterine hens mostly weigh between 1.5 and 2.5 kilograms and do not grow too fast. Therefore, if you plan to breed birds exclusively for meat, you can find many other breeds that are more advantageous from this point of view.
Conditions of detention
Despite the unusual appearance and beauty, paduan chickens in care are not very different from ordinary outbred chickens.
Of course, the chicken coop needs to be built reliable. The use of brick or concrete is undesirable - they quickly absorb the cold, it is very difficult to heat such a room. And so that the Paduans do not hurt, they feel good, they need a temperature not lower than + 10 ... + 14 degrees Celsius. In addition, it is necessary to provide reliable protection against drafts - they pose even greater danger to any chickens than ordinary cold.
It is also very important that the floor in the chicken coop is not concrete. After all, hens will walk on it, peck from it spilled feed, try to dig. Because of this, the risk of damage to the paws and beak is increased. In winter, the concrete floor is especially dangerous - it cools the paws, which can lead to serious colds. It will be better if the floor in the chicken coop is made of clay or simply rammed earth. A good choice would be a wooden flooring. Well, a thick layer of sawdust would be an ideal choice. Chickens delight in digging into them, and removing the sawdust when cleaning the chicken coop is not at all difficult.
The room should be spacious enough. The content of paduan in cramped cells is unacceptable - this affects their attractiveness. However, cages are usually preferred in large factories specializing in the production of chicken and eggs.
Suitable diet
An important point in the proper maintenance of paduan chickens is the preparation of a diet. Fortunately, here they are not too whimsical - the same food that ordinary chickens with pleasure will eat is suitable.
Of course, specialized feed will be an ideal choice. Of course, it costs a lot, but Paduans are rarely kept in large flocks. And for half a dozen or ten birds, it is quite possible to allocate a sufficient amount from the family budget. But as a result, you get a balanced diet containing all the necessary vitamins and minerals.
If it is not possible to feed with compound feed, you can give preference to the usual cereal. Wheat and oats, mixed in a ratio of about 3: 2, provide them with the necessary calories and some trace elements. If you germinate them, fill them with warm water for 2-3 days and leave them in a warm place, you can increase digestibility, which will positively affect weight gain. Also, as much greens as possible should be added to the diet. It is rich in vitamins, provides good immunity, increases egg production, and also makes the yolk more yellow, appetizing.
Sometimes you can add sunflower meal and corn to the diet. But usually this is done shortly before slaughter. With constant feeding of corn, chickens are gaining excess weight due to fatty layers.
It is good if in the warm season the chickens have the opportunity to walk freely around the enclosed area. Gathering the right grass, spending time in the fresh air, eating worms and insects, the birds will be stronger, healthier, and egg production slightly increased. Alas, such an opportunity is not always there.
Pay special attention to drinking bowls. Usual for paduans are not suitable - they will constantly wet the beard, because of which it will lose its beauty. It is better to give preference to analogues with nipples. In this case, only the beak will come into contact with water, to which it certainly will not harm.
Breeding
It is understandable that farmers interested in this breed are interested in breeding paduan chickens. Here you will have to slightly disappoint them. Hens from them are very bad. These hens rarely seldom incubate eggs. And if any of them set about hatching, then you can’t be sure that she won’t be bored, and she won’t leave the case halfway, ruining the eggs.
Therefore, incubators are usually used to breed chickens . The process is no different from breeding other breeds. The optimum temperature is 39 degrees, the incubation period is three weeks, plus or minus one day.
Chick Care
In the early days of life, it is very important to provide the chicks with good heat. The optimum temperature is not lower than +30 degrees Celsius. If they are removed in an incubator, then you will have to use an electric heating pad. Gradually, the temperature can be lowered - by about 3 degrees starting from the second week of life. After another two weeks, you can turn off the heater. But only in the warm season, if the chicks were hatched in winter, the heating should not be removed until the 30th day of life, when they are old enough, strengthened to withstand the coolness.
There is no problem with the feed. The first week is best to feed the chickens with boiled, finely chopped eggs. You need to do this quite often - every 2-4 hours. In the second week, the diet can be varied with soaked millet, low fat cottage cheese, boiled potatoes and chopped greens.
Also make sure they always have access to clean water.
About half the diet should consist of grain, half of greens and boiled potatoes per month. If they eat grain well, then after a week you can completely abandon the additives by switching to a mixture of steamed wheat and oats.
Similar breeds
As you can see in the photo, paduana chickens are very different from other chickens. However, there are several breeds that are so similar to them that they can mislead a beginner.
Such is, for example, Russian crested. She also has on her head a powerful crest of long feathers, diverging in different directions. It looks very elegant! At the same time, Russian crested as a whole is slightly larger than paduan, and, more importantly, it boasts much greater egg production - up to 200 eggs per year.
Another similar breed is Pavlovskaya. She can boast not only high frost resistance, but also amazing beauty. The long crest is most prominent, most resembling a bunch. At the base is narrow, it rises magnificently and falls in different directions. In terms of egg production, Pavlovsk also bypasses Paduan, since on average they carry about 150 eggs a year.
Conclusion
Our article is drawing to a close. Now you know the description of the breed of paduan chickens , the features of their maintenance, feeding, breeding. So, you can easily decide on your own whether these birds are suitable for you or it is better to give preference to other analogues.