High-Line egg chickens: appearance and conditions of their maintenance

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The High Line hybrid breed was bred in America. Chickens have high egg production. Breeders have obtained several varieties. The plumage color can be brown or white.

Exterior of a bird

High Line birds are not easy to distinguish from other chickens, but they have a certain standard.

The main characteristics of High Line chickens:

• the body is small, narrow, slightly oblong in the shape of a triangle;
• the head is small, the neck is strong;
• the comb is pinkish in color and has pointed teeth;
• earrings are small in the shape of an oval;
• the comb is darker than the skin on the face;
• yellow eyes;
• wings fit tightly to the body, developed;
• the tail is small, fluffy and raised high;
• the plumage is dense, white or brown in color.

Nutrition

We feed the young

High-line chicks are fed as usual.

The first days of life, the chickens' diet consists of ground boiled eggs, chopped greens, porridge, and cottage cheese. Feed them 5-8 times a day.

Gradually add industrial food to the kids' menu - the stomachs of young birds get used to it faster. In addition, it contains the necessary additives, nutritional and beneficial elements.

In the following weeks, from time to time, feed the chickens wet food based on grains, cooked vegetables and root vegetables, fruit carrion, meat and bone meal and water (or whey, meat or fish broth).

To ensure that the introduction of laying hens to the general herd is painless, add purchased mineral and vitamin complexes to their water 5-7 days in advance, strictly according to the instructions.

Feeding adults

The basis of proper nutrition for adult high-line chickens is balanced food. In factories they are fed dry food. Various additives are used at home.

In winter, replace fresh herbs with vitamins and liquid minerals. Dilute the birds' diet with whole grains or crushed cereals: millet, soybeans, wheat, oats. Vegetables and root vegetables are required: potatoes, beets, carrots.

In the summer, chickens on the range are able to feed themselves. They find small shells, gravel, grass, insects, and worms. Pebbles help improve digestion, greens replenish the deficiency of nutrients, insects are a source of protein.

Adult chickens eat 3 times a day. High-line are characterized by a moderate appetite. On average, each chicken consumes up to 95 grams of feed.

Don't forget about water quality. The liquid is poured clean, without impurities. One bird drinks up to 0.3 liters of water per day.

Characteristics of High-Line chickens

High-Line individuals are small birds of a thin build; the hen reaches a weight of 1.8 kg, and the rooster does not gain more than 2.5 kg.

Character

High Line individuals will not create trouble for the owner; they have an excellent calm character.

The birds are very quiet and peaceful; they will not provoke other birds into fights and conflicts. They can boast of excellent resistance to stress and are very difficult to get angry. Males are also not bad, they look after the “girls”, protect them, stand up for them, try to help them avoid any dangers.

Representatives of the High Line cross behave like phlegmatic people, they are not particularly interested in the outside world, it seems as if they are constantly thinking about something and solving their personal dilemmas. Birds are interesting to watch. Individuals excellently endure any hardships and trials of life.

Puberty and egg production

Crosses with an average rate of puberty, starting laying at the age of six months.

Often there are no delays. If birds begin to lay eggs later than 6 months, then there is only one reason - an incorrect diet. Overfeeding or underfeeding usually has a negative effect on females; natural processes stop or do not proceed as nature intended.

Hatching instinct

Purebred chicken breeds have maternal instinct; crosses and hybrids have lost it during selection. Cross High Line is no exception; laying hens do not have a brooding instinct, but this is more an advantage than a disadvantage.

The incubation process forces females to incubate offspring for a long time, and therefore laying hens cannot lay eggs during this period. And the results of their egg laying are truly record-breaking.

Keeping Hy-Line chickens is considered profitable because the laying hen can work and not be distracted by the work of the “mother,” which today the poultry farmer can entrust to both another hen and the incubator. Features of incubating chicken eggs are described here. But remember that the offspring of the cross will have noticeably lower levels of egg production, etc., than their parents.

Breeding

High-line chickens have not retained the brooding instinct. They do not become brood hens; the young have to be hatched in an incubator. It is worth considering that crosses do not pass on all their characteristics to their offspring, so it is better to purchase hatching eggs, and use those laid by laying hens for food purposes.

The incubation program lasts three weeks. The chicks are allowed to dry and then moved into the brooder. During the first three days, the temperature is maintained at +33°C, then it gradually begins to decrease and is brought to +21°C by six weeks of age. Daylight hours are also adjusted. In the first three days, round-the-clock illumination is indicated; by the fifth week of life it is halved.

The chickens are first fed boiled eggs and cottage cheese. Drink boiled water. Periodically pour yogurt into the drinking bowls. From the third day, scalded nettles, onion feathers, and porridge are added. Regular drinking water is provided. Vegetables are indicated from one week of age. First of all, carrots are introduced. From the second week of life, chicks are accustomed to dry grain mixtures. Dry food is supplemented with wet mash. Birds are transferred to a common house at 15 weeks.

Productive qualities

As for their weight gain, it is very slow and small. Adult chickens reach 1.8 kg, and roosters are 0.5 kg more.

Average annual egg production

It’s not for nothing that the High Line cross is considered an egg breed; individuals occupy a leading place in this matter. In 1 year, a female can produce more than 300 eggs; the record was 340 eggs. Everything directly depends on the diet of birds. The weight of one egg varies within 65 g. The shell is white, without spots.

At first, after the start of oviposition, the testicles are small, but after a couple of months they become larger, such eggs can later be used for incubation.

Breeding history

The Hy-Line hybrid breed was bred by specialists from Hy-Line International. It is represented by several crosses. Birds are very similar in anthropological characteristics. Productivity differs slightly.

There are differences in egg size and shell color. White eggs are laid by high-line crosses with white plumage W-36, W-80. Cream and brown eggs are produced by pink (with white feathers), brown (brown variety) and dormouse (with light brown feathers).

Pros and cons of cross

Hy-Line hybrids have their advantages and disadvantages, they must be taken into account when breeding birds.

Advantages:

• high productivity;
• low maintenance requirements;
• standard diet, without special “dishes”;
• rapid adaptation to a new environment.

Flaws:

• lack of maternal instinct;
• a short period of high egg production, in order to prevent this disadvantage from occurring, you need to think about replacing the livestock in time.

Peculiarities

Long-term observation of Hy-Line chickens allows us to confidently say: none of the breeders noted any significant shortcomings. The bird has a calm temperament; there are no special requirements for living conditions.

Laying hens have good immunity. The safety of the bird is high - up to 96%. This indicator determines the high profitability of the egg-laying chicken breeding business. The mortality of birds and, accordingly, the costs of acquiring new individuals are minimal.

An adult bird consumes a moderate amount of feed per ten eggs - up to 1.2 kg. Experienced poultry farmers advise not to save money and buy only high quality feed . Unbalanced nutrition reduces productivity and impairs the nutritional value of eggs.

Conditions of detention

The main advantage is that they are unpretentious and can live in any conditions. For comfortable keeping, poultry farmers equip a chicken coop with ventilation. Individuals tolerate low temperatures well, but still the ideal temperature for them is +10...+26 degrees Celsius.

If the winters in the region are too frosty, then you will have to install a heater in the room; in other cases, the chicken coop is insulated, whitewashed and regularly treated.

Chicken coop requirements

To properly keep chickens, it is important to adhere to simple requirements for arranging a chicken coop:

1. To prevent the egg production of females from falling, lighting is installed in the room. Daylight hours should be about 14 hours. In summer, south-facing windows help with this, and in winter, additional light. You can purchase and install infrared lamps; they not only illuminate the area, but also give off heat.
2. Chickens are kept on warm bedding made from peat, sawdust or straw. It is better to use the first option, since this material gives off heat when in contact with droppings. Even if there is extreme cold in the fresh air, the temperature in the chicken coop will not drop below +10 degrees.
3. Nests are required; they are installed in the back of the room, near the far wall. The place should be dark and impenetrable. For 3 females – 1 box. It’s a good idea to place them in a ladder, one above the other. How to build nests on your own is described in this article.
4. To spend the night, birds need perches; the usual requirements are the diameter of the beam is 4 cm. The perches are placed at a height of 1 m. Each female needs 0.35 m of perch.
5. Containers for water and food are placed on the floor and washed every day.
6. It is necessary to monitor the cleanliness of the litter, stir it up and change it from time to time. During the same period, the walls, floor and ceiling are treated.
7. Bird droppings contain a small proportion of ammonia, which has a detrimental effect on their respiratory system and housing and communal services. To avoid this, a high-quality ventilation system should be installed.
8. The humidity in the room should vary within 65%. When birds walk in the fresh air, you need to open the barn and ventilate it.

How to build a suitable chicken coop yourself is described in detail here.

You don’t have to equip a large yard for walking; it’s enough to make a small enclosure. During the warm season, birds should be outdoors. There must be a large amount of grass in the yard that the birds can chew. Containers with ash are also installed, in which birds bathe and clean their feathers from insects.

Individuals are released into fresh air only at temperatures above -7 degrees Celsius. Long walks in the cold lead to frostbite on the paws and ridges.

Ration High Line

At special poultry farms, laying hens are fed feed with vitamins and minerals, which contain all the components necessary for chickens. On the farm, feeding laying hens is somewhat different, but the diet must be balanced in any case.

On your farm, you can add various additives to your birds’ menu. Another advantage of this cross is the low feed consumption per individual (approximately 100 g of grain per day). And with all this, this norm does not change depending on the time of year and their needs.

Diet of High Line chickens:

• Ground or whole grain. Great options include corn, oats, wheat, rye and barley. In winter, feed your birds grain sprouts as useful mineral supplements.
• Beans: soybeans, lentils and peas.
• Fresh or dried herbs: nettle, alfalfa, dandelions, vegetable tops, plantain.
• Wet mash , including vegetables, cooked in meat or vegetable broth.
• Boiled vegetables: beets, zucchini, pumpkin and cabbage leaves.

Add chalk, egg shells, yeast, bone and meat-and-bone meal to the diet of laying hens. Crosses, especially the egg variety, need a lot of calcium and vitamins.

Feeding

If there is a free range, adult laying hens are fed twice a day, if there is no free range - three times.

The diet of chickens should include:

• different types of grains - wheat, barley, corn, oats;
• legumes;
• roots;
• tops and grass;
• dairy, meat, fish waste;
• minerals - you can buy ready-made premixes or add limestone, chalk, and table salt to the feed.

Fine gravel and ground shells are poured into separate containers. Birds are provided with fresh water - it is recommended to choose drinker models that do not allow liquid to spill on the floor. It is convenient to use nipple or cup devices.

Raising chickens

Chicken Raising Basics:

• Chicks at the age of 1 day are placed in a special brooder with a thermostat. A sawdust bedding is placed at the bottom; it must be changed on time. For the first 3 days, babies live in 24-hour lighting.
• In the brooder the temperature is kept at +32 degrees Celsius, every week the temperature is lowered by 2 degrees. Thus, the chicks get used to normal temperatures.
• By observing the young animals, you can determine how they feel. If they are cold, the kids group together and sit closer to the heat source; if it is hot, they drink a lot of water, practically do not eat, and sit far from the lamp.
• Babies are transferred to an adult chicken coop at the age of 40 days. During this period, birds gain feathers and do not need additional warmth. The chicken coop is treated, feeders and drinking bowls are installed in it. How to make a drinking bowl for chickens with your own hands is described here.
• In the first days, the chicks are fed a boiled egg mixed with cereal. Special feed is introduced into the diet, suitable for the composition and age of the birds. Mixtures for young animals up to 2 weeks of age are finely ground.

What to feed chickens?

Ready-made or home-prepared feed is suitable for feeding birds. When feeding High Lines at home, they should be given the following products:

1. Cereals. Birds need grains of wheat, barley, and oats. They can also be given rye and corn. Grains are given whole or crushed. In winter they need sprouted crops.
2. Soybeans and peas. They include many plant proteins, vitamins and minerals.
3. Greenery. In winter, it can be replaced with grass meal or hay.
4. Mash. They may include vegetables, grains, and whey.

Chickens need mineral components. To do this, you should add meat and bone and fish meal, eggshells, and chalk to the food. You can also give birds ready-made vitamins.

Similar crosses

In the cities of the Russian Federation, cross-breeding is not particularly popular, so it is difficult to find an official poultry farm in your city. But there is a way out - laying hens can be replaced with other equally productive hybrids:

• Hisex . Ancestors - Leghorn and New Hampshire. Weight is from 1.5 to 2.5 kg, egg production per year is more than 300 pieces, weight of one is 65 g. Puberty begins at 5 months. Balanced and calm disposition.
• Shaver . Egg production - more than 350 eggs per year, strong immunity, endurance and tolerance. Plumage color – white, black. The mass of the individual is from 1.7 to 2 kg.
• Loman Brown. Puberty at 5 months. Egg production is up to 320 pieces per year, the weight of one is 65 g. Good-natured and peace-loving chickens.
• Tetra. They have strong immunity and produce about 250 eggs per year.

Chicken diseases and their prevention

Birds of this breed have strong immunity. To protect them from diseases, it is worthwhile to vaccinate them in a timely manner. The vaccination schedule is selected taking into account the epizootic situation in the region.

To protect birds from viral and bacterial microorganisms that cause salmonellosis, mycoplasmosis, and coccidiosis, it is worth excluding contact with pets and rodents. Maintaining an optimal temperature is of no small importance. It is recommended to monitor the cleanliness of the bedding and equipment.

Description of external signs

In terms of external characteristics, crosses differ only in the color of their plumage. The main features of chickens are the same:

• Chickens have a small body, shaped like an elongated triangle.
• Birds have a small head in proportion to their body. The neck is of medium length, quite strong.
• Roosters and hens have an erect, jagged comb, pink in color but darker than the skin in the facial area. Some females may have a slight drooping of the crest.
• The iris of the eyes is yellow with an orange tint.
• The wings are medium in size; chickens press them tightly to the body.
• The tail is small, but strongly raised, and in cockerels it is bushy.

All varieties of High Line are characterized by dense plumage.

High Line chickens are an excellent choice for those who want a lot of fresh eggs