Hens Phoenix belong to decorative breeds. Exotic lovers keep them only for the purpose of decorating the yard. What you need to get a bird, are there any special requirements for breeding, keeping and feeding these chickens - read further in the article.
Origin story
The breed originates in China about 2 centuries ago, where it was originally called Fen-Huan. A decorative bird with an unusually long tail should be kept in the southern part of the yard, then, according to Feng Shui practices, it will bring good luck and prosperity.
After some time, the Phoenixes came to Japan, where they began to decorate the emperor's court and were renamed Yokohama-toshi and Onagadori. And today this bird in the land of the rising sun symbolizes the wealth and high position of the owner. In addition, Japanese breeders have improved natural qualities and achieved an unprecedented increase in tail length.
The Phoenix branch from Germany is widespread; it is these birds that can be found in the farmsteads of exotic lovers.
Description of Phoenix chickens
Hens of the Phoenix breed are decorative - they should be kept only from the desire to decorate the compound. Even a beginner in poultry farming will cope with the content, not counting tail care.
Appearance
A feature of the Phoenixes is exotic tails with long feathers in males. True, such a tail is very inconvenient for the rooster itself - the bird cannot raise it so as not to get dirty.
Purebred males must meet the following standards:
- Body. Graceful, fit body. The shoulders and abdomen are moderately developed, tapering towards the tail. The feather cover in the lumbar region is long, in older individuals it can hang to the ground.
- Legs. Proportional length. Color - gray, maybe bluish. Thin spurs are present. Feathering on the shins is medium.
- Tail. In a one-year-old rooster it reaches 0.9 m. According to European standards, in an adult male, its length is up to 3 m, in Japanese - up to 10 m.
- Neck. It is covered with a thick mane of medium length, which falls on the back.
- Head. Narrow, small in size. The crest is of the correct form, the earlobes are not large, the former color, the catkins are medium, red. The beak is medium in size, gray. The eyes are amber.
The longest tail was recorded in a 13-year-old bird. It reaches 17 m and continues to grow.
Chickens meet the following characteristics:
- The size. Graceful, smaller than males.
- Torso. The body is set low.
- Tail. Longer than most chickens, large, lush.
- Legs. May be with spurs.
- Head. Small, proportional. The ridge is rectangular, small, narrow. Small earrings.
There are 5 colors of the Phoenixes:
- Wild:
- the overall impression is brown;
- the head is black-brown, the mane with a black or brown belt;
- black plumage on the body and in the tail;
- at the top, the body is covered with brown feathers with a black tint;
- brown feathers with dark dots on the chest.
- Golden:
- the body is brown, the breast is gray;
- the neck is golden;
- on the loin, feathers with a tint of gold, yellow;
- specks of black are noticeable on the back and neck;
- wing feathers are black and brown;
- tail feathers are black with a green tint.
- Orange:
- the head and neck has a rich orange color, with a shimmer of red;
- black - on the tail (without ebb), legs, abdomen (closer to gray);
- the body is dark gray, a greenish tint may be present.
- Silver:
- the main color is white;
- on the feathers of the case - a silver tint, on the sides - black blotches;
- on the tail feathers are black with a green tint;
- head - light shades;
- the black neck is decorated with a white stripe;
- the rest of the body is gray.
- White:
- the bird is completely white;
- any other shades are excluded.
Phoenix wild
“Phoenix” Golden
Phoenix Orange
Phoenix Silver
"Phoenix" White
Roosters are medium-heavy, they weigh from 2.1-3.5 kg, chickens of the same class - they gain from 1.6 to 2 kg.
German breeders bred the dwarf Phoenixes.
Dwarf representatives of the breed in appearance and color do not differ from ordinary ones, only the sizes are proportionally smaller:
- rooster weight - 0.8 kg;
- chicken weight - 0.7 kg;
- tail length - reaches 1.5 m;
- egg production - about 60 eggs / year;
- egg weight - 25 g.
Birds with:
- plumage on the legs;
- clumsy figure;
- short plumage;
- wide braids of the tail;
- red socks;
- white or yellow metatarsus.
Temperament
The nature of the birds is varied - there are aggressive specimens, but there are also modest ones. In families, the rooster is constantly busy - it controls the hens, takes care of them, seeks and offers food. The breed is distinguished by its intellectual abilities. Roosters love to show themselves. They just notice the observing person, immediately take a beautiful pose and freeze.
Productivity
Phoenix chickens have no economic value. Keeping them for eggs or meat is not advisable. Phoenix carcasses do not have the presentation that is appreciated by consumers. The meat has a good taste, but a rigid structure.
Sexual maturity occurs at 6-8 months, at which time the hens begin to lay. Their egg production is considered low - 50-100 eggs with a light yellow shell per year, weighing from 45 to 60 g.
Phoenixes are not raised for meat and eggs.
Maintenance and care
Japanese roosters are kept in special narrow and long cages, the roost is placed in them so that the tail hangs completely. They are also fed in cages. The bird is walked 3 times a day. While the length of the tail reaches up to one and a half meters, the bird is able to move by itself, with a longer tail of the rooster they are carried on their hands or wrapped feathers on special papillots.
The German branch of the Phoenixes, which have smaller tails, is kept in houses.
When arranging a chicken coop, follow the rules:
- The choice of place. For the construction, choose a place protected from the wind on an elevation, with sufficient sunlight.
- Material of construction. Best of all, choose a tree for this purpose. This provides a natural adjustment of humidity in the room.
- Space. One rooster should have 1 sq. m of space. The same area can accommodate up to 3 chickens.
- Ventilation system. Phoenixes do not respond well to low oxygen levels. Provide a ventilation system that will ventilate the room, but will not create drafts. The movement of air masses should not exceed 0.5 m / s.
- Floor. A concrete floor can only be used as a subfloor. The tree will attract rodents, therefore it is not recommended for this purpose.
- Litter. It should always be dry, warm and clean. For litter, choose sawdust, straw or peat.
- Perches. Arrange so that the tails of the birds hang from them without touching the floor. Place the poles in distant, shaded areas, away from doorways and windows. One chicken should have 35 cm of space. Build ladders or steps to perches.
- Dry baths. Set a box of sand and ash (1: 1) to clean the feathers. An insecticide can be added to the mixture.
- Regular cleaning. When keeping Phoenixes, keeping them perfectly clean is a must. This is the only way for roosters to retain the attractive appearance of feathers.
- Annual cleaning. Held in the spring. Clean the house, wash all equipment, disinfect the walls with lime. Cover the new litter.
- Feeding troughs and drinking bowls. Anchor at the height of the perch, directly next to it. In this way, injury to males and damage to feathers can be avoided. How to make drinking bowls yourself is described here.
Phoenix standard cage is not recommended to avoid damaging the tails.
Walking arrangement:
- Walking yard. Choose in a dry place to avoid stagnant water after rains.
- Coating. Sow your yard with thick grass. Plant some trees or set up special devices for the roosters to sit on.
- Fencing. Take care of a high fencing, or stretch a net over the top - Phoenixes fly very well.
- Feeding troughs, drinking bowls, bathtubs. Install in the walking area during the warm season. How to make a feeder with your own hands is written here.
Walking is good for the health and color of the feather.
Climatic requirements
Phoenix is a frost-resistant bird, she loves to go out on the snow and peck at it, but such walks are allowed only in sunny, calm weather.
It is permissible not to let chickens out of the poultry house for several days during snowfalls, gusts of wind, severe frosts and rains.
The poultry house should be insulated, as the bird does not tolerate drafts. In winter, do not allow the temperature in it to drop below +5 ° C. The optimal conditions would be to maintain heat within 10-12 ° C. Otherwise, the bird will start to get sick with colds, and at very low temperatures, earrings, combs and legs may freeze. For the normal health of the layers, with a short daylight, install lighting in the chicken coop.
Read an article on how to make a chicken coop yourself.
Power features
The main nutritional feature of the Phoenix breed chickens is a low calorie content in the feed, but increased vitamin and mineral complexes, aimed at the growth and quality of plumage.
The diet of adults must include:
- yeast;
- oats;
- barley;
- vegetables (potatoes, beets, cabbage, carrots);
- bone meal as a source of protein;
- minerals in the form of eggshells and shell rock;
- gravel or sand - for digestion.
The feeding regime does not differ from other breeds: 2 times a day, in the morning - soft food, in the evening - grain.
Phoenixes do not have special requirements for the diet.
A table of an approximate diet for 1 individual per day:
Feed for 1 chicken | Quantity, g / day |
Cereals | 40 |
Juicy feed | 30-40 |
Yeast | 14 |
Animal feed | 5-10 |
Bone flour | 1 |
Salt | 0,5 |
Molting period
There are no moulting periods in Phoenixes. This was achieved by removing the gene responsible for feather change. As a result, it became possible to grow tails in males, which under natural conditions (over a period of 6 months) could not reach more than 1 m.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the breed include:
- high decorative qualities;
- unpretentious care;
- frost resistance;
- no predisposition to disease.
Disadvantages:
- feathers on the tail require increased purity;
- intolerance to drafts;
- loss of incubation instinct;
- hard to get.
See below an overview of the Phoenix chicken breed:
The main advantage of Phoenix roosters is their luxurious tail, and their disadvantage, requiring increased care.
Reproduction, incubation instinct
Despite the fact that puberty occurs in six months, the final formation of a mature chicken occurs by 2 years, by this period it begins to lay fertilized eggs.
Phoenix roosters can be crossed with chickens of other breeds, such chicks will show bright plumage and long tails.
Phoenix genes are dominant, conveying the characteristics of the breed.
Chickens have lost their incubation instinct, so the chickens are raised in an incubator. The incubation period and conditions are the same as for other chickens.
Parameter change table when hatching chicks in an incubator:
Period, days | 1-11 | 12-17 | 18-19 | 20-21 |
Temperature mode, ° С | 37,9 | 37,3 | 37,3 | 37,0 |
Air humidity, % | 66 | 53 | 47 | 66 |
Turning eggs, times / day | 4 | 4 | 4 | — |
Airing, once / day | — | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Airing, min / time | — | 5 | 20 | 5 |
Immediately after hatching, the chicks are transferred to a box where they maintain the temperature within 25-30 ° C in the first 10 days. An infrared lamp is used for heating. Further, the temperature is gradually reduced to + 18-20 ° C. Paper is placed on the bottom of the box (it is forbidden to cover newspapers) and change as soon as it gets dirty.
The first walk on the street can be planned no earlier than the chickens are 14 days old. And only in a closed aviary for chicks and in good weather conditions.
Phoenix Mothers can sometimes be found. Breeders are confident that this is possible if the phoenix chickens are raised by a brood hen of a different breed. But such cases are extremely rare. If the farm has a brood hen of a different breed, you can put Phoenix eggs in the nest, usually 10-12 eggs.
Also, you can put Phoenix chicks under the chicken in the first 2-3 days after birth. This should be done in the dark. Klushu with chickens is kept indoors for up to 5 days, after which you can let them out for short walks.
We recommend that you additionally read the article about the features of incubating chicken eggs.
Feeding chicks
For good survival and proper development, take care of a balanced diet for the chicks.
Feeding Rules:
- feed the chicks in a specific place;
- keep the dishes clean, after cleaning, pour boiling water over it;
- chicks should always have access to clean water;
- it is not recommended to add potassium permanganate to the water, it affects the balance of microflora and lowers immunity;
- feed chicks only with fresh food; storage of previously uneaten remains is not allowed;
- it is useful to add greens to the diet (green onions, nettles);
- feed chickens every 3 hours until 10 days of age;
- from the 10th day of life, add specialized feed additives to the feed.
Table of norms of feed for chickens for 1 day by age:
Feed | Age days | |||
1-5 | 6-10 | 11-20 | 21-40 | |
Hard boiled egg, g / day | 2 | 3 | — | — |
Low-fat cottage cheese, g / day | 1-2 | 2-3 | 4-5 | 5-6 |
Greens, g / day | 1 | 4-5 | 8-10 | 10-12 |
Grain (crushed), g / day | 1-2 | 2-3 | 5-10 | 10-15 |
Mineral supplements, g / day | — | 0,5 | 1,0 | 1,5 |
Boiled potatoes, g / day | — | — | 4-5 | 8-15 |
Addiction to disease
Phoenix health depends on the conditions of detention. If cleanliness and balanced nutrition are observed, the bird will be healthy. If these standards are violated, chickens can get sick with standard diseases. There are no specific diseases in the Phoenix chicken breed.
Buying a bird
It is almost impossible to buy representatives of the breed in Russia. Although domestic amateur farmers own these birds, they have no documentary evidence. If you decide to make such a purchase, be prepared for the unexpected.
It is better to buy chickens abroad, in specialized clubs with the necessary certificates. The easiest way to do this is in Germany, where both ordinary and dwarf Phoenixes are bred.
In Japan, the sale of Yokohama-toshi chickens is prohibited by law. It is possible to acquire a bird only by participating in annual exhibitions of agricultural achievements, where Phoenixes are exchanged for chickens of other breeds.
Reviews of poultry farmers about Phoenix chickens
Marina, 38 years old. I have long dreamed of the Phoenix breed. But when the opportunity arose to breed them, I faced the problem of acquiring young animals. We, in Russia, cannot find incubation material. I ordered not young animals abroad, but hatching eggs. It turned out the first time, the survival rate of the chicks is good. Chickens do not get sick and are not demanding to care, apart from cleaning the tail. I was very pleased - it's just a fabulous bird.
Alexey, 43 years old. Once I really wanted to get these birds. But faced with the problem of acquisition threw this venture. We can't get eggs. And in Japan, chickens are only given or exchanged.
Oleg, 40 years old. Having been in Japan I was delighted with these birds, I immediately wanted to buy a couple, but I ran into a problem - it is impossible to get the bird out of the country. I had to buy at home from Germany. They, of course, have shorter tails, but this is even a plus. In general, the bird is unpretentious, does not require special food or conditions, but it can fly well, therefore a high fence is needed.
Timur, Makhachkala
I keep a family of orange - Petya and five chickens, for the soul and beauty. I do not agree that the roosters are bad. They themselves sit down and bring out the chicks ...
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The features of keeping Phoenix chickens come down to caring for a long tail. The bird rarely gets sick, is not demanding on food and tolerates winter well, but is afraid of drafts. Chickens have lost their maternal instinct, so they should be hatched in an incubator. The biggest challenge is the acquisition of incubation material.