I do n’t know about you guy cable , but I have a matter for dappled Gallus gallus . I depose I ’d never have bantam and then I fell in love with Mottled Cochin bantam and got two .
When I saw an Ancona Chicken , it get my heart and turned my promontory 180 degrees . On top of their beauty , these birds are a very hardheaded strain for any homestead , but particularly in warmer climate due to their Mediterranean heritage .
About Ancona Chickens
This breed initiate from Italy , where it was one of the most popular breeds around . In 1851 , Anconas were import to England where the strain was refine and bred for the mark it has today .
In 1888 , the breed was imported to America and accepted into theAmerican Poultry Associationone year later .
Ancona Characteristics
1. Size and Weight
These are kickshaw piddling birds with petite frames . Full grown weight of an Ancona rooster is between 5.5 and 6.5 pounds . Hens weigh even less , tipping the scales at 4.5 pounds as a to the full grow chicken .
2. Temperament
As with most Mediterranean breeds , the Ancona is not a in particular sociable bird . Most of the time these are somewhat scatterbrained and skittish chickens , avoiding their caretakers unless they have a provender bucket in hand . hen are not at all prone to broodiness and will barely ever take to sitting on a clutch bag of eggs .
3. Egg Production
eggs production from the Ancona is actually quite expert . Averaging about 220 egg per class , this is a splendid option for your lay flock . The ball that Anconas produce are large white eggs .
4. Meat Production
A nimble glance at these chickens will probably tell apart you all that you call for to know about core yield for this breed . It ’s not grotesque by any stint of the imagination .
Since the full grown weight of a cock is only 6.5 pounds at best , it ’s leisurely to see why this is the case . If you desire a good stock that will both lay eggs and produce nitty-gritty , look into chicken such asWyandottes .
Caring for Ancona Chickens
1. Feeding and Nutrition
This is not a demand breed as far as feed goes . It ’s recommended to localise your chicks on a goodchick starterfrom hatching to 8 weeks of age . If your chick starter was a starter / agriculturist jazz band , keep your grow - outs on this diet for a few more week .
If you do n’t have a starter / grower combo for your chicks , it ’s good to station them on this from 8 - 16 weeks old if potential . Between 16 and 18 weeks , make the final transition to laying provender for your pullets that should be coming into lay any twenty-four hour period now .
2. Housing and Fencing
Anconas are scatterbrained shuttle with tricky personalities that make them good at evading predator . This make the stock a good choice for a free - rank flock . These chicken are also very good at flying and will need a high fencing or covered run to contain your fowl if they are in a run .
On the subject of rill , you ’ll need to provide a minimum of 8 - 10 square feet per chicken in a run if you choose to employ one . Inside the henhouse , 3 - 4 square feet per chicken is advised to keep a hefty environs for your snort .
3. Health Issues and Care
While all wimp are prostrate to an regalia of common and rare illnesses and wellness issues , Anconas are not too susceptible to any diseases .
Your best method of prevention would be to maintainclean living quartersand keep a watchful eye on the behavior of your chickens . It ’s also ripe to make certain your birds have undecomposed areas todust bathewhere they can sound off around to manage external leech such as touch and lice .
4. Breeding
When breeding Anconas , you will need to purchase anincubatordue to the fact Anconas very rarely go broody . However , these birds are a fun chick to multiply and have many playfulness trait to breed for .
When work out on breeding your Anconas , one in every three feathers should be tipped with a heart - shaped mottled white .
Breed Alternatives
1. White Leghorns
Due to the law of similarity betweenWhite Leghornsand Anconas , Anconas are often referred to as Mottled Leghorns , despite the fact these two breed are both their own trenchant breeds .
Leghorns are also very active and head-in-the-clouds layers of large ashen eggs . In increase to their law of similarity in egg yield and disposition , Leghorns weigh about the same as the Ancona .
2. Speckled Sussex
If you love the visual aspect of the Ancona but require a larger Gallus gallus , this is the strain for you .
The beautifulSpeckled Sussexis a larger dual - purpose strain that can be used for both meat and egg production . The Speckled Sussex is also a much more sociable chicken than the Ancona .
Fun Facts about the Ancona
Ancona Chickens are fun birds because unlike color multifariousness , this stock has dissimilar comb varieties . The single comb and the rose comb assortment have both been take into the American Poultry Association .
It ’s leisurely to pick your older Anconas out of the mint – look at their feathers ! Every time an Ancona molts , it develop back more white feathers than before . So as you may ideate , by the prison term a biddy is 3 - 5 twelvemonth old , she ’ll have a good deal more clean on her feathers than a untested fryer .
So what is your opinion of this beautiful breed ? Are they for you ? I certainly think this is a stunning breed with antic egg production and a great conniption for a farm where Ancona Chickens can release compass to their heart ’s content .
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