The Japanese hen , a bird of large proportions and silky plumage, undoubtedly one of the most exotic and incomparable birds of the species of hens, which is often called silky hen of Japan.
These hens are present in the region of Asia, they are hens with topknot , better known as silky hens for their characteristics. This bird is characterized by its ability to lay eggs which makes it very commercial, adding to this its size and other factors that will be exposed in this writing.
Contents
History
This bird is a domestic hen discovered at the beginning of the 13th century, indicating that it is one of the oldest birds of its species found in this territory.
The Japanese hen dates back several centuries and can be found in different parts of the world. By the 18th century, they were being transported by Europeans who thought they were a new species of bird until it was discovered that they were silky hens from Japan.
History indicates that this hen was used for medicinal remedies as its meat and eggs were thought to have healing properties; they were consumed in a moderate proportion to prevent their extinction.
It would be a very unfortunate fact that a species so different from all the usual hens we get all over the world would be in danger of extinction, as it is really very important for its historical value and unique characteristics.
This bird is very noble and has no problem to be bred domestically because over time it has been domesticated and used wisely as most chickens are used.
Next we are going to investigate a little more about the characteristics of these peculiar and beautiful birds.
Characteristics of Japanese hen
The characteristics of this bird are surprising, since it is a unique species because its plumage, beak and size make it look really striking.
Now this Japanese hen, also called Chinese hen , has a feature that is so to speak the most important among all its features.
Legs of the Japanese hen
Most hens have three to four toes, but the Japanese hen has five toes, it is of great importance that before establishing that it is a Japanese hen is identified in the fingers, because although its characteristics are very remarkable there are other breeds similar to this bird.
The above mentioned indicates that we can not get carried away by appearances, we must identify this detail well and there if indicate that it is a Japanese hen.
Plumage of Japanese Hens
This hen is characterized by having a large and wide plumage that can be confused with the fur of other animals such as cats or dogs.
Its fur is another of the most relevant characteristics of these birds, it could be said that it is one of its most interesting characteristics and that definitely differentiates it from the rest of the hens, but there are other species that have some very similar characteristics.
Undoubtedly a totally different bird, they are characterized by being a very efficient family because in the case of the mother is a very good layer, as it is able to lay up to 10 eggs or more and incubate them without any problem.
In this species not only the mother plays a good role, the father is an excellent teacher as he helps his chicks to look for food and take care of themselves. I also invite you to read this article about the best Gallineros Metálicos .
Hen and her chicks.
From what we have seen we have that these birds besides being voluptuous are really gentle and of great powers.
The color of its feathers is not very common limiting it to its breed, the normal color is white and brown.
Another of the characteristics of the Japanese silky hen, besides having a particular plumage color they have a very different quality from the traditional hens because the crest is very unique and big, and the beard of the males is really big compared to their beak.
The females have a very unique characteristic, which is their crest, in most cases the hens are born with an abundant crest and are quickly distinguished by this same characteristic.
The weight of the roosters is 1.25 kilograms while that of the females is lower but not much, they only weigh 1 kilogram, of course these weights are approximate, since each rooster and hen is different and can vary in grams.
Characteristic of the male.
These birds have several different characteristics such as its body because at the end of it we find a straight surface in both sexes that goes from the legs to the tail, and we have that this is a peculiar feature to distinguish the sex of these birds.
Characteristic of the female.
If the line that connects these two parts is straight, be sure that this is a rooster, on the contrary if the line is semi curved or round it is a hen.
They are minimal differences but this is how we can easily distinguish if it is a rooster or a hen.
The hairy or Japanese hen is a very peculiar bird and its plumage is actually very striking.
But the plumage of these birds is very interesting because although it is very similar for both sexes they have a small difference that is not much but if you manage to distinguish it you will realize that it is tiny.
Well the plumage of the females of the top of the layers is more elongated and straight, while that of the males is shorter or they are the same size but the primaries are shorter.
These birds have turquoise lobes.
Egg of the Japanese hen
The egg shells of these birds are brown in color and their weight is 35 to 36 grams, not too bad for just a small egg.
The rachis and wattles of these birds are a little softer than the other birds of this species.
Undoubtedly the Japanese hen has unique characteristics and makes them a highly proportional and striking species, they were used for their meat and eggs as healing remedies.
Perhaps this could be considered one of the most important characteristics of this bird.
Of course, before slaughtering one of these birds, it should be taken into account that it is a Japanese hen and not be confused to avoid inconveniences.
Another recommendation that can be given is that if you are going to raise these hens in your home do not mix them with other hens because it can happen is the mixing of races and would be a regrettable fact, because it is important to note that if a male makes a female lay a female that is not of his race the eggs of the same can have half or most of its characteristics.
Since the genes of the parents in some cases that of the roosters is stronger.
Now let’s explain a little about the breeding of this Japanese hen very important for the Asian culture.
Breeding of the Japanese hen
The breeding of these hens is of great importance because undoubtedly these need the best care, a very good feeding, as well as adequate spaces for the hens adding that if the person is willing to raise these hens for the use of trade must know everything about it.
This is how we will explain a little of how you should raise these fabulous hens, before explaining some factors that you should take into account, be very careful if you really want to raise these hens.
Remember that there are countless laying hens that are suitable for breeding because reproduction is much higher.
But Japanese hens are an excellent breed to breed because their parents are independent and you will not need a lot of work to train their chicks.
Very well, it is more than sure that if you are going to have a hen farm you may have more than one breed of hens.
I recommend that if you have delicate breeds such as these, do not place them together, because the hens together being of the same sex nothing can happen, but being of opposite sexes and different breeds, they can have eggs either of different breeds or of the same but not of the same characteristics.
So now you know the Japanese hens, should go in a place away from their other species to avoid mixing the race, it is very important that you take into account this advice, as there are people who not only sell their eggs or use them for food, but also sell these hens and their place of origin can become very expensive.
And the ideal is that you have perfected the characteristics of this bird.
Now, let’s start with the second step, because I have already given you the first one in the previous paragraph.
But you should not only choose the breed, which in this case is the Japanese, before buying or acquiring this hen is necessary that you observe very well their physical condition, the posture of it should be straight and as expected of this breed very active.
You must be aware of the eyes, these must be alive and is synonymous of health in hens.
Another thing you should be very attentive to know if the Japanese hen is in a healthy state is its beak, because the hens as well as animals tend to reflect diseases through the nose in this case by the beak, and if it is throwing liquid or mucus is necessary to go to the vet.
Another factor that we must take into account before buying a Japanese hen is the crest, remember that these hens are essential characteristics their crests because they must be alive and striking to be able to say that it is in its best state, otherwise it is not important to take to the doctor.
There are many factors that you must take into account when choosing the hen, but take into account these same factors because these birds are very careful, take into account the appearance of these birds and the characteristics.
Now these are the factors that should be taken into account to choose the Japanese hen to breed, because remember that you must buy large hens to have offspring, of course the couple is the most important, because the male is the most important for breeding.
Once you have chosen the Japanese hens, you should pay attention to their care, as well as they give you many benefits, you should take good care of them.
But do not leave these factors in oblivion after you have the hens on the farm, you should take these tips as a routine every time you visit them.
A checkup looking for these characteristics will help you prevent your birds from getting sick, and if you observe them with any of these characteristics, it is recommended that you immediately go to the veterinarian.
The hens of this Japanese breed need a lot of care, as well as cleanliness, which is one of the most important factors that you should take into account for their breeding, these birds are very neat and need a good sustenance and with many precautions.
Remember to be gentle with these birds, and that their egg production is not as abundant as that of other laying hens.
But I assure you that you will love to have these hens in your farm or farm, for this watch the following video, a small guide to raise these birds.
Reproduction of the Japanese
To raise Japanese hens you need a large space, because these birds are much larger than the common hens, but first watch this video about the chicks of this species.
And they must have a large enough space for breeding.
The reproduction of these birds is not very high, with an estimated 40 to 50 eggs per year, but they are very nutritious eggs.
Hens in breeding hatcheries.
At 6 months of age these hens define their sex and it is there where they can be separated until they reach their gestation stage.
These birds need sunlight to lay eggs, and that is why on rainy days, winter, when the sun does not rise much or on darker days, artificial light should be placed in their nests or houses so that they feel at ease and can lay easily.
For these hens to have a good reproduction, they need to be with a partner of the same breed.
The beds for the hens are very important especially for the Japanese hen, these are big comfortable made of straw, and cover all their needs, remembering that they are bigger than the common hens.
Now, in order to have a good reproduction you must put your hens in a large coop where they have the freedom to walk around.
When hens lay eggs, it is ideal to have a special incubator to protect their eggs if they are going to be away from it, because they are very good mothers and take care of their chicks very well.
Although for the reproduction of eggs they are not very abundant, it should be tried that the eggs they lay are due to the effect of the Japanese rooster .
For if the rooster does not mate with the hen, the hen will continue to lay eggs but these will be only for consumption, since they will be infertile and it will not do much good to let them live and come out of the shell alive.
If you want chicks you should leave the female with the male, and it is very important that when the female lays eggs you are very attentive to them, remember that birds and other species of animals tend to eat their own eggs in this case.
Another very important thing for the Japanese hen to lay their eggs healthily, is to have a normal life and not caged, if you have this hen under a cage and apart from inadequate size, they can become depressed and stop laying eggs.
But that is not what is wanted, because these birds are very particular and the idea is that they continue to reproduce for the preservation of their breed.
Although their meat is used for remedies as well as their eggs, they should not be treated as breeding birds.
When there is affection and good treatment towards these birds, it is more than certain that the results will be excellent.
let’s watch this video about the hatching of the egg of the Japanese hens.
Hygiene in the place where these birds live
Hygiene is fundamental in the life of Japanese hens, because for this species cleanliness is mandatory, it is undoubtedly a fundamental factor.
The people who work and manipulate these birds, in hatcheries and farms, must take into account that due to their high performance in production and the type of litter used to keep them comfortable is of a highly changeable material.
Earlier I mentioned that the hens’ litter is made of wood straw, and when the straw gets wet it can lose its properties, and insects, mosquitoes, rodents, frogs, and other animals can get close and contaminate the place and the space where the hens live.
And this not only affects the person who takes care of the hens, it also affects the birds themselves, their production, their eggs, and the chicks themselves.
Cleanliness is and must be fundamental and of primordial character, because if these hens get sick from contamination of their area, in this case their litter, the parts where they walk and where they go, it is very obvious that they will contaminate the other members of their brood.
And that can be a danger, because when this happens, there are two fatal consequences, the first is the loss of birds and danger to their species and the second is the economic loss of the places where they use the massive reproduction of these birds.
Another consequence of great importance is the health of the personnel, of the people close to these establishments; health is very important in humans as well as in animals.
So to prevent all these facts, you should simply keep clean all the corners of the farm, of the yard, of the farm itself, of the place where the hens are kept, and not only the Japanese hens but all the hens or other types of animals.
Cleaning constantly is the best thing to do and it is recommended, when you check your hens, take advantage and look, observe, you should be very careful with this.
You must clean with disinfectants, use chlorine, degreaser, and other cleaning agents, be careful that they are not too strong, of course at the time of cleaning let your chickens out to the solar to cool off and get some air, so they are not in contact with the chemicals to be used.
You must, change the straw of the hens to make it a complete cleaning and the best of all this is that the sun should reach parts and corners of the hatchery house.
The sun is very important for the place as well as for the hens, they must receive sun to nourish their skin, fluff their feathers more, in fact the Japanese hens must have a personal care, because of their abundant plumage.
So grooming and hygiene is very important for these birds, watch anyway this video about the hygiene of these birds.
Feeding of Japanese hens
The care of these hens is not only hygiene, and the sun to produce there is something that is as important as these which is food, because every living thing needs to be fed to live.
These hens with hair eat different portions, they are not very exquisite in their diet, but they can not eat any food, there are specific foods for hens and birds, Japanese hens consume them without any problem, the important thing is to be aware of the reaction of the same at the time of consuming the special food for birds that are undoubtedly processed.
Although processed foods are made from natural ingredients, most of them have a chemical added to make them last longer, and some of the hens may not like this type of food.
But it doesn’t mean that it won’t be given, on the contrary, try to give it, but be very careful of the reaction.
But if you do not want to use processed foods in these hens you can use corn which is one of the most common and simple for these hens, rice is another ingredient of the Japanese hen eye this should not have salt, any particle of salt, because salt can alter the body and the most beautiful of these hens their fluffy plumage.
Another food that these birds can not consume is meat, besides being expensive, it will damage their digestive system, but if they can eat pasta is a perfect food for them, as well as wheat and a very essential element in the diet of these hens are dried fruits, vegetables and even certain shells.
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The idea of nourished and natural food is that these hens are in their best condition, but the Japanese hen can get their food by themselves because since they are young the father teaches them to get their food from the depths of the earth such as insects, worms, grubs, worms and other such species that can be consumed by them.
Without a doubt, the diet of the Japanese hen is very varied and they are very independent, they simply eat when they are hungry, as long as there is a place where the food is located, if in this case they are fed by those mentioned before.
Water is another fundamental element for the hen, because this bird needs to be constantly hydrated with water, places where they can walk and rest in the shade.
Having said all this, we can deduce that the Japanese hen is very common in almost all its habitat, as their food, way of laying eggs and other aspects, what really differentiates it from the others are its characteristics.
The Japanese hens (silky hens) , are the oldest of this breed, because its beauty and difference to the others makes it a unique and unforgettable hen.
Before I go I leave this last video for you to watch more about these fluffy hens.
