Among the many chicken breeds, the “Zagorsk Salmon” stands out vividly, and it stands out not only for its unusual name and color corresponding to it, but also for its characteristics. More in detail about breed, features of its contents - further in article.
Breed origin
The breed was bred back in the times of the Soviet Union at the Institute of poultry farming in the city of Sergiev Posad, which until 1991 was called Zagorsk. Officially, the fruit of the crossing of four elite breeds was registered in 1955. 
The following breeds participated in the breeding work:
- "Yurlovskaya vociferous";
- "Russian White";
- "Rhode Island";
- "New Hampshire".
Appearance Description
Medium-sized bird with a wide, slightly elongated body, smooth back and posture. The rib cage is convex, wide, with wings tight to the body. The tail is small, bent upwards. Powerful paws without plumage, light yellow color. The long neck holds a rounded head, with a slightly curved yellow beak and a bright red comb and earrings.
Check out such meat - egg breeds of chickens as: Plymouth, Moscow, Kuchinskaya Jubilee, Master Gray and Tetra.
The color of the hen is lower in the abdomen, on the chest is salmon, the wings have brown patches, on the tail some feathers are black. Roosters can have three colors: black, white, yellow-brown. Adult weight: roosters - up to 3.7 kg, chickens - 2.2 kg.
Positive and negative sides of the breed
The first plus is seen in the flexible nature of the birds, they are not aggressive, they easily get along with other members of the pack, besides, they have a good maternal instinct. 
Among other benefits:
- adapt without problems in a new place;
- stress resistant;
- productivity is not affected by moving or replacing a rooster;
- high productivity in two directions: meat and egg;
- thanks to the hard shell, egg products tolerate transportation;
- unpretentiousness in food and conditions;
- strong immune system;
- a high survival rate (young growth - 90%, adults - 80%).
Among the disadvantages:
- hens are too mobile, easily jump over fences, can destroy garden plantings;
- addiction to obesity.
Did you know? Chickens and roosters were recognized as symbols and distinctive signs of many states and provinces. For example, the rooster is depicted on the coat of arms of Kenya, is one of the symbols of Portugal, the wild chicken is the national symbol of Sri Lanka.
Breed productivity
Salmon “Zagorskaya” practically does not yield to egg crosses:
- begins to rush at the age of four months, sometimes a little earlier;
- the average egg weight is 65 g;
- annual productivity - more than 200 eggs.
Maintenance and care
Equipping a place for walking and a chicken coop, it should be noted that the bird likes to take off to a great height. The yard for walking should be fenced with a net and a canopy, so as not to look for your pets around the garden and the nearby territory. In the hen house you need to establish perches higher than for ordinary breeds.
Important! The cellular content of this breed is not recommended: both egg and meat indicators are deteriorating.
Power Features
The smallest individuals are fed boiled eggs, in a few days they give cottage cheese, crushed cereal porridges. Then, bran, chopped vegetables and fruits, and greens are gradually introduced into the diet. Be sure to give the chickens fish oil, adding it to the feed. With two months transferred to an adult diet. Adults are fed feed, balanced, with the necessary additives. 
Grain food, vegetables and fruits are given by adding chalk and shell rock. You can give minced raw fish, but strictly in one portion so that it is fresh. They also prepare mash from grain, vegetable peelings or tops, on yogurt or boiled water, add bone meal, crushed egg shells as minerals and vitamins.
Important! In winter, when the walking of birds is limited, to successfully grind food into the goiter, birds need to place a bowl with coarse sand.
Breeding nuances
It should be immediately noted that there is one essential nuance in breeding: to breed a hybrid, if the female is “Zagorskaya”, then the male must be either “Cornish” or “Kuchinsky Jubilee”, and if the male is “Zagorsky”, then the female must be breed "New Hampshire" or "Adler silver."
The following diagram looks like this:
- Select tall and healthy individuals with the highest productivity.
- The chicken must be at least seven months old, the cockerel must be eight.
- Both individuals in the diet increase the amount of vitamins and proteins.
- Eggs are propagated using an incubator, for this purpose, choose a medium size material up to 60 g and lay it in one batch.
- In the first decade, the temperature in the incubator is set at +37.7 ° C, then it is lowered to +36.9 ° C.
- Hatched chicks are kept in an incubator until they dry out and are pubescent.
Did you know? Chickens can mate with several partners. In order for the offspring to be the most complete and healthy, the female is able to pluck out the seed of a weak partner.
Chickens of breed "Zagorskaya salmon"
Newborn individuals are already distinguished by gender: males of a light yellow color, the back of the hens is marked by black specks. At the age of five days, feathers begin to grow on the wings: in black males, in hens, in reddish. Growing up, the female on the breast and abdomen acquires a color characteristic of the breed. 
Chickens very quickly gain weight: being born with a weight of 35-40 g, by three months the roosters already weigh up to 2 kg, the hens reach such a weight by the age of six months. In conclusion, I would like to say that the Zagorskaya Salmon-breed chicken is a worthy and practical choice for both a large chicken farm and a chicken coop for ten individuals. These birds have proven themselves equally well in both the egg and meat directions, and received positive feedback from poultry farmers.
