Are you searching for a hardy commercial laying hen which produces excellent eggs? You don’t need to waste any more time. A highly versatile and robust chicken, Bovan’s Brown is highly recommended. The birds produce high peak production levels, show great laying persistence, and produce high-quality eggs.
It demonstrates excellent feed intake capacity and robustness in multi-age and free-range environments, fully expressing its genetic potential. The Bovan Brown maintains a great feather covering throughout the egg-laying cycle. If you are trying to determine whether this breed is right for your business, this article will be helpful.
Bovans Brown Chicken Breed Origin and History
As American poultry companies became more competitive in the 1950s, traditional Dutch poultry breeders faced increased competition. Four family-owned layer breeders formed a new breeding company in 1954 called Bovans Organisatie N.V. (Bovans Poultry Breeders). These hardworking farming families were the Bongers, van Duijnhoven, van Lankveld, and van der Linden (one Bo and three vans = Bovans).
Bovans was founded by Harry van Duijnhoven and his wife, Nora. Their Bovans layers reflect the robust and hardworking ethics of the four families who owned and operated the Bovans breeding center at Stevensbeek. Harry van Duijnhoven’s brother designed the original Bovans logo, which is still used today. Soon, Bovans Poultry Breeders developed into a strong and successful breeder, selling birds in Europe, America, Africa, and the Middle East.
Bovans Brown Chicken Physical Appearance and Characteristics
- As far as appearance is concerned, Bovans Brown chickens have beautiful feathering, typically in brown shades. However, it is not uncommon to see a few white spots scattered throughout their plumage.
- This breed’s white tail tip and brown feathering look great throughout the egg-laying period. There is a beautiful feathering that complements its red wattles, lobes, and comb.
- This breed is very attractive because of its dark brown color, as well as because of its eggs. When a chicken is 16 weeks old, it weighs approximately 1.8 kg; when it is 100 weeks old, it weighs approximately 2.0 kg.
- The average lifespan of a Bovan Brown chicken is 3 to 4 years. Keeping your chickens healthy with high-quality food, fresh water, and a clean coop will help them live as long as possible.
- Bovan chickens can start laying eggs as early as 18 weeks, earlier than other breeds.
Bovan Brown Chicken Breed Egg Laying Capabilities
- Bovan Brown chickens lay excellent quality eggs. Their brown shells are known for their large size and beautiful color. Regarding egg production, this breed consistently outperforms many other chicken breeds.
- The Bovan Brown hen can lay up to 464 eggs within 18 to 100 weeks. This can vary depending on whether the hens are free-range or in colonies.
- Colony-housed layers typically produce more eggs than free-range layers. Free-range hens can produce around 312 eggs within 72 weeks, while hens living in colonies can produce about 323 eggs.
- The number of eggs can increase to 354 in a free-range hen and 366 in a colony hen in her 80th week if she is housed in a colony.
- In 143 days, it can reach 50% of its production rate and peak at 96%.
- It is, therefore, one of the best commercial egg layer breeds available today.
Bovan Chicken Feeding
The food you feed your Bovan chickens determines how healthy or unhealthy they are. Poor-quality food is one of the fastest ways to harm your birds. What type of food should Bovans eat? You can feed Bovan chickens the same high-quality commercial feed that other breeds would give. They should also be allowed to scratch and forage for insects, grubs, and seeds if possible. Supplement your birds’ diet with fresh fruits and vegetables regularly.
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It is important to remember that the type of commercial feed you give your Bovan chicken will vary depending on its age and stage of life. For instance, chickens are usually given starter feed, which contains all the nutrients the young birds need to thrive. To ensure they lay strong eggs, hens will need layer feed supplemented with important minerals and vitamins, such as calcium.
Best Housing Setup For Bovan Chickens
It doesn’t matter where they live as long as they have enough space; Bovan chickens are not picky birds. Bovan chickens should have 4 to 8 square feet of coop space per bird and 8 to 15 square feet of run space per bird. Overcrowding can result in stress and unsanitary conditions, so the more space available, the better.
In addition, each bird should have about 8 inches of roosting space in the coop and one 12 x 12 nesting box for every three to four hens. The coop floor should also be covered with bedding material several inches deep. Approximately once a week, this litter needs to be replaced. Additionally, your flock should have access to dust baths, which help keep parasites like fleas and ticks at bay.
Bovan Brown Chickens Behavior/Temperament
Before raising a particular breed of chicken, one should consider how friendly it is or is not. While some breeds are friendly with humans, chickens, and pets, others can be aggressive. The Bovan chicken is considered a friendly bird that is docile and gentle. This breed often greets their keepers by sitting on their knees or roosting on them.
Considering this breed is good with children, you can understand why Bovans are often kept as pets. Additionally, Bovan chickens usually get along well with other chicken breeds, so you can usually add them seamlessly to your flock.
Typical Problems Raising Bovan Brown Chickens
Chickens are typically low-maintenance livestock with few, but not no, problems. Noise and smell are two of the most common problems with raising chickens. Let’s look at the problems you may encounter when raising Bovan chickens. Keeping Bovan chickens is easy, so they are a good choice for chicken keepers who want a low-maintenance breed. However, you must provide your flock plenty of space, fresh water daily, and good-quality feed.
The Bovan chicken is a hardy bird capable of adapting to various environments and conditions. Even though they are not susceptible to many health problems, you will need to ensure they receive the right nutrition and vaccinations. Vaccinating your chickens will protect them from the most common chicken diseases and ensure they lay strong eggs. Furthermore, you should keep your birds away from other birds. Your flock will be protected from diseases spread by unvaccinated birds.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, the Bovans Brown chicken breed is an excellent choice for versatile and productive chicken. Their exceptional egg-laying capacity, good meat quality, friendly temperament, and low-maintenance requirements make them suitable for backyard and commercial poultry farming.
Note: The images presented in this post are intended solely for representation purposes. The images are meant to serve as visual aids and should not be relied upon as accurate representations of their real-life counterparts.
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