The Menorquina, also known as the Gallina de Menorca in Catalan and Menorquina in Spanish, is a breed of domestic chicken that was developed in the Balearic Islands’ Mediterranean island of Menorca. In many nations throughout the world, it is a well-known show bird, but on the island of Menorca, it is an endangered breed and is thought to be in danger of going extinct.
Description
The Minorca is a medium-sized breed found in Spain with consistently glossy, greenish-black feathers. The tail is virtually horizontal, while the rear is sloping. The face, wattles, and comb are all vivid crimson. The comb is single, smooth, and has six distinct points; in cocks, it is upright, while in hens, it leans to one side. The wattles are big, fine-textured, and smooth. The earlobes are big, oval or almond-shaped, and white. The legs are either black or a deep slate color, and the skin is white.
Several nations, excluding Spain, acknowledge rose-combed versions. In some nations, the Minorca bantam may also have rose-combed hair.
As Pet
Housing
Better off in a free-range environment, but will put up with minor confinement. Given that roosters are somewhat large birds, I would recommend allowing a minimum of 4-5 square feet (sqft) of coop area per bird, whereas the smaller hens only need 4 sqft. They develop good foraging skills in a free range environment and will find part of their own food, which is wonderful for your feed budget.
Although Minorca’s prefer being free range and are a little larger than other breeds, I’d say 12-15 sq ft per bird would be a fairer estimate because of how much they enjoy it. Remember that a miserable Minorca will lay less eggs, thus it’s crucial for the wellbeing of the chickens to give it a cozy environment.
Feeding
Chickens cannot eat chocolate because it contains a chemical that makes them extremely ill and, if consumed in sufficient quantities, can result in cardiac arrest. Beans are the other food that hens cannot consume. Even worse than non-dried beans are dried beans. In order to prevent beans from slipping in when feeding chickens table leftovers or if you want to let them roam free, make sure you are alert.
Offer the best food. Minorcas will benefit from a premium diet starting on hatch day. Make sure the feed you choose contains the appropriate amounts of calcium, protein, and other nutrients at each stage of life. For instance, hens should be fed specialized layer pellets or crumbles, and older chickens should be given nutrients to help them transition into their senior years.
Minorca chicks from 0 to 6 weeks old should be vigorous and require “chick crumb” or “starting chick” feeding. The right amount of protein is present in this meal for them to grow correctly at this young age. From 6 weeks on, they require growers mash, which is specially formulated to provide them with everything they require to get them close to maturity.
Temperament
They don’t get broody, which means they won’t stop laying eggs in order to sit on them and raise their own clutch of chicks. When they are young and still developing into good layers, they are said to be jittery. Minorca’s are a reasonably low maintenance resilient breed and make the ideal companion if you just want to “leave them to it.” Minorca’s are quite independent.
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