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A very large industrial cross of meat and egg chickens, bred in Hungary, was originally brought to Ukraine. There, because of the place of origin, the cross was nicknamed the “Hungarian giant”. For the size, growth rate and color of the feathers, she cross received the second name “Red Broiler”. At the same time, its original name is “Foxy chick”, which was given to the cross by breeders for a color similar in color to fox.
A little later, the Hungarian giant chickens came to Our Country, where all Ukrainian nicknames were preserved for them. But chickens that really met the stated requirements grew up only from enthusiasts who imported chickens or eggs directly from Hungary. Hungarian giants are outwardly very similar to other similar breeds, often differing from Redbro egg-laying in size, and from Red Orlingtons in egg-laying.
In Ukraine and in Our Country, the Hungarian cross “Foxy Chick” is usually called that. But sometimes the same name is given to another Hungarian breed, the Magyar, which is easily confused with the Foxy.
Description of the breed of the red Hungarian giant: theory and practice
The description claims that the Hungarian giant is a large, heavy chicken with short legs. The weight of an adult chicken can reach 4 kg, and a rooster 6.
Although those who raised chickens imported from Hungary, roosters gained 5 kg per year. Chickens grow quickly, gaining almost 2 kg by two months. The slaughter yield of six-month-old Hungarians was in the range of 2-2,5 kg. Roosters can grow into real giants with a slaughter yield of almost 7 kg in 4 months.
Egg characteristics are very high for the meat and egg breed: 300 pcs. in year. Eggs are large, weigh 65-70g.
The color of the Hungarian is red. May be interspersed with feathers of a different color.
It was theory. The practice of growing real foxy chick crosses almost coincides with theory, but there are some nuances.
What in practice
In practice, the giants taken out with hatching eggs from Hungary as a whole showed characteristics almost corresponding to those declared. The cross has some features:
- Hungarian giants have uneven development. The body of chickens is formed earlier than that of roosters. While the hen already looks like a full-fledged thoroughbred giant, the rooster is more like some kind of leggy teenager of a fighting breed.
- it is not uncommon for giant laying hens to lay eggs with a double yolk and have a tendency to “poop eggs”;
- in the cross there are several lines that differ in their characteristics.
In the photo above, an adult sexually mature rooster of the Hungarian giant. On the bottom photo is a young cockerel of the same cross.
“Double” eggs are popular with housewives who use them in cooking, but are not suitable for an incubator. Accordingly, if you want to breed this cross yourself, the percentage of eggs that can be laid for incubation is reduced. Given a certain number of unfertilized eggs, the number of chickens that can be obtained from a Hungarian giant hen is very small.
The tendency to “pour eggs”, as practice has shown in these chickens, is genetic. Standard measures to eliminate this problem did not bring results, and the “guilty” chickens were slaughtered.
The color of the plumage varies greatly among the representatives of the cross. There are birds with white or black tails. “White-tailed” hens and roosters are more massive than brothers with black tails.
Breed “Magyar”, the second version of the Hungarian giant
The breed was bred by crossing local Hungarian chickens with Orlington. If the foxy chick is a rather rare cross, then the Magyars are almost unknown outside of Hungary. These chickens come in a variety of colors, including variegated varieties. But the main color of the Magyar is red-brown, similar to the dark variant of the foxy color.
Description of the Magyars
Chickens have dense, dense plumage, allowing them to easily endure weather troubles. There is sexual dimorphism. Chickens appear larger than roosters due to their wider bodies. However, the weight of hens is less than that of roosters.
The head is small, with a red crest, wattles and lobes. The comb is leaf-shaped. The beak is short, yellow. Neck of medium length. The back and belly are wide. The chest is well muscled. The tail is bushy but short. The rooster has short rounded braids. Metatarsus yellow, unfeathered.
Meat characteristics are good. But compared to Foxy, the Magyars are a medium-sized breed. The weight of roosters is not more than 3 kg, chickens – 2,5. Chickens are growing fast.
Egg characteristics are also lower than those of the Red Hungarian Giant. Magyar carries no more than 180 eggs per year weighing 55 g. The shell is brown.
Advantages and disadvantages of both breeds
These two Hungarian giants have different productive characteristics, but otherwise they are very similar:
- both breeds quickly gain weight;
- do not suffer from a tendency to obesity;
- sufficiently resistant to climatic disturbances.
The disadvantages of these chickens directly indicate their industrial purpose:
- food requirements. With the diet of ordinary village chickens, the development of young animals stops;
- high feed intake.
Pitfalls when buying a breed
In conditions, we are talking about a red giant (foxie chick). The Magyarov brought a few chicken breeders to themselves. Those who took care of self-delivery of a productive herd of foxies from Hungary, or used the services of trusted and reliable intermediaries, were satisfied with the bird.
But now many ads are offering chickens of this breed for sale.
With independent breeding, the offspring undergoes arbitrary splitting according to parental characteristics and a bird is obtained that has not retained either the properties of the Hungarian giant itself or the properties of the parent breeds of this cross.
Problems faced by buyers of giants from the hands of the ad:
- a large number of chickens with underdeveloped genitals. Especially a lot of kuraks;
- strong distrust. Chickens are half the size expected;
- cessation of development after the transition from the starter industrial compound feed for chickens to the diet of ordinary village chickens.
The red giant is positioned as a breed well suited for keeping private individuals in the village. Since in this case the chickens were sold under the brand name of the Hungarian Giant, but it is not known what was actually sold, it is impossible to say whose fault it is in this case. Perhaps a violation of the development of the reproductive organs is a genetic problem of Wengerok, or maybe these are the consequences of splitting according to the genotype.
Stopping development when switching to another feed may be due to the need for industrial cross-country in industrial compound feed. But it can also be all because of the same splitting.
A chicken may not grow well because of some diseases, or maybe because it is an unsuccessful second-generation hybrid.
Positive feedback about the Hungarian giant on the video:
Reviews of poultry farmers who tried to start a cross Hungarian giant
Conclusion
The Hungarian giant chicken breed is a very good breed for private farmsteads, but only on condition that this is the first generation of the cross and it was bought from a bona fide manufacturer or it is the Magyar breed. In fact, a real Hungarian giant must be brought from the country of origin – Hungary. For this reason, it is unlikely that the breed will be widely distributed in other countries. Especially considering the confusion in the names and appearance of birds. It’s easier to buy already proven breeds.