In any rural area, it is customary to keep chickens in the courtyards. But that bird, which is kept in the yards, rarely turns out to be a thoroughbred, since not everyone gives birth to hens of large breeds. There are many reasons for explaining this phenomenon, but the main one is high feed costs. In addition, not everyone knows what the largest chickens in the world are.
Rock directions
Perhaps the very first domesticated bird can be considered a chicken. Why her, not geese or ducks? The answer is simple. No bird has as many productive areas as chicken.
The breeds are united in the following groups:
- Egg These hens are characterized by increased egg production.
- Meat and egg. Birds of this direction are characterized by greater body weight (when compared with egg breeds), but have less egg production. Clean lines or crosses are often kept on peasant farmsteads, where the goal is not only to get eggs, but also tasty meat.
- Meat. This group includes those breeds that are heavy. A typical representative of this group is brama. This is not a leader in the chicken family, but one of the largest varieties of chickens.
And the total number of chicken breeds and crosses exceeds two hundred, but only a few of them can boast of impressive dimensions.
Giants of the chicken family
Rocks that are large in size relate to two directions. These are meat and egg and meat. Here is the bird size rating:
- Jersey giant.
- Master Gray.
- Kokhinhin.
- Brahma.
- Dorking.
There are other large species, but the largest chickens in the world are representatives of the breeds listed above.
Now, let's take a closer look at each of these birds.
Jersey giant
As the name implies, the homeland of this breed is the United States. Her story goes back a hundred years.
The first representatives were bred by Uham Dexter in 1915, but officially the new breed was recognized only in 1922. This happened in the state of New Jersey, in honor of which the poultry breeder named a new variety of hens.
Initially, the largest chickens in the world were exclusively black, but later breeders brought out various color variations. Now there are three colors:
All these colors are universally recognized. At exhibitions, the correspondence of birds to the pedigree description is carefully monitored.
The Jersey giant belongs to the meat industry, but it is not only grown to produce tasty meat. This breed is often kept for aesthetic purposes, because a beautiful and large bird is able to decorate any compound. The largest breed of chickens in the world is presented in the photo below.
Males weigh about 7 kg on average, but there have been cases when the weight of the bird was about 10 kg. Chickens reach a body weight of 4-4.5 kg, and begin to rush seven months after birth. In one year, one bird can lay up to 180 eggs, which is quite a lot for meat production.
Experienced poultry farmers note that the largest chicken in the world is actively gaining weight in the first five months, then the growth rate decreases. For this reason, slaughter of young animals is recommended at the age of six months.
Master gray
It is believed that the first representatives of the breed were bred in France. But this is a very controversial statement, as some believe that Hungary is their homeland. In the CIS, this breed of the largest chickens in the world is often called the Hungarian giant.
Roosters usually grow up to 7 kg, and hens - up to 4 kg. Their characteristic difference from the breed described above is the increased egg production. One bird can produce up to three hundred eggs per year. It is worth noting their increased weight. Sometimes one testicle can reach 90 grams.
A typical breed color is gray-white plumage with dark spots.
The breed is characterized by excellent health and adaptability, so they can be kept in cages. However, in spacious enclosures, the bird grows faster and has better health.
Young chickens begin to rush from the age of four months. At first, the weight of the eggs is small, but gradually it increases. This rule applies to laying hens of any breed.
Kokhinhin
The appearance of this beautiful breed we owe to China. It was there that these birds were brought. However, according to some information, Vietnam should be considered the birthplace of kokhinhin, where the pedigree signs of the bird were fixed.
Looking at the photos of the largest chickens in the world, you are sure to pay attention to Cochin. It is slightly inferior in size to the two previous breeds, but in beauty it is the undisputed leader. The body of these birds covers loose plumage from the crown to the tips of the fingers. No wonder they are often kept for decorative purposes.
The color of both hens and males is different, but the following are more often distinguished:
- Blue.
- White.
- Black with a greenish tint.
- Pale yellow.
- Black and white.
- Striped (motley).
The weight of the largest roosters can reach 5.5 kg, the mass of hens rarely reaches 4 kg. Egg production is small (about 120 eggs per year). The first eggs that a young chicken will lay can be expected no earlier than the eighth month of life.
Interestingly, this breed has small representatives. They are called dwarf kokhinkhiny.
Brahma
This is one of the oldest breeds. The history of its formation dates back almost two centuries, although it was officially recognized only in 1874. It was bred in the United States. For breeding used other breeds (kokhinkhina and Malay).
The original purpose of the selection was to obtain a bird with good meat characteristics. We must pay tribute to the poultry farmers - they managed to achieve their goal. In the XX century, Brama was one of the five popular breeds among breeders and lovers.
But over time, breeding priorities have changed. Breeders began to select birds for decorative reasons. This led to an improvement in appearance, but the weight of the hens decreased. If a few decades ago, roosters weighing up to 7 kg were often found, now their average weight is 5 kg. But still it is a very large bird. The average weight of the chickens is currently 4 kg.
They begin to lay their first eggs in the eighth month of their life. The total egg production per year is 120 eggs. Their mass rarely exceeds 60 grams.
From the third year of life, the egg production of chickens is noticeably reduced (this is typical for most breeds). And from the fifth year of life, chickens begin to carry less than fifty eggs a year. All this should be taken into account by those who intend to professionally engage in the maintenance of this bird.
There are four main colors of the breed:
- Pale yellow.
- Dark.
- Light coloured.
- Partridge.
The content of the brama is unpretentious and well suited for the climatic conditions of Russia. This factor to a large extent can explain the increasing popularity among breeders of this breed.
Brahms have another plus - due to their large size they are able to fend for themselves, so do not be afraid of cats and small dogs.
Dorking
This breed was bred purposefully. The main criteria for the selection were fast mass gain and resistance to difficult climatic conditions. Selection was carried out in the UK, in the city of Dorking, in whose honor the new breed was named.
All this happened back in the 19th century. For breeding purposes, the largest chicken brought from Italy, as well as local birds living in the difficult climate of England for centuries, were selected.
Dorking is not very diverse. There are only two of them:
- White.
- With colored feathers (different colors).
Roosters of this breed reach a mass of 4.5 kg, and hens - up to 3.5 kg. The average egg production per year is 120-140 eggs, the weight of which can exceed 60 grams.
Chickens of this breed are quite demanding to care. If the conditions and feed prove to be inappropriate, then the death of young animals is possible.
The adult bird has great endurance and adapts to even the most difficult climatic conditions.
Is it worth getting big chickens
If you have a desire to do farm work, then before you get any poultry or livestock, you should seriously think. Here are some tips to help you understand if you are ready for this complex and responsible business:
- First, you need to know exactly if you will have time to care for livestock.
- Secondly, you need to decide which breed is worth choosing. Do not take a bird that is difficult to maintain if you do not have any practical experience in such a matter. You may not be able to cope, and your hens will die, and this will long discourage the desire to engage in subsidiary farming.
- Thirdly, evaluate your financial capabilities, since the maintenance of a large livestock requires certain financial costs.
Headless rooster
One case that occurred in the USA in 1945 is very indicative. It so happened that the farmer Lloyd Olsen decided to cook chicken for dinner. To do this, he chose a young rooster of the Wyandotte breed and hacked it. But what happened next shocked him: the bird got up and went along the road, as if nothing had happened.
This story is well known all over the world, because the cock was later shown for money. From the moment of chopping off the head to the death of Michael (as this amazing bird was called), a year and a half has passed.
This event took place in Colorado, there is also a monument to this unique bird, which changed the perception of reality of many people.
So far, science has not been able to explain this case, because until the end of days Michael did not just live, but also behaved in a natural way for chickens (he even slept on a perch).
Centenarian chicken
Most chickens live about 4-5 years, because their main egg production falls on the first 2-3 years of life. And poultry farms generally practice keeping the poultry for up to one year, then it is slaughtered or sold to the public.
In rural areas, chickens have a slightly different attitude, but also no one has kept them for a long time. The maximum lifespan in natural death rarely exceeds 10 years.
But still, one case was recorded that occurred in China in 1988. A 22 year old chicken was discovered there. It was estimated that in her life she laid over 5,000 eggs.