Animal Welfare

Laying hens - Hungary

After the second world war, the typical Hungarian breeds which were used both for egg laying and meat producing has been replaced by hybrids for modern technologies. Around the 1970’s complex breeding technology systems has been developed, but currently the certified breeding societies are responsible for managing the sector.

Breeding methods existing in Hungary : intensive, traditional, alternative

Practice of hen raising and breeding in Hungary

• Breeding flocks

According to the different technologies, light programs and feeding programs are used to obtain optimal egg laying. Space allowance, water and feeding practice and the temperature are different for each hybrids and technologies. Breeding hens are kept in deep litter systems, always debeaked to avoid cannibalism, stress and to get better feed conversion.

• Egg laying hens

Commonly used hybrid is Shaver. Four types of cages are commonly used in Hungary , where the space allowances is 400cm2/bird. It is a common practice to raise the egg producer hens in cages before they are put into production. Light programs and feeding programs are used to control and increase egg laying periods.

Mutilation:

• Debeaking is common
• Crest and claw cutting is practiced on leghorn types

Forced moulting:

Intensively kept laying hens are used for egg production for one period (about 18 month) and then the animals are sent for slaughter. It is technically possible to force the birds artificially to produce eggs for another period. The technology is called forced moulting. Different methods are existing to achieve that: basically radical feed and water deprivation is used for certain period of time which leads to moulting and rapid weight loss. This is a practice commonly used in Hungary .

Starvation:

Hybrids which give brown eggs are usually getting restricted feed, to control the animals’ weight.

In: Status of Farm Animals, Hungarian report, 2002, CIWF, Written by Virag Kaufer