About Chickens

With a worldwide population of more than 25 billion, there are more chickens in the world than any other type of bird. They are kept as pets, as food and as food producers. Many people don't think of chickens except when they appear on a sandwich or their eggs appear on a plate for breakfast, so we're going to take a closer look at these domestic fowl.

History
- Modern-day chickens are descended from the red and gray junglefowl, native to India. From India, the chicken spread throughout Asia, and from there to the rest of the world. In ancient Greece, chicken was something of a delicacy, and in Rome, chickens were used not only for food but as vehicles for Roman oracles. The behavior of chickens cared for by pullaris was interpreted as favorable or unfavorable omens.
Significance
- Chickens are well known for being affordable and easy-to-keep food sources. They are used not just for their meat, but for their eggs as well. Nearly every part of the chicken can be prepared and consumed, making for a low-cost food source that goes a long way. Chickens are generally low-maintenance animals as well.
  In some countries, the plumage from uniquely-colored chickens is used for decoration and ornamentation. These ornamental birds are often raised strictly for their plumage.
  In some places, chickens are also kept as pest control. They are scroungers that hunt bugs and small insects for food, and can be used to keep bug populations under control in places where insecticides are not used.
  Change in chicken farming represents a drastic change in the farm life in America. Until the 1960s, most chickens were raised on small family farms. As the demand for eggs and meat grew, however, so did the idea of mass-producing chickens. Raising chickens became an almost industrial process, with rows and rows of thousands and thousands of birds being churned out in factory-like conditions. As the supply and demand principle drove prices down, it pushed many small chicken farmers out of business. Now animal rights groups are active in the chicken production arena, insisting that many of the practices are cruel and inhumane.
Size
- The world's smallest chicken is generally accepted to be the Serama. This Malaysian breed weighs only between 6 and 17 oz. The Serama is also one of the most colorful breeds, with a documented 2,500 different color varieties. In comparison, most "standard" chickens weigh in the neighborhood of 5 lbs.
Warning
- Chickens have not been without controversy. Animal rights groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) frequently warn consumers that the chickens that are raised, slaughtered and delivered to dinner tables across the country were raised in cruel, inhumane conditions. Some of these conditions, they maintain, include farms where beaks are removed to keep the chickens from fighting, and farms where birds are selectively bred for larger breasts, leading to heart failure and leg problems.
  Chicken feed has been found to contain the drug Roxarsone, which is designed to promote growth in the chicken. However, the drug also contains minute traces of arsenic, and has been linked to brain damage in young children who consume a significant amount of chicken.
  There is also the danger of salmonella. It is estimated that more than 1 million Americans per year become sick after eating improperly cooked chicken that is tainted with salmonella bacteria. Salmonella develops when chickens are prepared improperly after slaughter and infected matter from the chickens' intestines leaks into their bodies.
  Chickens are also susceptible to a number of parasites.
Misconceptions
- Chickens are not herbivores. Like hawks and falcons, baby chicks are known to consume insects, small lizards and even mice.
  Roosters crow not just at dawn, but can crow at any time during the day. Most often, the crowing of a rooster during the day is an alert to some sort of disturbance in his territory.
  Chickens kept in outdoor pens often have their wings clipped, because they can fly over fences and for short distances.
  Unless tame, chickens will roost, live and lay eggs in trees.
  Chickens are very social animals, living in family groups in the wild.
  Chickens are also very intelligent, and understand concepts that elude young human children. Studies have shown that chickens understand that an object does not disappear just because they can no longer see it.
  They have also gotten a bad rap with their name being synonymous with the idea of cowardice. A mother hen will defend her chicks from other hens who come near her, and they have even been known to fight with birds of prey and small carnivores to protect their young.