Chicken Fun Facts!
Some facts on Chickens, From the Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom 2018-19 Calendar for Teachers:
- Egyptians had domesticated, or tamed, fowl that laid eggs for man to eat by 3000 B.C.
- More than 300 breeds of chickens exist, but only a few are used for meat-type production.
- The term poultry refers to chickens, turkeys, ducks, ostriches, emus, quail, pheasants, geese and pigeons raised for meat or eggs.
- Chickens need grit, which is a mixture of angular, hard crushed rock in their diet to produce eggs.
- Chickens are omnivores. They eat seeds and insects but can also eat larger prey like small mice and lizards.
- All nine essential amino acids that your body needs, but cannot produce, are found in eggs.
- Each year, Illinois produces nearly 128-million dozen eggs!
- Eggs have six grams of protein that help sustain mental and physical energy.
- Eggs are used in vaccines, paints, shampoo, conditioners and animal feed.
- Egg yolks are one of the few foods that naturally contain Vitamin D.
- Eggs contain zero carbohydrates and no sugar.
- Chickens can run up to nine miles per hour for short periods of time and can get airborne enough to get over a fence.
- The house or cage in which a chicken lives is called a coop.
- Feathers of poultry are used to stuff pillows and insulate clothing.
- Chicken is the most consumed protein in the United States.
- Illinois has over 5,000,000 chickens.
*From the Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom 2018-19 Calendar for Teachers