Tag: facts

Fun Facts About Chickens

Did You Know?

  • Chickens are one of the oldest domesticated animals, with evidence of their domestication dating back to ancient Egypt over 4000 years ago.
  • Chickens are intelligent birds and can remember and recognize up to 100 other chickens.
  • Chickens have a complex social hierarchy and communicate with each other using over 30 different vocalizations.
  • Chickens can dream and have a sleep-wake cycle similar to humans.
  • Chickens have a good sense of direction and can find their way home over long distances.
  • Chickens have a pecking order and establish a social hierarchy through pecking and other forms of behavior.
  • Chickens can exhibit personality traits such as shyness or aggression, and some breeds are known to be more docile or energetic than others.
  • Chickens are omnivores and will eat a variety of foods, including seeds, insects, and even small reptiles.
  • Chickens have a highly developed sense of taste and are able to distinguish between different flavors.
  • Chickens are known for their ability to produce eggs, but they can also be raised for their meat.

More Interesting Facts…

  • Chickens, like all animals, have certain vital signs that are important indicators of their health and well-being. Some of the vital signs of chickens include:
  • Heart rate: A chicken’s normal heart rate is between 250 and 300 beats per minute.
  • Respiratory rate: A chicken’s normal respiratory rate is between 15 and 25 breaths per minute.
  • Body temperature: A chicken’s normal body temperature is between 105-106.7 degrees Fahrenheit (40.5 and 41.5 degrees Celsius).
  • Capillary refill time: This is the time it takes for the blood to return to a chicken’s comb (the fleshy protuberance on top of its head) after being pressed. A normal capillary refill time is less than 2 seconds.
  • Hydration: Chickens should have moist, elastic comb and wattles (the fleshy protuberances on either side of the head). Dry comb and wattles can be a sign of dehydration.
  • Gait: Chickens should walk and move normally, with no signs of lameness or weakness.
  • Behavior: Chickens should be active and alert, with a normal appetite and thirst.

Monitoring these vital signs can help you identify any health issues that your chickens may be experiencing, and allow you to take appropriate action to address them.

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50 Facts About Chickens That Will Ruffle Your Feathers

Did you know chickens are closely related to the Tyrannosaurus Rex?
Whether you prefer them as pets on a farm or on your dinner plate for a meal, here are 50 facts about one of the most classic farm animals!
There are more chickens on earth than people – 25 billion. There are also more chickens than any other bird species… Continue Reading

by The FACTSITE
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Salmonella and Poultry

If your a poultry keeper and not concerned with salmonella, you should be. Here’s the facts and how to protect yourself and your family.
Salmonella is a type of bacteria that is carried in the intestines of animals and
can be shed into the environment. People typically become infected after eating contaminated foods or from contact with animals or their environments.
Fact:  Chicks, ducklings, and other poultry are a recognized source of Salmonella

Exposure to Salmonella

People get sick from Salmonella by hand to mouth contact. Usually this
happens when people handle birds or their droppings and then accidentally
touch their mouths or forget to wash their hands before eating or drinking.

Even birds that do not look sick may be shedding Salmonella. And even though
a bird looks clean, it may still have germs like Salmonella on its feathers or feet.

Salmonella can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. Occasionally people
become sick enough to need to see a doctor or be hospitalized. Most people
develop symptoms 1 to 3 days after being exposed to Salmonella, and recover
in about a week. Some people are more susceptible to infection and will have
more severe disease. These people include young children, pregnant women,
the elderly, people on chemotherapy, diabetics, and others with weakened
immune systems.
Prevention
Whether you raise chicks or ducklings as a source of food or keep them as pets,
follow these steps to protect yourself and your family from illness:

  • Do not let children less than five years of age or others at high risk handle poultry or items contaminated by poultry.
  • Wash your hands thoroughly after handling poultry or their droppings.
  • Do not eat or drink around poultry or their living areas.
  • Do not let poultry live inside your home.
  • Do not wash the birds’ food and water dishes in the kitchen sink.

Disinfectants for Good Poultry Housekeeping

  • Roccal®: Mix 1/2 fluid oz of Roccal per gallon of water.
  • Nolvasan® (chlorhexidine diacetate 2 percent): Mix
  • 3 fluid oz of Nolvasan per gallon of water.
  • Household bleach (sodium hypochlorite 6 percent):
  • Mix 3/4 cup of household bleach per gallon of water.
  • Lysol® spray for footwear
  • Purell® hand pump for hand disinfection

Source: United States Department of Agriculture, USDA

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