The Marvelous Chicken: The History, Use, and Raising of Chickens

1937 Words4 Pages

The Marvelous Chicken Today, chickens born of pinpoint-focused genetics are raised by the millions in factory farms. The industrial frying chicken is physiologically adapted to gain weight so that it’s ready for the skillet in six weeks. Modern hybrid laying hens are so efficient that they don’t even think of sitting on eggs (Will). To understand the importance of chickens, one must know their history, their many uses, and how one can raise them effectively. Chickens are complex creatures that have greatly impacted history. Leading animal behavior scientists say that chickens have advanced cognitive ability: in some circumstances they are more advanced than cats, dogs, and primates (“Hidden”). This paper, written in the format of the Modern Language Association (MLA), discusses the history of chickens, there numerous uses, and how one can successfully raise them. Chickens have a diverse history full of unexpected facts. Chickens were first domesticated in Southeast Asia from wild birds, and “it is the belief of many archaeologists that chickens were first domesticated not for eating but for cockfighting” (Adler). However, today cockfighting is illegal in the United States because it is thought to be inhumane. Chickens are thought to the most numerous birds populating the earth. In the United States alone, there are 8.5 billion chickens are killed every year. That adds up to 272 chickens killed every second (Geer). Chickens are often thought of as mindless animals; however, that is not the case. Chickens are actually highly intelligent animals with attributes similar to those of primates. “Even when an object is taken away from the chicken and hidden they are able to comprehend that is still exist. Not many animals have the abili... ... middle of paper ... ...ent has its advantages. The chickens’ management requires less time: growers need only to feed, water, and check chickens. This also requires less land because the chickens only need a shelter and not a place to roam: at their largest, chickens need only two to three feet of space (“How”). Chickens are valuable animals: they can produce meat, eggs, and feathers. These intelligent birds have a long and prosperous history. To raise chickens successfully, one must have a detailed plan. They need to know what type of confinement is best for them, how many they want, and what type of feed to use. Clear knowledge and understanding of the types of chickens, their benefits, and the appropriate conditions for raising them effectively ensures that both chickens and the humans who raise and consume them will achieve humanely grown productive poultry to provide for human needs.

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