Animal Facts Wednesday

Instead of complaining about how many people are killed by moose each year or my own near encounters when I was a camp counselor in Alaska I decided to have another guest write in for the weird animal facts of today all about: CHICKENS.

brought to you by, Somebody's Mom and some chick from that sunset mag who looked up the facts named Elizabeth and of course the magical internet.

1. Even without a male, hens lay eggs because hello that's what they do. Plus roosters are hella noisy. Our neighbors have roosters and I totally agree.
2. A chicken closes its eyelids from the bottom.
3. If you rub a chicks chest it'll totally mellow out.
   
4. Fav food by chicks: wild fennel and hot green chilies: who knew they couldn't taste the spicy.
   
5. Stupid hens will confuse you with a rooster.
6. Adult hens usually lay an egg a day.
   

Also I'm totally for free range chicken and organic and i can't get rid of that image of how they kill chickens for fastfood places. It fairly freaks me out. Thank god I only read the kids version of FastFoodNation. Shite.

All hail chickens!

More facts if you can't get enough:

• A hen lives an average of 5-7 years, but can live up to 20 years. She'll lay eggs her entire life, with production decreasing every year from year one."
• Alektorophobia is the name given to "The Fear of Chickens".
• Americans consume 8 billion chickens a year.
• There are over 150 varieties of domestic chickens.
• Chickens were domesticated about 8000 years ago.
• A rooster takes 18-20 breaths a minute, a hen 30-35.
• All domestic chickens can be genetically traced to Gallus Gallus, The Red Jungle Fowl.
• A hen lives an average of 5-7 years, but can live up to 20 years. She'll lay eggs her entire life, with production decreasing every year from year one.
• I think they can run like 9 miles an hour?
• My favorite chicken is crispy chicken with ranch.
  
• I have never in fact killed a chicken but I have vague memories of plucking one at a ranch. But it could've been in a book I read.