Here are 6 of our favourite chicken and hen facts we’ve put together to share with anyone interested in learning more about these beautiful feathered creatures.
If you’ve got some fun chicken facts that we haven’t included here, contact us so we can share it and spread the word on how amazing these birds are!
Did You Know…
1. Hens are just like human mothers
And roosters are just like fathers. A mother hen clucks to her babies while they are still in the egg so when the chicks hatch they can recognise her voice.
In the egg industry male chicks are treated as waste products as they are unable to lay eggs. They are killed not long after being hatched generally by maceration or gassing.
2. Chickens can recognise 100 faces and possess full-colour vision
Most people aren’t aware that chickens have amazing memories and strong facial recognition skills. They can recognise and distinguish approx 100 faces including both human and animal and even see UV light.
3. There are more chickens on Earth than there are people
Current estimates are around 25 billion. These large numbers are bred to maintain current consumer demand for their flesh and secretions. Every one of those chickens is an individual with their own personality, likes and dislikes and their own desperate will to live.
4. Isa browns are the most common commercial layer hen
They have been selectively bred to lay eggs at over 10 times their natural rate laying on average 350 eggs per year.
5. Hens are sociable
Hens have friends and family groups, and form complex social hierarchies called pecking orders. They are very social animals who share experiences and have affection for one another.
6. Matilda is the name of the oldest living companion chicken ever recorded and is 16 years old!
Unlike most hens, Matilda never produced eggs. Her veterinarians believed Matilda’s lack of egg production contributed significantly to her extraordinarily long lifespan.
