September is National Chicken Month. So, let’s take a look at some fun facts about these fine feathered birds:
- The average American eats over 90 pounds of chicken per year. It is the number one protein consumed in the US.
- The US has the largest broiler chicken industry in the world, and we export about 19% of our production to other countries.
- Chickens may live 10-15 years, depending on the breed. The world’s oldest chicken was a hen that lived to the age of 16.
- It takes a hen about 24-26 hours to lay an egg, and they can lay about 300 eggs per year.
- In 2015, more than 40 billion pounds of chicken product was marketed, measured on a ready-to-cook basis.
- There are more chickens living on earth than people.
- In Gainesville, Georgia, it is only legal to eat chicken with your bare hands. People have been arrested for using a fork! Gainesville is the Poultry Capital of the World.
- According to the National Chicken Council, less than 1% of chickens nationwide are raised as free range.
- Chicken consumption per capita has increased nearly every year since the mid 1960’s, while red meat consumption has steadily declined.
- Our modern domesticated chickens are all descendents of the red jungle fowl of India and Southeast Asia. They have been domesticated for at least 4,000 years.
- The National Chicken Council was established in 1954. One of their first promotions was a recipe featuring baked frying chicken, biscuits, gravy, and broiled peaches. Wow, doesn’t that sound good!