Fun Facts

Approximately 95% of all broiler chickens are raised on family-owned farms. At Mountaire Farms, that number is 100 percent. All of our contract growers are family farmers.

The poultry industry follows what is known as a “Vertical Integration” model. This means that a poultry producer company is involved in every stage of producing chickens (from the feed, to hatcheries, to grow out, to processing and much more)

Chickens take “dust baths” as their way of keeping clean; they fluff up their feathers, find some loose dirt, and start moving around to stir up the dust and coat themselves. This helps clean off their feathers and removes any excess oil from their feathers or body.

Chickens do not have a diaphragm - they breathe by dropping their keel bone.

The domestic chicken that we know and love today is a descendent of the Red Jungle Fowl that is native to Asia. It's also thought that Grey Jungle Fowl also contributed to our modern day chicken.

Roosters perform a dance known as “tidbitting” by making food sounds and picking up and dropping pieces of food on the ground near a female. Hens apparently prefer males who do this dance to those who don’t.

There are said to be more than 25 billion chickens on the planet, which makes them the most abundant bird in the world.

There are around 30 distinct vocalizations that chickens make as their form of communication.

Eggs need to be turned multiple times a day in order to hatch.

Scientists believe that chickens are the closest living genetic relation to the T-Rex.

A hen will produce fertile eggs for up to 21 days after just one mating.

There are over 100 breeds of chickens, and over 500 variations (variations include the different colors within a breed).

Chickens have binocular vision and can see colors very well. They are also believed to have 360 degree vision similar to owls.

Chickens have some bones that are known as pneumatic, which means they are hollow. This is a common trait with many birds because it makes their body lighter and easier to fly.

Chickens invented the “pecking order” because they develop a social hierarchy system where the chickens in charge will peck at the weaker chickens to get their point across as the stronger chicken.

Chickens have what is called a “crop,” which is a small pocket outside of the digestive tract where they can store food and water until their body is ready for more.

A chicken’s gizzard is how its body makes up for not having any teeth; this part of the body is made up of strong muscles that can crush the food to start the digestive process. It’s also thought that birds often ingest small rocks and stones because they aid the gizzard in mechanical digestion.

A chicken egg takes approximately 21 days to incubate.

Did you know that there are chicken shows, just like dog shows? They are held by the American Poultry Association and have specific guidelines they use as breed standards for the different type of chickens.

Baby chickens are chicks. Female chickens are pullets until they’re old enough to lay eggs and become hens. Mature male chickens are called roosters, and a cockerels is a young male.