There's much to see here. So, take your time, look around, and learn all there is to know about chickens.
Help a family spread their wings. When chicks grow up to become chickens, their eggs not only provide an ongoing supply of protein-rich meals — they can also help start a small business and generate a steady source of income. ($10.00 donation)
Add a rooster to the chicken coop, and help the farm grow! More chickens on the farm mean more eggs to eat and sell at the market. ($15.00 Donation)
1. Chickens are living descendants of dinosaurs - Chickens are the closest living relatives of dinosaurs! Scientific evidence has proven the shared common ancestry between chickens and the Tyrannosaurus rex.
2. Chickens aren’t completely flightless - Chickens were domesticated about 8000 years ago, and evolved from the Red junglefowl, which are tropical birds that live in the jungle. These wild birds fly to escape predators and to roost high up in trees. Today’s domestic chickens still have the ability to fly, although not as effectively. Chickens can fly for short distances – enough to clear obstacles or reach a perch.
3. Chickens can dream - Research has shown that chickens experience REM (rapid eye movement) while sleeping, meaning they can dream just like us! They also have a sleep phase that humans don’t experience called unihemispheric slow-wave sleep, where one half of the brain is asleep and the other is awake. This means that chickens can sleep with one eye open, which is especially useful for looking out for predators.
4. Chickens have better color vision than humans - Like humans, chickens have colour vision, and are able to see red, green and blue light. However, what makes chicken vision unique from ours is that they are also able to see ultraviolet light, which are the colors you see when using a black light!
5. Chickens have complex communication - Chickens have over 30 unique vocalizations that they use to communicate a wide variety of messages to other chickens, including mating calls, stress signals, warnings of danger, how they are feeling and food discovery.
6. Chickens have great memories - Chickens are able to recognize over 100 different faces, even after being separated for extended periods of time, highlighting their long-term memory capabilities. These faces don’t just include chickens, they can recognize the faces of humans too!
7. Chickens bathe by covering themselves in dirt - While this may seem contradictory, the dirt is essential to helping chickens stay clean! Chickens have an oil gland on their back that is used to spread oil over their feathers to make them waterproof. Over time, the oil goes stale, and chickens need to wash the old oil off through dust bathing. Dust bathing is when chickens crouch on the ground and spread dirt or another dusty material over their body. The stale oil sticks onto the particles of dirt, and gets shaken off. Chickens can then spread fresh oil onto their feathers.
8. Chickens have a pecking order - Chickens live in groups called flocks. The social structure of these flocks depends on a hierarchy called a pecking order, which is an order of dominance. All chickens know their place in this order, and it helps to maintain a stable, cohesive group.
9. Egg shell color can be determined by the hen’s earlobe - Ever wondered what causes the difference between brown and white eggs? It depends on the breed of the hen, but it’s not feather color that tells you what color the egg shell will be. It’s the color of the hen’s earlobes! Generally, hens with red earlobes will lay brown eggs, and hens with white earlobes lay white eggs (with a few exceptions of course). Although the color of the eggs may differ, the nutritional content or flavor does not.
10. Chickens are very intelligent animals - Studies have shown that chickens are self-aware and can distinguish themselves from others. They learn from one another, such as a chick learning from her mother which foods are good to eat. Chickens can also demonstrate complex problem-solving skills.
TOTAL TIME: 20 min.
Servings: 8
Featuring all the fun fixings for a BLT chicken sandwich, this salad is so lovable. You can prep the ingredients ahead of time and just throw it together at the last minute. The barbecue sauce in the dressing gives it unexpected delightful flavor. Even picky eaters love this BLT chicken salad
TOTAL TIME: 20 min.
Servings: 8
Featuring all the fun fixings for a BLT chicken sandwich, this salad is so lovable. You can prep the ingredients ahead of time and just throw it together at the last minute. The barbecue sauce in the dressing gives it unexpected delightful flavor. Even picky eaters love this BLT chicken salad
by Taste of Home
Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 to 4 tablespoons barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 cups torn salad greens
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
2 hard-boiled large eggs, sliced
Directions
1. In a small bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients; mix well. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
2. Place salad greens in a large bowl. Sprinkle with tomatoes, chicken and bacon; garnish with eggs.
3. Drizzle with dressing.
Total: 1Hr 15 Min
Servings: 6
Tell everyone you’re having pie for dinner and see how big their smiles are. This homemade chicken pot pie recipe streamlines your work by using frozen peas and carrots and refrigerated Pillsbury™ Pie Crusts. Chicken pot pie is truly an heirloom recipe—cooks have been making it for centuries. One of the earlies
Total: 1Hr 15 Min
Servings: 6
Tell everyone you’re having pie for dinner and see how big their smiles are. This homemade chicken pot pie recipe streamlines your work by using frozen peas and carrots and refrigerated Pillsbury™ Pie Crusts. Chicken pot pie is truly an heirloom recipe—cooks have been making it for centuries. One of the earliest New World mentions of a recipe for chicken pot pie was in the cookbook American Cookery, published in 1796. Similar to the meat pies that had been popular in 16th century England, the American versions often called for the use of plentiful poultry instead of harder-to-source beef. This time-tested chicken pot pie recipe was first featured in the Betty Crocker™ Cookbook in 1950, and it’s remained a favorite of home cooks ever since.
by Betty Crocker Kitchens
Ingredients
1/3cup butter
1/3cup Gold Medal™ All Purpose Flour
1/3cup chopped onion
1/2teaspoon salt
1/4teaspoon pepper
1 3/4cups chicken broth
2/3cup milk
2 1/2to 3 cups cut-up cooked chicken
1 bag (10 oz) frozen peas and carrots
1package (14.1 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury™ Pie Crusts (2 Count), softened as directed
Directions
1. In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, onion, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly with whisk, until mixture is bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in chicken and peas and carrots; remove from heat.
2. Heat oven to 425°F. Roll 1 pie crust into 13-inch square. Ease into ungreased 9-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish. Pour chicken mixture into crust-lined dish.
3. Roll remaining pie crust into 11-inch square. Cut out designs with 1-inch cookie cutter. Place square over chicken mixture. Arrange cutouts on top crust. Turn edges of pie crust under; flute edge.
4. Bake about 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Tips
1. For a pretty finish to the crust, brush it with an egg wash (beat an egg with 1 tablespoon water) and sprinkle lightly with a coarse salt.
2. Use the small cutters to create steam vents in the top crust or just cut slits in the pastry with the tip of a paring knife.
3. For a lump-free white sauce, use a medium wire whisk to stir in the flour and then to constantly stir the sauce as you pour in the broth and milk.
Total Time: 30 Min
Servings: 6
This cream cheese spinach chicken pasta recipe comes together quickly and summarizes what “total comfort food dinner” really means. Made with farfalle pasta, rotisserie or leftover chicken, spinach, spices, garlic, cream cheese, and parmesan, you can make this incredible chicken pasta dinner.
by Christina Ch
Total Time: 30 Min
Servings: 6
This cream cheese spinach chicken pasta recipe comes together quickly and summarizes what “total comfort food dinner” really means. Made with farfalle pasta, rotisserie or leftover chicken, spinach, spices, garlic, cream cheese, and parmesan, you can make this incredible chicken pasta dinner.
by Christina Cherrier eatwell101.com
Ingredients
14 oz (400g) farfalle pasta
1/2 lb (220g) shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken or any cooked chicken you like)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup cream cheese
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup (125ml) low-sodium chicken broth (or cooking pasta water)
10 oz (300g) fresh spinach
1 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes, optional
Directions
1. To make the cream cheese spinach chicken pasta skillet: Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente, according to the package instructions. Reserve a cup of starchy pasta water if you don’t use chicken broth.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Make sure not to burn the garlic.
3. In the same skillet, stir in cream cheese and 1/2 cup chicken broth (or pasta water). Stir well to combine, then add parmesan cheese and stir well again, until the sauce is smooth. Adjust seasoning with red chili pepper flakes and black pepper.
4. Add the shredded chicken to the creamy sauce and give a quick stir to coat well and reheat.
5. Once the pasta is ready, add cooked pasta and spinach to the creamy sauce with chicken. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes until spinach is just wilted. Add more chicken broth or pasta water if need. Serve the cream cheese spinach chicken pasta with more red chili pepper flakes and more parmesan, if you like. Enjoy!
Tips
1. Cook each ingredient separately to avoid excess water from spinach and losing taste. You can save time by cooking all ingredients together but keep in mind the cream cheese spinach chicken pasta could end up being soupy and tasteless.
2. Don’t skimp on chili pepper flakes, they add a great spicy touch to this pasta recipe and cut through the blandness of spinach.
3. You can use any kind of pasta, but we favor pasta shapes that hold the sauce well such as farfalle, penne, rotini…
4. Either finely grate your own parmesan, or buy the finely shredded parmesan cheese at the grocery store. Do not use store-bought sandy or shaved parmesan that comes in plastic boxes, it will not melt properly in the sauce.
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