Chicken Hatching

Experiment:

Chicken Hatching

Background Information

Some facts about chickens

A chicken is a bird. One of the features that differentiate it from most other birds is

that it has a comb and two wattles. The comb is the red appendage atop the head, and the

wattles are the two appendages under the chin. These are secondary sexual characteristics

and are much more prominent in the male. The comb is the basis of the Latin name or

classification of chickens. In Latin, gallus means comb, and the domestic chicken is Gallus

domesticus. The Red Jungle Fowl, ancestor of most domestic chickens, is Gallus bankiva.

There are eight recognized kinds of combs: single, rose, pea, cushion, buttercup,

strawberry, V-shaped, and silkie.

The chicken has two legs and two wings, a fact that influences housing and

management. Heavy breeds used for meat production cannot do more than flap their

wings and jump to a little higher level or move more rapidly along the ground. he chicken

has pneumatic bones, making its body lighter for flying, although most domestic chickens

have lost the ability to do so. The lighter-bodied birds can fly short distances, and some

can fly over relatively high fences.

The chicken's temperature is about 107 degrees to 107.5 degrees F.

Chickens have comparatively short life spans. Some live to be 10 to 15 years old,

but they are an exception. In commercial egg production, birds are about 18 months old

when they are replaced by new, young stock. It takes close to six months for a female

chicken to mature sexually and start laying eggs. Then, they are kept for 12 to 14 months

of egg production. After that their economic value declines rapidly, so they are disposed

of when they are about 18 months old.

Chickens and Eggs in the Economy

Poultry and eggs are a comparatively cheap food of high nutritional quality.

Value of production (in billions of dollars)

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996

Poultry and Egg 15.0 16.9 17.8 18.7 19.5

Broilers 9.2 11.0 11.4 11.8 12.2

Eggs 3.4 3.3 3.7 4.1 4.4

Turkeys 2.4 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9

Chickens 0.083 0.076 0.086 0.080 0.084

Consumption Per Person

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996

Eggs (No.) 255 236 237 235 236

Chickens (lbs.) 58 70.3 71.5 70.3 71.6

Turkey (lbs.) 12 17.9 18.0 17.9 18.5

Total poultry (lbs.) 70 88.2 89.5 88.2 90.1

Beef (lbs.) 79 65.1 67.5 67.4 67.7

Pork (lbs.) 62 52.4 53.1 49.1 49.1

Lamb, mutton, veal (lbs.) 3 2.2 2.1 1.9 2.3

Total red meat (lbs.) 144 119.8 122.7 118.4 119.1

Total Consumption

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996

No. layers (million) 270 265 260 258 250

No. eggs (billion) 70.6 74.2 74.0 73.9 73.7

Broilers (billion) 6.4 6.8 7.0 7.3 7.5

Turkeys (million) 269 287 289 293 297

Information on Eggs

Value of eggs

Food prices continue to climb, particularly for high-protein foods, and consumers are

constantly searching for ways to reduce their food bill. One way is to include more eggs in

the diet. Comparing protein foods on a pound-for-pound basis, eggs cost about 95 cents a

pound when large eggs are selling for 64 cents a dozen. It is difficult to purchase any other

high-protein food--meat or fish--for this low price.

Essential nutrients

Eggs are especially valuable as a source of protein. In fact, egg protein is used as the

standard against which the quality of other food proteins is measured. One egg contains

about 6 to 7 grams of protein. People of all ages need adequate protein for building and

repairing body tissues.

The fat in the yolk is so fine that can be digested easily, even by infants. The ratio of

unsaturated to saturated fats is about 2 to 1. This is considered very desirable. Oleic acid

is the main unsaturated fat. It has no effect on blood cholesterol. Eggs contain vitamin A,

the B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin), and vitamin D. All are necessary during

childhood and adolescence for growth. Eggs also contain an abundant supply of minerals,

such as iron and phosphorus, that are essential for building and maintaining strong, healthy

bodies. But eggs are low in calcium (it is in the shell), and contain little or no vitamin C.

Individuals