Cluckmazing Facts~ (A New Facts Daily)

[TheChiggens]

DAY 39 CLUCKMAZING FACT~ Another one is that chicken eggs have a special gland that protects the egg from bacteria. It is called the "egg bloom" and is completely natural. Washing eggs runs the egg bloom off, causing bacteria to be able to enter the egg, making it possible for the egg to rot. If you do wash your eggs you should keep them in the fridge to prevent rotting. It takes two weeks for an washed egg to rot (I have tested this), but if kept in the fridge they will stay good for a couple of months. I believe an unwashed egg can last several months out of the fridge, and even longer in it!!

Thanks so much to @SoftSilkie for this fact!

 

[TheChiggens]

DAY 40 CLUCKMAZING FACT~ Chickens, like other birds, "have a countercurrent heat exchange system in their legs and feet—the blood vessels going to and from the feet are very close together, so blood flowing back to the body is warmed by blood flowing to the feet. The newly cooled blood in the feet lowers heat loss from the feet, and the warmed blood flowing back into the body prevents the bird from becoming chilled. And because bird circulation is so fast, blood doesn’t remain in the feet long enough to freeze.
They may also alternate standing on one foot at a time, pulling one up into their warm downy feathers, while the other stands in the cold, and then reversing them. And when they perch they can lower their bodies down to cover their feet, keeping their feet warm with their feathers.
Do cold feet bother birds? It’s hard to say for sure, but we do know that birds have few pain receptors in their feet."

Wow thanks a ton to @SueT for that very detailed fact!

 

[TheChiggens]

DAY 41 CLUCKMAZING FACT~ A chicken uses its beak not only to eat and drink but also to process objects, to track things down, to build a nest and to defend itself. The end of the beak is particularly sensitive due to the many nerve endings that are contained therein. That is why cutting off part of the beak, as is still the case with laying hens in many European countries, is very painful!

Thanks to @BDutch for info on this fact!
And congratulations to @BDutch for fact contributor of the week!

 

[TheChiggens]

DAY 48 CLUCKMAZING FACT~ Chickens can taste almost the same tastes as humans, as can most other animals. They have the ability to taste salty, sour and bitter, but don't seem particularly attracted to salty, sour or bitter foods. But they lack the "sweet" taste receptors, so what tastes sweet to us, won't taste sweet to a chicken!!!
Now that's cool!

 

[TheChiggens]

DAY 53 CLUCKMAZING FACT~ The oldest chicken, Muffy, is 22.

 

[TheChiggens]

DAY 56 CLUCKMAZING FACT~ Many people think chickens are vegetarians, but besides eating seeds, grass, and grain, they will catch and eat insects, lizards, toad, and even field mice!

 

[TheChiggens]

np

 

[TheChiggens]

Its nice to see people reading this daily!

 

[CindyinSD]

I would name mine, but even if they can remember their names, I couldn’t. How do we know they recognize their names and those of their flock? I think that’s pretty amazing.

 

[CindyinSD]

Heh, makes me feel bad though cause a lot of my birds have names, but some don't. Nothing says mom has favorites like "I have a name and you don't." :3

I think the ones we can tell apart easily tend to be more likely to have names. That said, my drakes have names: John, Paul, George & Ringo... but I don’t know which one is who...