Chickens

Our Hens are sourced from The Hen Welfare Trust. When we collect them they look like this, after just a few weeks their feathers grow back and their health improves significantly as does the colour and condition of their comb. To find out more about their adoption programme visit: https://www.bhwt.org.uk

Day 1 Arriving at Oaks Barn Farm
After just a few weeks of care
  • Chickens love to play, run, skip and flap their wings. They also enjoy sunbathing. 
  • Hens teach sounds to their chicks while they are still in the egg.  

For more information on staying at Oaks Barn Farm visit: Accommodation Options

  • Chickens have a profound memory and are able to distinguish between more than 100 faces of their species. They can also recognise people. 
  • Chickens are able to distinguish colours. They also see ultraviolet light and iridescent hues. Their world looks more colourful than ours. 
  • Chickens demonstrate REM (Rapid Eye Movement) when sleeping. So they are capable of dreaming, just like us human beings. 
  • Chickens make friends. Some bonds are so close that grief at the death of another member of their species can be so strong that the chicken left behind will die soon afterwards.  
  • The cognitive skills of chickens are similarly high to those of a dog or cat.  
  • Chickens have pain receptors, which means that they are able to feel pain and suffering. 
  • They can taste salt but not perceive sweet tastes.
  •  Chickens understand that when an object is taken away and hidden, it still exists. 
  • Chickens know who’s boss—they form complex social structures known as “pecking orders,” and every chicken knows his or her place on the social ladder.
  • Chicken meat is one of the leading sources of proteins among authentic Latin American cuisine. Nutritionists indicate that chicken breast contains 21 grams of protein per 100 grams, which is not common in other foods. Proteins rank among the best food consumed by human beings, especially when it comes to health-related issues. Amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins, are major bodybuilders and muscle generators. 
  • According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2008, chicken meat is very useful in controlling blood pressure. If you have been struggling to control your blood pressure, it is high time you incorporate a natural approach and start locating the best Rotisserie chicken restaurants. Chicken meat is classified together with fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy as essential foods in people with hypertension.
  • If you feel you need skin replenishment after a hot summer, you don’t have to go for high-end creams and other skin oils. Regular consumption of chicken will naturally replenish your skin. Chicken livers contain Vitamin B2, commonly known as riboflavin, which drastically reduces skin problems while at the same time repairing damaged or dry skin. 
  • A factory-farmed chicken lives an average of 42 days. In the wild, chickens can live for several years.
  • Our hen houses are produced by solway, manufactured from recycled farm plastic and waste oil https://www.solwayrecycling.co.uk
  • Our hen houses our cleared on a weekly basis and the straw and poo are used in the garden and greenhouse.
  • The average chicken lays between 180 and 240 eggs per year but modern sex linked hybrids can lay 350 eggs per year under ideal conditions
  • A general rule, unwashed eggs will last around two weeks unrefrigerated and about three months or more in your refrigerator. If you’re experiencing an egg boom, it’s smart to refrigerate any unwashed fresh eggs you aren’t planning to eat immediately.
  • Eggs Are Among the Most Nutritious Foods on the Planet Only 77 calories, with 5 grams of fat and 6 grams of protein with all 9 essential amino acids. Rich in iron, phosphorus, selenium and vitamins A, B12, B2 and B5 (among others). About 113 mg of choline, a very important nutrient for the brain.

Take a look at this chicken quiz: https://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/Animals/Chickens-30998.html