Poultry

Poultry are birds that live with people.

People keep them for meat, eggs, or feathers.

Chickens are very common. They came from wild birds in Asia. Long ago, people kept them for food.

Ducks are other kinds of poultry. They have webbed feet. They like to swim in water.

Some birds are small. Quail are one kind. They can be kept for their songs.

These birds are helpful to us. They give us good food to eat. We can find them in many lands.

Poultry are birds that people raise.

We keep them for meat, eggs, or feathers.

Most poultry are birds like chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese.

Chickens are the most common. They come from wild red junglefowl.

People first raised them in Southeast Asia. This happened about 8,000 years ago. Some people used them for fighting or for songs. Later, people bred them to grow fast. They also bred them to lay many eggs.

Ducks are also popular. They have webbed feet for swimming.

Most ducks come from the wild mallard. People farm them for meat, eggs, and soft down feathers. In some parts of the world, ducks are more popular than chickens.

Other birds are part of the poultry family too. Guinea fowl and geese are common examples.

Even small birds like quail are kept. Some people keep quail for their songs. Poultry provides a lot of protein for people to eat.

Poultry are domesticated birds that people raise for many useful things.

Humans keep these birds to harvest meat, eggs, or feathers.

Most poultry belong to groups called Galliformes or Anseriformes. This includes common birds like chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese.

These birds are different from wild game birds hunted in nature. Raising these animals is a practice known as poultry farming. It is a very important way to provide food for people.

Farmers use different ways to raise their birds today. Some people keep small flocks in wide, open spaces. Most birds in the market come from large commercial enterprises.

People use selective breeding to change how birds look and act. They choose birds that grow fast or lay many eggs. Some birds are bred to be very calm and docile. This helps them live well with humans. Breeding can also change their plumage, which means their feathers. Modern breeds often look very different from their wild ancestors.

History shows that people have worked with birds for a long time.

Scientists believe chickens were first domesticated about 8,000 years ago. This likely happened in Southeast Asia with red junglefowl. People might have started by hatching eggs from the wild. Later, they began keeping the birds in permanent captivity. Chickens spread to China and India much later. By 2000 BC, they had reached the Indus Valley. They even arrived in Egypt around 1750 BC.

Many different types of birds serve different purposes.

The White Leghorn is a popular breed for laying eggs. Some birds, like the Pekin duck, are raised for meat.

Ducks are often farmed for their meat, eggs, and soft down. The mallard is the ancestor of most domestic ducks. In the United Kingdom, Pekin ducks are very common. They can lay 200 eggs in a single year. Some people even keep small birds called bantams for fun. These are much smaller than standard chicken breeds.

Poultry is a huge part of how the world eats.

Along with pork, poultry is one of the most eaten meats. In 2012, these two types made up over 70% of meat. Poultry meat is a good source of high-quality protein. It also has a low amount of fat. Some people, called pollotarians, only eat poultry as their meat. It is important to cook all poultry meat thoroughly. This helps keep people safe from food poisoning. It is a vital part of many diets.

Poultry refers to various species of domesticated birds kept by humans for specific utilities.

People raise these birds to harvest animal products like meat, eggs, or feathers. The practice of managing these animals is known as poultry farming. This category includes members of the superorder Galloanserae, which are often called fowl. This group specifically includes the order Galliformes, which contains chickens and turkeys. It also encompasses waterfowl from the family Anatidae, such as ducks and geese.

However, the term does not include wild birds hunted for food, which are called game or quarry.

Domesticated chickens are the most populous poultry species in the world.

Recent genomic studies have changed our understanding of their history. Scientists previously believed chickens were domesticated around 5,400 years ago in Southeast Asia. However, new research suggests this occurred much earlier, roughly 8,000 years ago. A landmark 2020 study sequenced 863 chickens to trace their origins. This study suggests all domestic chickens come from a single domestication event of red junglefowl. This ancestor lived primarily in southwestern China, northern Thailand, and Myanmar.

The process of domestication likely began with collecting wild eggs. People probably hatched and reared young birds from these eggs. Eventually, humans began keeping the birds in permanent captivity. Over many centuries, humans practiced selective breeding to improve specific traits. They selected for fast growth, high egg-laying ability, and better body conformation. Breeders also looked for specific plumage or increased docility. Because of these changes, modern breeds often look very different from their wild ancestors.

Today, poultry farming occurs in several different ways. Some farmers keep small flocks in extensive systems with more space. Most birds found in modern markets come from intensive commercial enterprises.

Within the industry, birds are bred to fulfill very specific needs. Light-framed birds are bred to be excellent egg-layers, sometimes producing 300 eggs a year. Other birds are bred to be fast-growing and fleshy for meat consumption. Utility birds are a middle ground, providing both meat and a decent number of eggs.

Different species of poultry offer unique characteristics and uses.

Ducks are medium-sized aquatic birds with broad bills and webbed feet. Most domestic ducks descend from the mallard, except for the Muscovy duck. In the United Kingdom and United States, the Pekin duck is a common commercial breed. A Pekin duck can lay 200 eggs per year and reach a specific weight in just 44 days. Ducks are farmed for meat, eggs, and their soft down feathers.

Chickens also have many distinct varieties and specialized uses. For example, the White Leghorn is a popular commercial breed. Some people keep bantams, which are miniature versions of standard chicken breeds. These small birds are often kept by hobbyists for ornamental purposes or for showing.

In some historical contexts, chickens were used for cockfighting, a spectator sport. While widespread in some regions, many countries have banned this practice due to animal cruelty. In the meat industry, male birds are sometimes castrated to create capons. This process results in meat that is more tender and flavorful.

Poultry plays a massive role in the global food system. Along with pork, poultry is one of the two most widely eaten meats globally. In 2012, these two types of meat accounted for over 70% of the total meat supply. Poultry is a nutritionally beneficial food source for many people. It provides high-quality protein along with a relatively low proportion of fat. People who eat only poultry as their meat source are called pollotarians. To ensure safety, all poultry meat must be handled properly and cooked sufficiently to prevent food poisoning.