Solved: The Mystery Of The Bearded Chickens
Hip humans aren't the only ones growing outrageous facial hair. Some chickens do, too. And now, geneticists in China have discovered the cause.
chickens
Chicken Owners Brood Over CDC Advice Not To Kiss, Cuddle Birds
The health agency says kissing and cuddling chickens could be contributing to outbreaks of salmonella. But backyard chicken owners aren't about to lay off the birds.
Secretary Of Agriculture: Bird Flu Poses 'No Health Issue' To Humans
The largest outbreak of avian flu in U.S. history is ravaging poultry at farms in the Midwest. Sec. Tom Vilsack says there's no risk of transmission to humans, but egg prices may rise.
Environmental Groups Take Legal Action Against Large Factory Farms
A lawsuit was filed Wednesday that could impact industrial meat producers.
Cramped Chicken Cages Are Going Away. What Comes Next?
The results are in from a long-running study of three different ways to house egg-laying chickens. It found that more hens survive in cages, and cages are cheaper. But consumers prefer cage-free eggs.
How California's New Rules Are Scrambling The Egg Industry
On Jan. 1, all eggs sold in California will have to come from chickens living in more spacious digs. The rules have disrupted the egg industry and pushed prices up at grocery stores in California.
Chicken Confidential: How This Bird Came To Rule The Cultural Roost
Andrew Lawler's Why Did the Chicken Cross the World? explores the secret to the domesticated bird's success: "You can turn the chicken into almost anything," he says, from religious symbol to dinner.
Giving Chickens Bacteria ... To Keep Them Antibiotic-Free
What does it take to get chickens off antibiotics? According to Perdue Farms, an added dose of the "good bacteria" known as probiotics can help crowd out the harmful microbes that make a chicken sick.
Why The U.S. Chills Its Eggs And Most Of The World Doesn't
In many countries, eggs aren't refrigerated and they're still considered safe to eat. But in the U.S., we have to chill them, because we've washed away the cuticle that protects them from bacteria.