170 Devon chickens need homes to avoid slaughter this weekend

Around 170 ex-battery hens in Devon - who have never seen daylight before - will be slaughtered this weekend, unless homes can be found for them.

The British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT), based at Rose Ash in North Devon, are looking to rehome the birds on Sunday at two locations in the county - but say they cannot save the hens if they do not have homes to go to.

The charity is appealing to anyone who has a bit of space in their back garden to consider giving a home to some ex-bats.

A BHWT spokesman said: "The hens are around 18 months old when they are sent to slaughter because their egg laying has slowed down, and whilst they don't come with guarantees, they are generally happy to offer a tasty reward to someone offering to save their lives.

"Furthermore they will guarantee to any would-be adopter fun and affection. These little hens are seriously good at worming their way into hearts."

The rehoming sessions in Devon are among several taking place across the country this coming weekend.

The Devon sessions take place on Sunday, August 6 at Rose Ash - where 60 chickens need to be rehomed - and Okehampton - where 110 are without homes.

All the hens have been working hard for 18 months, laying eggs to be sold in supermarkets or go into processed foods. They have never seen daylight, stood on soft grass nor scratched for bugs and slugs.

Gaynor Davies, the charity's Head of Operations, said: "There is no better feeling than watching these girls flourish after they emerge from the commercial system.

"They have a full bill of healthand will soon become much-loved pets. With a bit of TLC they become incredibly tame, and they're often described as cats and dogs with feathers.

"If you've ever considered giving some ex-bats a home my only advice would be to do it. You won't regret it."

Here are the details of the other sessions across the UK:

Saturday, 5 August

Rotherham (Letwell): 300 hens in total, 100 without homes

Cambridge (Godmanchester): 300 hens in total, 200 without homes

Nottinghamshire (Newark): 400 hens in total, 200 without homes

Lincolnshire (Stamford): 300 hens in total, 190 without homes

Norfolk (Kings Lynn): 230 hens in total, 80 without homes

Sunday, 6 August

Dorset (Bourton): 200 hens in total, 60 without homes

Sussex (Arundel): 240 hens in total, 115 without homes

Cornwall (Liskeard): 150 hens in total, 115 without homes

Cornwall (Redruth): 150 hens in total, 100 without homes

Devon (Rose Ash): 150 hens in total, 60 without homes

Devon (Okehampton): 150 hens in total, 110 without homes

If you're interested in re-homing some hens, simply register your details on our website at www.bhwt.org.uk or call 01884 860084 for more information.

Source

Scientists identify mutation that causes muffs and beards to grow on chickens

June 2, 2016

The growth of long facial feathers, creating the appearance of muffs and beards on chickens, is caused by a chromosomal rearrangement affecting a gene involved in feather development, report Xiaoxiang Hu of the China Agricultural University in Beijing and colleagues, in a new study published on June 2 in PLOS Genetics.

Unusual plumage and fancy combs aren't just interesting traits appreciated by poultry fanciers, but opportunities to explore the genetics underlying these striking variations. Scientists investigated the mutation that causes the Muffs and beard characteristic in certain chicken varieties by mapping the trait to the correct location on the chromosome and sequencing that region from chickens with and without Muffs and beard. They found that chickens with the Muffs and beard trait had three duplicated regions of chromosome 27, inserted next to one of the original gene regions. By examining changes in gene expression, they showed that one of the duplicated genes, HOXB8, which is known to function in feather development, was present at high levels in the facial skin of chickens with Muffs and beard, but not in regular chickens.

The scientists suspect that HOXB8 expression may extend the growth phase of the facial feathers, creating the characteristic bearded appearance. Other HOX gene members are linked to feather development, such as HOXC8, which is associated with a crest of feathers on top of the head. The findings present an excellent model for exploring the regulation of HOX genes in different parts of the body during development.

Read more at: 

Flopsy the Devonshire rabbit turns 'hen-triloquist' to cluck to chickens

A rabbit who shares his home with two chickens has turned hen-triloquist - by learning to cluck.

Two-year-old Flopsy began imitating feathered pals Norah and Shadow after living alongside them in her owner's greenhouse.

Animal lover Alison Ewers, 55, had no idea about her bunny's talent for mimicry until she took it to a vet for an operation.

Baffled Helen Bull, principal vet at the Mole Valley Practice in Heathfield, Devon, heard Flopsy making a bizarre noise.

The more she listened the more it sounded like a chicken clucking.

Helen has treated thousands of rabbits before and never heard one making a similar sound.

She said: "I know Flopsy lives with chickens and she happened to make a clucking noise during my consultation. I've never heard anything like it before."

Read more: 

Connecticut Cop Kills Lizard Found Menacing Chickens

LEDYARD, Conn. — The story of a large reptile roaming this rural town was no urban legend.

Police say a Ledyard officer shot a monitor lizard to death Sunday afternoon, after a resident called 911 to report what she believed to be an alligator attacking the chickens in her coop.

The officer was forced to shoot the reptile to protect fellow patrolmen, the town's animal control officer and the chickens, police Lt. Michael T. Finkelstein said Monday.

"There really was no safe manner to stop it," Finkelstein said.

Monitor lizards can be as big as some alligators, reaching lengths of 6 to 7 feet. They are not native to Connecticut and are illegal in the state.

Police believe the one killed Sunday had been an illegal pet that either escaped or was abandoned. Ledyard police warned people that monitor lizards can be dangerous and urged them not to have the large lizards as pets.

Police didn't release the names of the resident who reported the lizard or the officer who shot it.

There had been several reported sightings of a large reptile or alligator in town in the past few months, Finkelstein said. A police officer took a picture of the creature during one of the initial sightings, but it got away, he said.

"We knew for a fact that something was out there," Finkelstein said. "Just locating it was the issue."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/26/connecticut-cop-kills-lizard_n_3818008.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

Chickens will be substituted for rabbits in 'animal scramble' at Cottage Grove Rodeo

What started off as a family project to rescue rabbits led a Creswell mother and daughter on a crusade to ban an event they regarded as animal abuse at the Cottage Grove Rodeo.

And they got their wish -- sort of.

Heather Crippen and her 18-year-old daughter, Alex Crippen, heard about the "animal scramble" at the Cottage Grove Rodeo last year and decided to go see it firsthand. The two operate Red Barn Rabbit Rescue in Creswell, a nonprofit group that cares for about 60 rabbits that have been abused or abandoned.

"We don't cry easily," Heather Crippen said, "but we were having a hard time watching."

Dozens of rabbits were hauled into a horse trailer, she said, and released into the rodeo ring at the event that's organized each year by the Cottage Grove Riding Club. At the count of three, scores of children charged, each trying to snag a rabbit to keep. Some children grabbed the animals by their fur, and a few stepped on them, she said.

"People are whooping and hollering and yelling for the kids to grab (the rabbits)," Heather Crippen said.

"The stress that the rabbits go through is ridiculous," Alex Crippen said.

The two drafted a Lane County ordinance that would ban such events. And they sent several letters and emails to the Cottage Grove Riding Club, asking the organization to end the animal scramble at the rodeo, which this year will take place next Friday and Saturday, July 12-13.

There will be no bunnies at this year's scramble, Riding Club President Kelli Fisher said.

Instead, there will be chickens.

Continued

Joshua Shelton Killed 70,000 Chickens While Drunk, Police Say

Police say a Maryland man managed to kill 70,000 chickens in one drunken night, and now he's facing charges for it.

Joshua D. Shelton, 21, is accused of drinking so heavily at a Delmar farm that he couldn't tell the difference between a light switch and the circuit breakers connected to three chicken houses, The Daily Times reports.

Shelton allegedly cut the breakers on Friday night, and deprived the chickens of food, water and cooling fans.

"Without power, the chickens will begin to die within 15 minutes," according to charging documents obtained by the paper.

Farmer Mark Shockley found all but 100 chickens dead the next morning.

Shelton was found lying in the houses' power control shed, wearing only a T-shirt and boxers and smelling of alcohol, cops told the Associated Press. He had reportedly been at the home for a small party that Shockley's daughter was holding, and passed out in the control room.

The chickens were worth about $20,000, though cleanup costs will add to the damages.

Shelton was charged with burglary, malicious destruction of property and trespassing.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/28/joshua-shelton-killed-700_n_1835848.html

Chicken breeder spitting feathers after thieves steal rare birds

A chicken breeder in Lincolnshire is asking for help to find thieves who've stolen 50 of her rare birds. Les Good's premises near Louth have been repeatedly targeted.

The chicks are partly cared for by two disabled people who also live there. Now they're saying enough is enough.

Watch video:  http://www.itv.com/news/calendar/update/2012-08-22/chicken-breeder-spitting-feathers-after-thieves-steal-rare-birds/

Vaccines Backfire: Veterinary Vaccines Found to Combine Into New Infectious Viruses

ScienceDaily (July 12, 2012) — Research from the University of Melbourne has shown that two different vaccine viruses- used simultaneously to control the same condition in chickens- have combined to produce new infectious viruses, prompting early response from Australia's veterinary medicines regulator.

The vaccines were used to control infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT), an acute respiratory disease occurring in chickens worldwide. ILT can have up to 20% mortality rate in some flocks and has a significant economic and welfare impact in the poultry industry.

The research found that when two different ILT vaccine strains were used in the same populations, they combined into two new strains (a process known as recombination), resulting in disease outbreaks.

Neither the ILT virus or the new strains can be transmitted to humans or other animals, and do not pose a food safety risk.

Continued:   http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120712144754.htm 

Ordinary Chickens May Be Extraordinary in Fighting Cancer and Other Diseases

ScienceDaily (July 10, 2012) — The common barnyard chicken could provide some very un-common clues for fighting off diseases and might even offer new ways to attack cancer, according to a team of international researchers that includes a Texas A&M University professor.

James Womack, Distinguished Professor of Veterinary Pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, is co-author of a paper detailing the team's work that appears in the current issue of PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences). Womack was a leader in the international effort to sequence the cattle genome in 2004.

Womack and the team, comprised mostly of scientists from the Seoul National University in Korea, examined 62 White Leghorn and 53 Cornish chickens for diversity in NK-lysin, an antibacterial substance that occurs naturally in animals and is used as a method of fighting off diseases.

They were able to obtain two genetic variations of NK-lysin and the results offered two unexpected shockers: both showed abilities to fight off bacterial infections and other diseases, while one showed it could successfully fight cancer cells as well.


Continued: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120710163259.htm

Youngsters take a shine to urban poultry

DALLAS — Chicken coops — a staple of rural America — are now starting to pop up in an urban environment.

It's the latest trend in the progressive food movement.

We got a look at the new pecking order in Dallas Sunday at Stonewall Gardens, 5828 Mockingbird Lane. It turned out to be the appropriate venue for the Urban Coop Tour.

"Raising backyard chickens has become kind of a rage these days, and a lot of people are raising them in the backyards for their eggs," explained Stonewall Gardens supporter Jeanne Ferguson.

Youngsters are getting an early start at becoming urban farmers. Students showed off the custom-built chicken coop they use for classroom lessons.

Christian Shank has a favorite rooster. "Having him at home, I can breed him with the other hens," he said. "He's sweet, so I can show him off and he's quite a conversation-maker."

Jesse Cromwell is another youngster absorbing henhouse information. "We learned how to take care of chickens, and we also learned several things about chickens we did not know — like they'll eat anything!" he said.

These chickens even have an appetite for bugs. That's why Jason Druebert (an adult) thinks raising them can be beneficial. He also showed us how many eggs they produce.

Turns out eggs this fresh can be used as a bartering tool. He often exchanges his eggs with his neighbors for a bottle of wine.

http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Youngsters-take-a-shine-to-urban-poultry-152242505.html

Listening to Chickens Could Improve Poultry Production

ScienceDaily (May 16, 2012) — Chickens can't speak, but they can definitely make themselves heard. Most people who have visited a poultry farm will recall chicken vocalization -- the technical term for clucking and squawking -- as a memorable part of the experience.

Researchers now believe that such avian expressiveness may be more than idle chatter. A collaborative project being conducted by the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia is investigating whether the birds' volubility can provide clues to how healthy and comfortable they are.

And that could be valuable information. Economically, chickens rule the roost in Georgia, where poultry is the top agricultural product with an estimated annual impact of nearly $20 billion statewide. There is industry concern about the welfare of the animals they raise; anything that helps growers reap a maximum return on every flock -- while maintaining an environment conducive to their well-being -- can translate to important dividends for the state's economy.

"Many poultry professionals swear they can walk into a grow-out house and tell whether a flock is happy or stressed just by listening to the birds vocalize," said Wayne Daley, a Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) principal research scientist who is leading the research. "The trouble is, it has proved hard for these pros to pinpoint for us exactly what it is that they're hearing."

Continued:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516152235.htm

Four-legged chicken bought from supermarket scares consumer

If a chicken grows two extra limbs, do you still dare to eat it?

March 18, a citizen from Changsha City, surnamed Tian, was scared to find that a frozen chicken she bought from a supermarket had four legs when she was cleaning it to prepare for dinner.

Tian told reporters that it was the first time in her life seeing a four-legged chicken, and would throw it away with no hesitation.

However, a professor from Central South University of Forestry & Technology, reached by the reporters, said that this kind of chicken generally has no harm to human’s health and is edible, though it may be discomforting to people’s sense organs.

The professor explained, it is a deformed chicken whose embryo, during development, might have been affected by different kinds of factors, like radioactivity in the living environment or the high metal level in feed. This birth defect usually has the extra limb shrunken or deformed too.

Responding to the explanation, Tian said she still felt gross, even though it was confirmed edible. She hoped that the supermarket can trace the source of such a chicken.

One netzien joked, for those who love eating chicken feet, it is instead a good new.

http://www.chinabuzz.net/buzz/four-legged-chicken-bought-from-supermarket-scares-consumer/ 

High price of chickens is no yolk at market

THE high price paid for a trio of chickens has surprised the farming community in Thame.

The birds sold for almost £150 at Thame Market’s recent smallerholders sale recently.

A commercial point of lay pullet would normally fetch in the region of £12 each.

While the unusually high price on the chicken’s heads has raised eyebrows, there was a good reason.

Fieldsman Daniel Slade, who led the bidding, said: “They were a trio of Rhode Island Reds, pure bred going into the spring season for showing and hatching, which brings a significant premium.

“They were a very nice quality of bird.”

The birds, which were bred by David Gaydon from Banbury, were bought by Felix McDaid, a regular Thame Market supporter, who keeps poultry and cattle as a hobby.

Mr McDaid, who lives near Luton, said: “They were the best looking chickens there that day and I just wanted them.

“They’re living in the lap of luxury now, on an acre of ground with three other Rhode Island Reds that I bought at the same time, although I got the second batch much cheaper, for £40.”

The smallholders sale, which is one of four held at Thame Market throughout the year, was well attended.

In addition to poultry, pigs, alpacas, rare breed cattle, sheep and goats were also on sale. More than 200 lots of poultry were entered into the sale, and 90 per cent were sold.

http://www.thametoday.co.uk/news/local/high-price-of-chickens-is-no-yolk-at-market-1-3656594 

Million women suffering urinary infections 'caused by CHICKENS'... and modern farming methods are making them worse

More than one million women in the UK suffer from painful urinary tract infections every year. Now scientists think they may be caused by an unusual culprit - chickens.

Researchers have long suspected that the infections are caused by a person's own E. coli bacteria. 

However, a new Canadian study found the germ strain most likely came from poultry.

A team from McGill University in Montreal compared the genetic fingerprints of E.coli from urinary infections to 320 samples of E.coli from chicken, pork and beef. They found chicken was a surprisingly close match.

'Chicken may be a reservoir for the E. coli that cause infections like urinary tract infections,' said study author Amee Manges.

The data suggested the infections came directly from the birds rather than from human contamination during food processing.

What is more, the scientists suggested that modern farming methods could be making the situation worse.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2117689/Urinary-tract-infections-caused-CHICKENS--modern-farming-methods-making-worse.html#ixzz1pqlKA2F2 

Bird flu hits Thimphu

hangedaphu (Kalabazar) A bird flu outbreak in Thimphu was confirmed yesterday afternoon after the deaths of 38 chickens in the past week at the camp in Changedaphu (Kalabazar).

Another 11 were found sick. These birds are from five houses that had 49 birds in all. The National Centre for Animal Health in Serbithang confirmed the outbreak.

By last evening, a team of officials from the Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority (BAFRA), the livestock department, health, police and city officials had dug a two-feet deep pit to dispose the culled birds.

An emergency meeting of the National Incident Command Centre (NICC) for bird flu was held yesterday following the deaths.

The culling began last night after the team reached Thimphu from Tshimasham. “Since the place is within the city it could pose a high risk for human health although this is the first case in the city,” officials said.

Livestock officials said the birds had started dying since January 8, but were informed by the residents only on January 12, after the death of two birds, which tested positive for bird flu.

Dairy division chief with the livestock department and the spokesperson for bird flu, Dr Tashi Dorji, said the residents had already buried nine dead birds.

The disease, according to Dr Tashi Dorji, is similar to a disaster, with no treatment besides culling. “The H5N1 virus infects humans as well, and people should avoid eating eggs and chicken from the flu-affected areas,” he said.

While the investigation to find the source of infection is on, officials suspect the flu could have spread from Tshimasham, where the flu outbreak was first reported. “Tshimasham could be a possible source, and it could also be wild birds, such as pigeons,” Dr Tashi Dorji said.

The team will start spraying disinfectant today at the junction of Kuenselphodrang and Kalabazar.  Areas around Thimphu such as Samarzingkha, Police camp, RICB, Hospital area, Upper Changzamtog are considered high risk areas.

There are 17,144 birds alone under Thimphu Dzongkhag excluding those in the city area as per the poultry population report, 2011.

Meanwhile, just three days after the six-month ban on the import of poultry and poultry products from India was lifted, the ban is re-imposed following an outbreak of bird flu at Orissa, India. All BAFRA permits related to poultry and poultry products that have been granted to date will be considered cancelled.

By Tashi Yangzom

http://www.kuenselonline.com/2011/?p=25054

Rapid evolution in domestic animals

Genetic Study of Black Chickens Shed Light On Mechanisms Causing Rapid Evolution in Domestic Animals


ScienceDaily (Dec. 22, 2011) — The genetic changes underlying the evolution of new species are still poorly understood. Genetic studies in domestic animals can shed light on this process due to the rapid evolution they have undergone over the last 10,000 years. A new study describes how a complex genomic rearrangement causes a fascinating phenotype in chickens.


In the study published in PLoS Genetics researchers at Uppsala University, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, North Carolina State University and National Chung-Hsing University have investigated the genetic basis of fibromelanosis, a breed characteristic of the Chinese Silkie chicken (image on left). This trait involves a massive expansion of pigment cells that not only makes the skin and comb black but also causes black internal organs. Chickens similar in appearance to the Silkie were described by Marco Polo when he visited China in the 13th century and Silkie chickens have a long history in Chinese cuisine and traditional Chinese medicine.


"We have shown that the genetic change causing fibromelanosis is a complex rearrangement that leads to increased expression of Endothelin 3, a gene which is known for promoting the growth of pigment cells," explains Ben Dorshorst the post-doctoral researcher responsible for the work.

The research group led by Leif Andersson has by now characterized a number of traits in domestic animals, and a clear trend is emerging, namely that genomic rearrangements have contributed significantly to the rapid evolution of domestic animals. Other examples include Greying with age in horses and mutations affecting the size and shape of the comb in chickens.

"We have good reason to believe that such rearrangements have also played a significant role in the evolution of other species, including ourselves," concludes Leif Andersson.

The researchers also studied other chicken breeds where fibromelanosis occurs, including the Bohuslän-Dals svarthöna breed (image on right) from Sweden, and they found that all fibromelanotic breeds carried the exact same very unusual mutation. This finding is consistent with anecdotal evidence suggesting that this Swedish breed of chicken inherited their black skin and internal connective tissue color from Asian chickens that were first brought to Norway by a sailor on the East Asian trade routes centuries ago. This is a nice example of how humans have distributed a single novel mutation with an interesting effect when they developed breeds of domestic animals around the world. -- It is obvious that humans have had a strong affection for biological diversity in their domestic animals, says Leif Andersson.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111222195009.htm

Sex-Change Chicken: Gertie the Hen Becomes Bertie the Cockerel

Under the right circumstances, a hen can actually
transform herself into a cock.
CREDIT: Gvision | Dreamstime

by Remy Melina
Date: 31 March 2011 Time: 03:25 PM ET

A British couple was surprised to witness their pet hen Gertie gradually transforming into a rooster. No, this is not an early April Fools' Day prank. Chickens really can undergo natural sex changes.

The first sign that something was afoot with Gertie was that she stopped laying eggs, her owners, Jim and Jeanette Howard of Huntingdon, England, told the local media. Next, she began strutting around their garden and crowing like a rooster. Over the next few weeks, Gertie put on weight and developed wattles beneath her chin, a feature normally exhibited only by males. She also grew dark brown plumage and a scarlet cockscomb atop her head, both male traits.

''I know it sounds ridiculous but I can assure you it's all true," Jim Howard told cambridge-news.co.uk. "People think it's a bit weird but apparently its one of those things that does happen."

"Sex reversals do, in fact, occur—although not very frequently," states a 2000 report published by the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. "To date, however, spontaneous sex reversal from male to female has not been reported."

That's because the mechanics of this biological phenomenon seem to work in only one direction. Normally, female chickens have just one functional ovary, on their left side. Although two sex organs are present during the embryonic stages of all birds, once a chicken's female genes kick in, it typically develops only the left ovary. The right gonad, which has yet to be defined as an ovary, testes, or both (called an ovotestis), typically remains dormant.

Certain medical conditions—such as an ovarian cyst, tumor or diseased adrenal gland—can cause a chicken's left ovary to regress. In the absence of a functional left ovary, the dormant right sex organ may begin to grow, according to Mike Hulet, an associate professor at Penn State University's department of poultry science.

"If the activated right gonad is an ovotestis or testes, it will begin secreting androgens," Hulet told Life's Little Mysteries. Androgens are the class of hormones that are largely responsible for male characteristics and are normally secreted by the testes. "The production of androgen would cause the hen to undergo behavioral changes and make it act more like a rooster."

The hen does not completely change into a rooster, however. This transition is limited to making the bird phenotypically male, meaning that although the hen will develop physical characteristics that will make her look male, she will remain genetically female. So while the hen will no longer lay eggs, she won't be fathering any offspring, either.

As for Gertie, the Howards have renamed the hen Bertie after her sex change. This article was provided by Life’s Little Mysteries, a sister site to LiveScience.com.

http://www.livescience.com/13514-sex-change-chicken-gertie-hen-bertie-cockerel.html

Bonaparte man's chicken lays a whopper of an egg

Feb. 27, 2011

A hen living on the outskirts of Bonaparte has residents in the small southeast Iowa town clucking.

Aussie, a black Australorp chicken, laid a giant egg on Feb. 18.

The light brown egg weighs 4.1 ounces, and measures 3½ inches long and 6½ inches in circumference, according to Nathan Batten, the hen's owner.

Large eggs in grocery stores weigh about half as much, while jumbo eggs weigh about 2½ ounces, according to USDA regulations.

"It's big. It's twice the size of a large egg," said Iowa State University professor Hongwei Xin, director of the school's egg industry center.

The egg is large enough that Batten, 37, is calling his colossal prize "egg-normous."

Batten said he had trouble sleeping the day the egg popped out. He called the local paper, and a reporter took his picture and wrote a story about Aussie's achievement.

For a couple of days afterward, Batten carried the egg in his coat pocket to show people around town.

His friends working at the convenience store took one look and asked: "You sure that chicken isn't half beast?"

"It probably has about two miles on it from me walking," Batten said. "I'm lucky that dang thing never broke."

The egg is now safely stored in his refrigerator, he said.

An egg approaching that size is unusual, but not unheard of, egg experts said.

Sean Skeehan, who raises chickens at Blue Gate Farm in Chariton, said the size of an egg depends on the breed of chicken - not what it's fed.

He said his large chicken breeds have laid eggs approaching 6 inches in circumference, but acknowledged 4.1 ounces is unusually heavy.

Chickens are generally consistent in the size of eggs they lay, so he said it's no surprise that Batten reported Aussie - an Australian breed of chicken known for producing a high volume of eggs - usually lays eggs weighing about 3 ounces.

"Those are big eggs," Skeehan said.

Xin, the ISU professor, said last year a university Extension employee called him about a couple of large eggs bred by a producer near Winterset.

The eggs were about as long as the one laid by Aussie. A story appeared on a local TV newscast, he said.

Batten said he plans to contact Guinness World Records in England to see if he and Aussie have made history.

In a state dotted with towns claiming to own several of the world's largest oddities - a gigantic frying pan in Brandon and an enormous strawberry in Strawberry Point - Batten figures this is his chance to finally put Bonaparte on the map.

"After all, this is Van Buren County, and tourism is the main attraction around here," he said.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011102270332

Helston's Chicken Hotel - where guests can lay their own eggs

It's a hotel – but with a major difference.

Instead of booking in guests in human form, Cornwall's newest hotel only takes chickens.

The aptly-named Chicken Hotel recently opened for business at Boskenwyn, Helston.

The venture was set up to give chicken owners a place to check-in their birds while away from home.

David Roberts, 31, a maths teacher who keeps his own chickens as a hobby, runs the hotel.

He said: "With more people looking to escape the rat race and move out in the country with a little bit of land, keeping chickens is becoming more and more popular.

"Producing your own eggs is better for the environment and better for the animals and people, you know exactly what's gone into your eggs.

Click here for contact details for the Chicken Hotel

"But what do you do if you go away on holiday?

"Who would look after your chickens?"

Mr Roberts said what to do with chickens during holiday time could put off potential owners from keeping them.

He said: "It's something that holds a lot of people back from keeping their own chickens, so I thought I'd set up this service and encourage people to grow their own.

"There are lots of local egg farm producers around.

"But when the chickens stop laying so regularly they go for the chop unless people want to buy them and give them a home – that's how we first got started with our own little flock.

"At first when we started this venture people thought it was some sort of a joke – but we were completely booked up over Christmas time and we hope that half term and Easter might be as successful."

Brand new purpose-built accommodation is on offer with buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner of local produce served in the open air.

The specially-designed coops were crafted by Mr Roberts, a former cabinet-maker.

Prices start at £2 per coop per night plus 75p per chicken.

Each coop holds eight chickens so four chickens sharing costs £5 per night.

Chickens are allowed to roam free within the grounds before being gathered to roost at night.

Mr Roberts transports the birds to and from their homes if the owners require it, and even offers a nursery for chicks and an incubation service if eggs need hatching.

http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/Hotel-guests-lay-eggs/article-3155306-detail/article.html
(Submitted by Richard Freeman)

Man killed by fighting rooster

A fighting rooster found during a former bust in Bakersfield is seen in this
November 2010 file photo.

By Eyewitness News
Story Created: Feb 4, 2011 at 1:24 PM PST
Story Updated: Feb 4, 2011 at 2:39 PM PST

EARLIMART, Calif. — A Lamont man was killed earlier this week by a chicken.

Jose Luis Ochoa, 35, was stabbed by a knife attached to the leg of a fighting rooster, the Kern County coroner's office said Friday.

The accidental stab wound to Ochoa's calf, as determined by the autopsy, happened Sunday in Earlimart in Tulare County. He was taken to Delano Regional Medical Center, where he died about two hours later.

The coroner didn't specify what killed Ochoa, whether it was excessive bleeding, infection or something else.

Even though Kern County handled the autopsy, the Tulare County Sheriff's Department is handling the investigation. It's unknown if a cockfight was underway at the time of the accident.

http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/115315954.html