Hen or chicken

[netibiza]

Please can someone tell me what is the difference between a hen and a chicken.

[logman]

The word "chicken" is a general non-specific term for this type of domestic fowl, the "Hen" is the female..

[netibiza]

so a **** or rooster is also a chicken?

[netibiza]

The word **** was bleeped out!!

[netibiza]

I mean C*ck as a male bird

[smudge]

Yes dear Neti - we are Hen's & Vinny is a c0ck. ^8^

[netibiza]

I can think of other names for Vinny he he ^8^`

[gessoo]

Same as a male dog is called a dog and the female a bitch, but they are both dogs, if you see what I mean.

[gessoo]

So we are all bitches and Vinny is a dog? No, he is just a big pussy cat! ;o)

Vinny

[gessoo]

(Just thought about Lion Poo again)

[isca]

About 20 mins in the oven

[nickmo]

http://www.hencam.co.uk/?hencam for live streaming hens!!

And 'chick' was a term coined for just-hatched chicken, which can be either male or female, as the species of fowl is a chicken, the male is a *-*** or rooster, the female is a hen. Under a year old, the hen is called a pullett, and a male under a year old is a c-ockeral.

Chickens are younger birds than hens in poultry terms, and will take less cooking time.

And there's more.... a broiler is a bird that can be boiled or roasted, so is bred to be a bit more fleshy. A layer is one that produce eggs. Bear in mind that a chicken in a factory environment bred for the pot will be living inn a space - legally as well - as big as a piece of A4 paper. Despatched at about 45 days, though the industry is trying to reduce this to less. Look for hock burns on the legs of supermarket birds - red brown marks on the leg that shows poor living conditions, then wonder how a chicken can be good for you when it is cheaper than almost any other meat, has no quality of life and ends up as a rather tasteless thing on the plate.

Go for free range birds whenever possible. More than worth the little extra. And you can also rescue older layers - most will continue giving eggs for a couple of years at least - freshh, free eggs every day for the sake of a little charity to a bird! http://www.clovocresborzois.com/batteryhens.html for the chicken buddies site! and the RSPCA chicken site here: http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=R SPCACampaigns/eggs/eggshomepage

[netibiza]

Good heavens nickmo don't you have anything else to do? but thank you that was very informative.

[gessoo]

Oh Nickmo, I now want to rescue all the chickens we have round here in those horrible chicken sheds (Norfolk) Unfortunately though, I have a severe allergy to chickens (live ones).

And I still haven't got any rasta locks!!!

[nickmo]

Hi neti...course not why else would anyone be on the AB? Anyway, its all kept in the head - who needs search engines............

I have noticed there aren't too many answers after I have posted something - starting to get paranoid! ( though the pixies say it will be ok in the end......)

Ho hum, back to the grotto.........

[netibiza]

Yep Nickmo I know the feeling - I often reply and then kill the post stone dead. I was feeling paranoid too!!!

[nickmo]

Gessoo- go for it - you can help with a small sponsorship for the rescue sanctuaries if the little chicks bring on the sneezes - shame 'cos they are great fun to be round!

21 million birds in cages in the UK at present. I think the figure I have seen is about �12 to give one bird a better life, so if you can, do help out. Not lot of money for a nice gesture.

If you don't mind a few shocks, look at : http://www.kentuckyfriedcruelty.co.uk/ from the PETA boys. I know some of their tactics in promoting welfare for animals is bordering on the extreme, but reading the KFC Cruelty site is really depressing stuff, and can only make you want to take action - never mind how dire the food is for the system when you eat it anyway. Once in a while, fine enough, but think of what you are supporting.

[gessoo]

Nickmo, I am so aware of animal cruelty and can't bear to look at the websites. Living as I do in an area which now has more chicken sheds than anywhere else in the country is just so depressing. It's not sneezes with chickens - it's a life threatening allergy to pigeons, parrots and chickens (Pigeon fanciers lung!)

If we all ate a lot less meat and ate meat that was produced naturally then it would be so much better. We could fill ourselves up with loads of veg and just savour our small portions of expensive meat. We would be healthier too. But it will never happen in my lifetime. We will destroy ourselves by our greed before that will happen.

[nickmo]

Neti - does this warrant a new Topic for AB then you think? - paranoid observations/conspiracy theorists perhaps, or maybe a 'special long winded waffle' for those 'special' people with far too much time (I wish...) and too many attitudes.

And only 45 Saturdays to Christmas, so may I be the first .. etc etc etc.

[nickmo]

Hi gessoo - I can see where this could lead, but in short, support the local producers at the farmers' markets and farm gate retail and you go a long way to helping.

If everyone takes a step back from their usual shopping for example and thinks for 2 seconds about what they are eating - and paying good money for - a sliced loaf is 45% water - how pathetic we accept that basic staple adulerated and forced on us like that.

If the cultural change is really happening in the UK as it appears to be - 36 000 markets in France, but 600 farmers markets in the UK, (but this is growing with the Country Markets ( the ex WI ) for exmple having a prescence as well) though more and more people are seriously questioning their shopping baskets.

The Daily Politics prog on the BBC is looking at food this week in a special series of reports, quality of local food is being plugged a lot more now, and this will go hand in hand with welfare as shoppers take the provenance of food into account more often, and more TV chefs are supporting local shopping - Phil Vickery for the Themas Valley food group has just endorsed a good book on Bucks, Berks and Oxon food outlets for example.

If I hadn't said before, my vested interest comes from starting a magazine for the farmers' markets in the UK, called FreeRange. Have a troll through the (simple) site at: http://www.freerangemag.co.uk and if you can't find a copy locally, let me know and email me through the site. You can subscribe as well of course through the site - follow the links.

And do grow some dreadlocks, please......not enough of them I reckon. Right, off to hug a tree.

[shaneystar2]

i agree with Gessoo on this..I too live in Norfolk and the amount of poultry farming going on ...and their practices leave a lot to be desired.I shall mention Bernard Matthews ..who although gives a lot of work to local people in a rural area ..where jobs are hard to come by..I would avoid like the plague.
I am rapidly becoming a vegetarian.... both my sons are veggies. However I do like a nice roast now and again !!
We are very lucky to have a good farmers market in Barsham ..all local food ..you know how it's been reared and looked after.So it's a treat for me to go there now and again and buy some really nice meat . Otherwise I try to support my local butcher ,where you know what you are buying and it's all locally sourced.