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{{Short description|Domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, meat, or feathers}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Good article}}{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2014}}
[[File:Poultry of the world.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|Poultry of the world ({{circa|1868}})]]

'''Poultry''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|oʊ|l|t|r|i}}) are [[domesticated]] birds kept by [[human]]s for the purpose of harvesting [[animal product]]s such as [[meat]], [[Eggs as food|eggs]] or [[feather]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|date= 2017-08-14|title=Consider These 6 Types Of Poultry For Your Farm|url= https://www.hobbyfarms.com/poultry-types-consider-farm/|access-date=2021-01-20|website=Hobby Farms|language=en-US}}</ref> The practice of [[animal husbandry|raising]] poultry is known as [[poultry farming]]. These birds are most typically members of the superorder [[Galloanserae]] ([[fowl]]), especially the order [[Galliformes]] (which includes [[chicken]]s, [[quail]]s, and [[domestic turkey|turkey]]s).<ref>{{Cite web|date= 2008-04-22|title= Fowl|url= https://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/fowl.htm|access-date= 2021-01-20|website=HowStuffWorks|language=en}}</ref> The term also includes [[waterfowl]]s of the family [[Anatidae]] ([[duck]]s and [[geese]]) but does not include wild birds hunted for food known as [[game (hunting)|game]] or [[wild meat|quarry]].

Recent [[genomic]] studies involving the four extant [[junglefowl]] species reveals that the domestication of chicken, the most populous poultry species, occurred around 8,000 years ago in [[Southeast Asia]].<ref name="Lawal">{{cite journal |last1= Lawal |first1= Raman Akinyanju |last2= Martin |first2=Simon H. |last3=Vanmechelen |first3=Koen |last4=Vereijken |first4=Addie |last5= Silva |first5= Pradeepa |last6= Al-Atiyat |first6=Raed Mahmoud |last7=Aljumaah |first7=Riyadh Salah |last8= Mwacharo |first8= Joram M. |last9=Wu |first9=Dong-Dong |last10=Zhang |first10=Ya-Ping |last11=Hocking |first11=Paul M. |last12=Smith |first12=Jacqueline |last13=Wragg |first13= David |last14=Hanotte |first14=Olivier |title=The wild species genome ancestry of domestic chickens |journal=BMC Biology |date=December 2020 |volume= 18 |issue= 1 |page= 13 |doi= 10.1186/s12915-020-0738-1 |pmid= 32050971 |pmc= 7014787 |doi-access=free }}</ref> This was previously believed to have occurred around 5,400 years ago, also in Southeast Asia.<ref>{{Cite web|last= Killgrove|first= Kristina|title= Ancient DNA Explains How Chickens Got To The Americas|url= https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinakillgrove/2017/11/23/ancient-dna-explains-how-chickens-got-to-the-americas/|access-date= 2021-01-20|website= Forbes|language=en | date = 23 November 2017 | quote = Chickens were likely first domesticated about 5,400 years ago in Southeast Asia [...].}}</ref> The process may have originally occurred as a result of people hatching and rearing young birds from eggs collected from the wild, but later involved keeping the birds permanently in [[captivity (animal)|captivity]]. Domesticated chickens may have been used for [[cockfight]]ing at first<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-08-30|title=Chickens Were Initially Domesticated for Cockfighting, Not Food|url=http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/08/chickens-were-initially-domesticated-for-cockfighting-not-food/|access-date=2021-01-20|website=Today I Found Out|language=en-US}}</ref> and quail kept for their songs, but people soon realised the advantages of having a captive-bred source of food. Selective breeding for fast growth, egg-laying ability, conformation, plumage and docility took place over the centuries, and modern [[breed]]s often look very different from their wild ancestors. Although some birds are still kept in small flocks in extensive systems, most birds available in the market today are reared in intensive commercial enterprises.

Together with [[pork]], poultry is one of the two most widely-eaten types of meat globally, with over 70% of the meat supply in 2012 between them;<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/themes/images/meat/backgr_sources_data.jpg |title=Sources of the world's meat supply in 2012 |publisher= FAO |access-date= 26 August 2018}}</ref> poultry provides nutritionally beneficial food containing high-quality protein accompanied by a low proportion of fat. All poultry meat should be properly handled and sufficiently cooked in order to reduce the risk of [[food poisoning]]. [[Semi-vegetarianism|Semi-vegetarians]] who consume poultry as the only source of meat are said to adhere to [[pollotarianism]].

==Etymology==
The word "poultry" comes from [[Middle English]] ''pultry'' or ''pultrie'', itself derived from [[Old French]]/[[Norman language|Norman]] word {{lang|fro|pouletrie}}.<ref name=AH/> The term for an immature poultry, [[pullet]], like its [[doublet (linguistics)|doublet]] ''poult'',<ref>{{oed|poult}}</ref> comes from Middle English ''pulet'' and Old French ''polet'', both from the [[Latin]] word ''pullus'', meaning a young fowl or young animal.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia | title = Pullet | encyclopedia = The American Heritage: Dictionary of the English Language | volume = 4th edition | publisher = Houghton Mifflin Company | year = 2009 | url = http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pullet}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=fowl |title=Fowl | work=Online Etymology Dictionary |publisher=Etymonline.com  |access-date=February 12, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Our Poultry|url=https://poule-dor.com/our-poultry/|access-date=2021-01-20|website=Poule D'or Chicken|language=en-US}}</ref> The word "fowl" is of [[Germanic language|Germanic]] origin (cf. [[Old English]] ''Fugol'', [[German language|German]] ''Vogel'', [[Danish language|Danish]] ''Fugl'').<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=poultry |title= Poultry | work= Online Etymology Dictionary |publisher=Ehitymonline.com |access-date=February 12, 2014}}
</ref>

==Definition==
"Poultry" is a term used for any kind of [[Domestication|domesticated]] bird, captive-raised for its utility, and traditionally the word has been used to refer to wildfowl ([[Galliformes]]) and waterfowl ([[Anseriformes]]) but not to [[cagebirds]] such as [[songbirds]] and [[parrots]]. "Poultry" can be defined as domestic fowls, including chickens, turkeys, geese and ducks, raised for the production of meat or eggs and the word is also used for the flesh of these birds used as food.<ref name=AH>{{cite encyclopedia | title = Poultry | encyclopedia = The American Heritage: Dictionary of the English Language | volume = 4th edition | publisher = Houghton Mifflin Company | year = 2009 | url = http://www.thefreedictionary.com/poultry}}</ref>

The Encyclopædia Britannica lists the same bird groups but also includes guinea fowl and squabs (young pigeons).<ref name=Britannica>{{cite encyclopedia | title = Poultry | encyclopedia = Encyclopædia Britannica | publisher = Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. | date = June 6, 2013 | url = http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/472991/poultry }}</ref> In R. D. Crawford's ''Poultry breeding and genetics'', squabs are omitted but [[Japanese quail]] and [[common pheasant]] are added to the list, the latter frequently being bred in captivity and released into the wild.<ref name=Crawford>{{cite book |title=Poultry Breeding and Genetics |last=Crawford |first=R. D. |year=1990 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=0-444-88557-9 |page=1 |url=http://www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/19900183085.html }}</ref> In his 1848 classic book on poultry, ''Ornamental and Domestic Poultry: Their History, and Management'', Edmund Dixon included chapters on the [[peafowl]], [[guinea fowl]], [[mute swan]], [[turkey (bird)|turkey]], various types of [[geese]], the muscovy duck, other ducks and all types of chickens including bantams.<ref>{{cite book |title=Ornamental and Domestic Poultry: Their History, and Management |last=Dixon |first=Rev Edmund Saul |year=1848 |publisher=Gardeners' Chronicle |page=[https://archive.org/details/Dixon1848ix59U/page/n36 1] |url=https://archive.org/details/Dixon1848ix59U |quote=poultry history. }}</ref>

In colloquial speech, the term "fowl" is often used near-synonymously with "domesticated chicken" (''Gallus gallus''), or with "poultry" or even just "bird", and many languages do not distinguish between "poultry" and "fowl". Both words are also used for the flesh of these birds.<ref>{{cite web | title = Fowl | work= The Free Dictionary | publisher = thefreedictionary.com | url = http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fowl | access-date=February 12, 2014}}</ref> Poultry can be distinguished from "game", defined as wild birds or mammals hunted for food or sport, a word also used to describe the meat of these when eaten.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia | title = Game | encyclopedia = Oxford Dictionaries | publisher = Oxford University Press | url = http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/game | access-date = March 8, 2014 | archive-date = April 3, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160403082300/http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/game }}</ref>

=== Examples ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Bird
! Wild ancestor
! Domestication
! Utilization
! Picture
|-
| [[Chicken]]
| [[Red junglefowl]]
| [[South Asia|South]] and [[Southeast Asia]]
| Eggs and meat
|[[File:Male and female chicken sitting together.jpg|120px]]
|-
| [[Domestic turkey|Turkey]]
| [[Wild turkey]]
| [[Mexico]]
| Meat
|[[File:Bronzepute 04.jpg|120px]]
|-
| [[Domesticated quail]]
| [[Quail]]
| Various
| Eggs and meat
|[[File:3 Japanese quails less than 1 year old.JPG|120px]]
|-
| [[Domestic duck|Duck]]
| [[Mallard]]
| Various
| Eggs, meat, and feathers
|[[File:Taiwanese duck farm.jpg|120px]]
|-
| [[Domestic goose|Goose]]
| [[Greylag goose|Greylag]]
| Various
| Eggs, meat, and feathers
|[[File:Neugierige Hausgans.JPG|120px]]
|-
| [[Domestic guineafowl|Guinea fowl]]
| [[Helmeted guineafowl|Helmeted guinea fowl]]
| [[Africa]]
| Eggs and meat
|[[File:Guinea fowl.jpg|120px]]
|-
|[[Domestic pigeon]]
|[[Rock dove]]
|[[Eurasia]]
|Meat
|[[File:American Giant Runt.jpg|frameless|120x120px]]
|}

==Chickens==
{{main|Chicken}}
[[File:Rooster portrait2.jpg|upright|thumb|right|Cock with comb and wattles]]
Chickens are medium-sized, chunky birds with an upright stance and characterised by fleshy red [[Comb (anatomy)|combs]] and [[Wattle (anatomy)|wattles]] on their heads. Males, known as cocks, are usually larger, more boldly coloured, and have more exaggerated plumage than females (hens). Chickens are gregarious, [[Omnivore|omnivorous]], ground-dwelling birds that in their natural surroundings search among the [[leaf litter]] for seeds, invertebrates, and other small animals. They seldom fly except as a result of perceived danger, preferring to run into the undergrowth if approached.<ref name=Card/> Today's domestic chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is mainly descended from the wild [[red junglefowl]] of Asia, with some additional input from [[grey junglefowl]], [[Sri Lankan junglefowl]], and [[green junglefowl]].<ref name= Eriksson>{{Citation | doi = 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000010 | pmid = 18454198 | pmc = 2265484 | last1 = Eriksson | first1 = Jonas | last2 = Larson | first2 = Greger | last3 = Gunnarsson | first3 = Ulrika | last4 = Bed'hom | first4 = Bertrand | last5 = Tixier-Boichard | first5 = Michele | last6 = Strömstedt | first6 = Lina | last7 = Wright | first7 = Dominic | last8 = Vereijken | first8 = Addie | last9 = Randi | first9 = Ettore | last10 = Jensen | first10 = Per | last11 = Andersson | first11 = Leif | title = Identification of the yellow skin gene reveals a hybrid origin of the domestic chicken | article-number = e1000010 | year = 2008 | journal = PLOS Genetics |volume=4 | issue=2 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name="Lawal"/>

Genomic studies estimate that the chicken was domesticated 8,000 years ago in [[Southeast Asia]]<ref name="Lawal" /> and spread to China and India 2000–3000 years later. Archaeological evidence supports domestic chickens in Southeast Asia well before 6000&nbsp;BC, China by 6000&nbsp;BC and India by 2000&nbsp;BC.<ref name="Lawal" /><ref>{{cite journal |last1=West |first1=B. |last2=Zhou |first2=B.X. |year=1988 |title=Did chickens go north? New evidence for domestication |journal=J. Archaeol. Sci. |volume=14 |issue= 5|pages=515–533|doi=10.1016/0305-4403(88)90080-5 |bibcode=1988JArSc..15..515W }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Al-Nasser |first1=A. |last2=Al-Khalaifa |first2=H. |last3=Al-Saffar |first3=A. |last4=Khalil |first4=F. |last5=Albahouh |first5=M. |last6=Ragheb |first6=G. |last7=Al-Haddad |first7=A. |last8=Mashaly |first8=M. |title=Overview of chicken taxonomy and domestication |journal=World's Poultry Science Journal |date=1 June 2007 |volume=63 |issue=2 |pages=285–300 |doi=10.1017/S004393390700147X |s2cid=86734013 }}</ref> A landmark 2020 Nature study that fully sequenced 863 chickens across the world suggests that all domestic chickens originate from a single domestication event of red junglefowl whose present-day distribution is predominantly in southwestern China, northern Thailand and Myanmar. These domesticated chickens spread across Southeast and South Asia where they interbred with local wild species of junglefowl, forming genetically and geographically distinct groups. Analysis of the most popular commercial breed shows that the White Leghorn breed possesses a mosaic of divergent ancestries inherited from subspecies of red junglefowl.<ref>{{cite journal |title=863 genomes reveal the origin and domestication of chicken |year=2020|doi=10.1038/s41422-020-0349-y|s2cid=220050312|last1=Wang|first1=Ming-Shan|last2=Thakur|first2=Mukesh|last3=Peng|first3=Min-Sheng|last4=Jiang|first4=Yu|last5=Frantz|first5=Laurent Alain François|last6=Li|first6=Ming|last7=Zhang|first7=Jin-Jin|last8=Wang|first8=Sheng|last9=Peters|first9=Joris|last10=Otecko|first10=Newton Otieno|last11=Suwannapoom|first11=Chatmongkon|last12=Guo|first12=Xing|last13=Zheng|first13=Zhu-Qing|last14=Esmailizadeh|first14=Ali|last15=Hirimuthugoda|first15=Nalini Yasoda|last16=Ashari|first16=Hidayat|last17=Suladari|first17=Sri|last18=Zein|first18=Moch Syamsul Arifin|last19=Kusza|first19=Szilvia|last20=Sohrabi|first20=Saeed|last21=Kharrati-Koopaee|first21=Hamed|last22=Shen|first22=Quan-Kuan|last23=Zeng|first23=Lin|last24=Yang|first24=Min-Min|last25=Wu|first25=Ya-Jiang|last26=Yang|first26=Xing-Yan|last27=Lu|first27=Xue-Mei|last28=Jia|first28=Xin-Zheng|last29=Nie|first29=Qing-Hua|last30=Lamont|first30=Susan Joy|journal=Cell Research|volume=30|issue=8|pages=693–701|pmid=32581344|pmc=7395088|display-authors=1}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Liu |first1=Yi-Ping |last2=Wu |first2=Gui-Sheng |last3=Yao |first3=Yong-Gang |last4=Miao |first4=Yong-Wang |last5=Luikart |first5=Gordon |last6=Baig |first6=Mumtaz |last7=Beja-Pereira |first7=Albano |last8=Ding |first8=Zhao-Li |last9=Palanichamy |first9=Malliya Gounder |last10=Zhang |first10=Ya-Ping |title=Multiple maternal origins of chickens: Out of the Asian jungles |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |date=January 2006 |volume=38 |issue=1 |pages=12–19 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2005.09.014 |pmid=16275023 |bibcode=2006MolPE..38...12L }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Zeder |first1=Melinda A. |last2=Emshwiller |first2=Eve |last3=Smith |first3=Bruce D. |last4=Bradley |first4=Daniel G. |title=Documenting domestication: the intersection of genetics and archaeology |journal=Trends in Genetics |date=March 2006 |volume=22 |issue=3 |pages=139–155 |doi=10.1016/j.tig.2006.01.007 |pmid=16458995 }}</ref>

Chickens were one of the [[Domesticated plants and animals of Austronesia|domesticated animals]] carried with the sea-borne [[Austronesian peoples|Austronesian migrations]] into [[Taiwan]], [[Island Southeast Asia]], [[Island Melanesia]], [[Madagascar]], and the [[Pacific Islands]]; starting from around 3500 to 2500&nbsp;BC.<ref name="Piper">{{cite book|first1=Philip J. |last1=Piper|editor1-first=Philip J. |editor1-last=Piper |editor2-first=Hirofumi |editor2-last=Matsumura |editor3-first=David |editor3-last=Bulbeck|title =New Perspectives in Southeast Asian and Pacific Prehistory|chapter =The Origins and Arrival of the Earliest Domestic Animals in Mainland and Island Southeast Asia: A Developing Story of Complexity|publisher =ANU Press|volume=45|series =terra australis|year =2017|isbn =978-1-76046-094-5|chapter-url =http://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/n2320/html/ch15.xhtml}}</ref><ref name="Blust2002">{{cite journal |last1=Blust |first1=Robert |title=The History of Faunal Terms in Austronesian Languages |journal=Oceanic Linguistics |date=June 2002 |volume=41 |issue=1 |pages=89–139 |doi=10.2307/3623329 |jstor=3623329 }}</ref>

By 2000&nbsp;BC, chickens seem to have reached the [[Indus Valley]] and 250 years later, they arrived in Egypt. They were still used for fighting and were regarded as symbols of fertility. The Romans used them in [[divination]], and the Egyptians made a breakthrough when they learned the difficult technique of artificial [[Egg incubation|incubation]].<ref>{{cite news |title=How the Chicken Conquered the World |author1=Adler, Jerry |author2=Lawler, Andrew |url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-the-chicken-conquered-the-world-87583657/?no-ist |newspaper=Smithsonian Magazine |date=June 1, 2012 |access-date=April 14, 2014}}</ref> Since then, the keeping of chickens has spread around the world for the production of food with the domestic fowl being a valuable source of both eggs and meat.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Storey, A. A. |author2=Athens, J. S. |author3=Bryant, D. |author4=Carson, M. |author5=Emery, K. |year=2012 |title=Investigating the global dispersal of chickens in prehistory using ancient mitochondrial DNA signatures |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=7 |issue=7 |article-number=e39171 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0039171 |display-authors=etal |pmid=22848352 |pmc=3405094|bibcode=2012PLoSO...739171S |doi-access=free }}</ref>

Since their domestication, a large number of breeds of chickens have been established, but with the exception of the [[Leghorn (chicken)|white Leghorn]], most commercial birds are of [[Hybrid (biology)|hybrid]] origin.<ref name=Card>{{cite book |title=Poultry Production |last=Card |first=Leslie E. |year=1961 |publisher=Lea & Febiger |isbn=978-0-8121-1241-2 |url=http://www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/19610102428.html }}</ref> In about 1800, chickens began to be kept on a larger scale, and modern high-output poultry farms were present in the United Kingdom from around 1920 and became established in the United States soon after the [[World War II|Second World War]]. By the mid-20th century, the [[poultry industry|poultry meat-producing industry]] was of greater importance than the egg-laying industry. Poultry breeding has produced breeds and strains to fulfil different needs; light-framed, egg-laying birds that can produce 300 eggs a year; fast-growing, fleshy birds destined for consumption at a young age, and utility birds which produce both an acceptable number of eggs and a well-fleshed carcase. Male birds are unwanted in the egg-laying industry and can often be identified as soon as they are hatch for subsequent culling. In meat breeds, these birds are sometimes castrated (often chemically) to prevent aggression.<ref name=Britannica/> The resulting bird, called a [[capon]], has more tender and flavorful meat, as well.<ref name="Basley">{{cite book |title=Western poultry book |publisher=Mrs. A. Basley |author=Mrs A Basley |year=1910 |url=https://archive.org/details/westernpoultrybo00basl_0 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/westernpoultrybo00basl_0/page/112 112]–15 }}</ref>
[[File:Cockfight Santangelo MAN Napoli.jpg|thumb|right|Roman mosaic depicting a cockfight]]
A [[Bantam (poultry)|bantam]] is a small variety of domestic chicken, either a miniature version of a member of a standard [[breed]], or a "true bantam" with no larger counterpart. The name derives from the town of [[Banten (town)|Bantam]] in Java<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=bantam&allowed_in_frame=0 |title=Online Etymology Dictionary |publisher=Etymonline.com |access-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref> where European sailors bought the local small chickens for their shipboard supplies. Bantams may be a quarter to a third of the size of standard birds and lay similarly small eggs. They are kept by small-holders and hobbyists for egg production, use as broody hens, ornamental purposes, and showing.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.poultryclub.org/breed-gallery/ |title=Breed gallery |publisher=The Poultry Club of Great Britain |access-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref>

===Cockfighting===
[[Cockfight]]ing is said to be the world's oldest spectator sport. Two mature males (cocks or roosters) are set to fight each other, and will do so with great vigour until one is critically injured or killed. Cockfighting is extremely widespread in [[Island Southeast Asia]], and often had ritual significance in addition to being a gambling sport.<ref name="Blust2002"/> They also formed part of the cultures of ancient India, China, Persia, Greece, Rome, and large sums were won or lost depending on the outcome of an encounter. Breeds such as the [[Asil (chicken)|Aseel]] were developed in the Indian subcontinent for their aggressive behaviour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aseellovers.20m.com/custom.html |title=History of Aseel |author=Nadeem Ullah |access-date=February 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227163240/http://www.aseellovers.20m.com/custom.html |archive-date=February 27, 2014 }}</ref> Cockfighting has been banned in many countries during the last century on the grounds of cruelty to animals.<ref name=Britannica/>

==Ducks==
{{main|Domestic duck}}
Ducks are medium-sized aquatic birds with broad bills, eyes on the side of the head, fairly long necks, short legs set far back on the body, and webbed feet. Males, known as drakes, are often larger than females (known as hens) and are differently coloured in some breeds. Domestic ducks are [[omnivore]]s,<ref>{{Cite web |title=10 Facts About Ducks |url=https://www.four-paws.org/campaigns-topics/topics/farm-animals/10-facts-about-ducks |access-date=2022-07-05 |website=FOUR PAWS International - Animal Welfare Organisation |language=en}}</ref> eating a variety of animal and plant materials such as aquatic insects, molluscs, worms, small amphibians, waterweeds, and grasses. They feed in shallow water by dabbling, with their heads underwater and their tails upended. Most domestic ducks are too heavy to fly, and they are social birds, preferring to live and move around together in groups. They keep their plumage waterproof by preening, a process that spreads the secretions of the [[Uropygial gland|preen gland]] over their feathers.<ref name=RSPCA>{{cite web |url=http://www.rspca.org.uk/ImageLocator/LocateAsset?asset=document&assetId=1232730067367&mode=prd |title=Information sheet: The Welfare of Farmed Ducks |date=July 1, 2012 |publisher=RSPCA |access-date=March 8, 2014 |archive-date=July 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707160911/https://www.rspca.org.uk/ImageLocator/LocateAsset?asset=document&assetId=1232730067367&mode=prd }}</ref>

[[File:Pekin Ducks cropped.jpg|thumb|right|Pekin ducks]]
Clay models of ducks found in China dating back to 4000&nbsp;BC may indicate the domestication of ducks took place there during the [[Yangshao culture]]. Even if this is not the case, domestication of the duck took place in the Far East at least 1500 years earlier than in the West. [[Columella|Lucius Columella]], writing in the first century BC, advised those who sought to rear ducks to collect wildfowl eggs and put them under a broody hen, because when raised in this way, the ducks "lay aside their wild nature and without hesitation breed when shut up in the bird pen". Despite this, ducks did not appear in agricultural texts in Western Europe until about 810, when they began to be mentioned alongside geese, chickens, and peafowl as being used for rental payments made by tenants to landowners.<ref name=Cherry>{{cite book |title=Domestic Duck Production: Science and Practice |last1=Cherry |first1=Peter |last2=Morris |first2=T. R. |year=2008 |publisher=CABI |isbn=978-1-84593-441-5 |pages=1–7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=48sgHPrbUiQC&q=Duck+domestication&pg=PA3 }}</ref>

It is widely agreed that the [[mallard]] (''Anas platyrhynchos'') is the ancestor of all breeds of domestic duck (with the exception of the [[Muscovy duck]] (''Cairina moschata''), which is not closely related to other ducks).<ref name=Cherry/> Ducks are farmed mainly for their meat, eggs, and [[Down feather|down]].<ref name=Dean/> As is the case with chickens, various breeds have been developed, selected for egg-laying ability, fast growth, and a well-covered carcase. The most common commercial breed in the United Kingdom and the United States is the [[American Pekin duck|Pekin duck]], which can lay 200 eggs a year and can reach a weight of {{convert|3.5|kg|lboz|abbr=on}} in 44 days.<ref name=RSPCA/> In the [[Western world]], ducks are not as popular as chickens, because the latter produce larger quantities of white, lean meat and are easier to keep intensively, making the price of [[chicken meat]] lower than that of duck meat. While popular in ''[[haute cuisine]]'', duck appears less frequently in the mass-market food industry. However, things are different in the East. Ducks are more popular there than chickens and are mostly still herded in the traditional way and selected for their ability to find sufficient food in harvested rice fields and other wet environments.<ref name=Dean>{{cite web |url=http://www.duckhealth.com/dmstduck.html |title=Domestic ducks |author1=Dean, William F. |author2=Sandhu, Tirath S. |year=2008 |publisher=Cornell University |access-date=February 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015173440/http://www.duckhealth.com/dmstduck.html |archive-date=October 15, 2013 }}</ref>

==Goose==
{{main|Domestic goose}}
[[File:Domestic Goose.jpg|thumb|left|upright|An [[Emden goose]], a descendant of the wild [[greylag goose]]]]
The [[greylag goose]] (''Anser anser'') was domesticated by the Egyptians at least 3000 years ago,<ref name=faogeese>{{cite web |url=http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/Y4359E/y4359e03.htm |title=Origins and Breeds of Domestic Geese |author1=Buckland, R. |author2=Guy, G. |publisher=FAO Agriculture Department |access-date=February 17, 2014}}</ref> and a different wild species, the [[swan goose]] (''Anser cygnoides''), domesticated in Siberia about a thousand years later, is known as a [[Chinese goose]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bird-friends.com/BirdPage.php?name=White%20Chinese%20Goose |title=White Chinese Goose |author=Streit, Scott |year=2000 |work=Bird Friends Of San Diego County |access-date=February 17, 2014}}</ref> The two [[hybrid (biology)|hybrid]]ise with each other and the large knob at the base of the beak, a noticeable feature of the Chinese goose, is present to a varying extent in these hybrids. The hybrids are fertile and have resulted in several of the modern breeds. Despite their early domestication, geese have never gained the commercial importance of chickens and ducks.<ref name=faogeese/>

Domestic geese are much larger than their wild counterparts and tend to have thick necks, an upright posture, and large bodies with broad rear ends. The greylag-derived birds are large and fleshy and used for meat, while the Chinese geese have smaller frames and are mainly used for egg production. The fine down of both is valued for use in pillows and padded garments. They forage on grass and weeds, supplementing this with small invertebrates, and one of the attractions of rearing geese is their ability to grow and thrive on a grass-based system.<ref name=CALU/> They are very gregarious and have good memories and can be allowed to roam widely in the knowledge that they will return home by dusk. The Chinese goose is more aggressive and noisy than other geese and can be used as a guard animal to warn of intruders.<ref name=faogeese/> The flesh of meat geese is dark-coloured and high in protein, but they deposit fat subcutaneously, although this fat contains mostly [[Monounsaturated fats|monounsaturated fatty acids]]. The birds are killed either around 10 or about 24 weeks. Between these ages, problems with dressing the carcase occur because of the presence of developing [[pin feather]]s.<ref name=CALU>{{cite web |url=http://www.calu.bangor.ac.uk/Technical%20leaflets/040803seasonalgeese.pdf |title=CALU factsheet: Meat geese seasonal production |date=June 1, 2009 |access-date=March 9, 2014}}</ref>

In some countries, geese and ducks are force-fed to produce livers with an exceptionally high fat content for the production of ''[[foie gras]]''. Over 75% of world production of this product occurs in France, with lesser industries in Hungary and Bulgaria and a growing production in China.<ref>{{cite news |title=China to boost foie gras production |author=Mo Hong'e |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-04/11/content_4409586.htm |newspaper=China View |date=April 11, 2006 |access-date=March 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070602122944/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-04/11/content_4409586.htm |archive-date=June 2, 2007 }}</ref> ''Foie gras'' is considered a luxury in many parts of the world, but the process of feeding the birds in this way is banned in many countries on animal welfare grounds.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://foodfancy.net/docs/out17_en.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219011901/http://foodfancy.net/docs/out17_en.pdf |archive-date=December 19, 2013 |title=Welfare Aspects of the Production of Foie Gras in Ducks and Geese |date=December 16, 1998 |work=Report of the Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare |access-date=March 9, 2014 }}</ref>

==Turkeys==
{{main|Domestic turkey}}
[[File:Turkeybird.JPG|thumb|Male domesticated turkey sexually displaying by showing the snood hanging over the beak, the caruncles hanging from the throat, and the 'beard' of small, black, stiff feathers on the chest]]
Turkeys are large birds, their nearest relatives being the pheasant and the guineafowl. Males are larger than females and have spreading, fan-shaped tails and distinctive, fleshy [[Wattle (anatomy)|wattle]]s, called a [[Snood (anatomy)|snood]], that hang from the top of the beak and are used in courtship display. Wild turkeys can fly, but seldom do so, preferring to run with a long, straddling gait. They roost in trees and forage on the ground, feeding on seeds, nuts, berries, grass, foliage, invertebrates, lizards, and small snakes.<ref name=Smith/>

The modern domesticated turkey is descended from one of six [[subspecies]] of [[wild turkey]] (''Meleagris gallopavo'') found in the present Mexican states of [[Jalisco]], [[Guerrero]] and [[Veracruz]].<ref>C. Michael Hogan. 2008. [http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=2199 ''Wild turkey: Meleagris gallopavo'', GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. L  Stromberg] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170725174654/http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=2199 |date=July 25, 2017 }}</ref> Pre-Aztec tribes in south-central Mexico first domesticated the bird around 800&nbsp;BC, and Pueblo Indians inhabiting the Colorado Plateau in the United States did likewise around 200&nbsp;BC. They used the feathers for robes, blankets, and ceremonial purposes. More than 1,000 years later, they became an important food source.<ref>{{cite news |title=Native Americans First Tamed Turkeys 2,000 Years Ago |author=Viegas, Jennifer |url=http://news.discovery.com/history/us-history/native-americans-turkeys-domestication.htm |date=February 1, 2010 |access-date=February 19, 2014 |archive-date=May 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503012252/http://news.discovery.com/history/us-history/native-americans-turkeys-domestication.htm }}</ref> The first Europeans to encounter the bird misidentified it as a guineafowl, a bird known as a "turkey fowl" at that time because it had been introduced into Europe via Turkey.<ref name=Smith>{{cite book |title=The Turkey: An American Story |last=Smith |first=Andrew F. |year=2006 |publisher=University of Illinois Press |isbn=978-0-252-03163-2 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780252031632/page/4 4]–5, 17 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780252031632 |url-access=registration |quote=turkey bird name. }}</ref>

Commercial turkeys are usually reared indoors under controlled conditions. These are often large buildings, purpose-built to provide ventilation and low light intensities (this reduces the birds' activity and thereby increases the rate of weight gain). The lights can be switched on for 24&nbsp;h/day, or a range of step-wise light regimens to encourage the birds to feed often and therefore grow rapidly. Females achieve slaughter weight at about 15 weeks of age and males at about 19. Mature commercial birds may be twice as heavy as their wild counterparts. Many different breeds have been developed, but the majority of commercial birds are white, as this improves the appearance of the dressed carcass, the [[pin feather]]s being less visible.<ref>{{cite book |title=Turkeys: Behavior, Management and Well-Being|editor-last1=Pond |editor-first1=Wilson G. |editor-last2=Bell |editor-first2=Alan W. |year=2010 |publisher=Marcell Dekker |isbn=978-0-8247-5496-9 |pages=847–849 }}</ref> Turkeys were at one time mainly consumed on special occasions such as [[Christmas]] (10 million birds in the United Kingdom) or [[Thanksgiving]] (60 million birds in the United States). However, they are increasingly becoming part of the everyday diet in many parts of the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yourshepway.co.uk/news/can_turkey_rule_the_roost_all_year_round_1_3120818 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140303210320/http://www.yourshepway.co.uk/news/can_turkey_rule_the_roost_all_year_round_1_3120818 |archive-date=March 3, 2014 |title=Can turkey rule the roost all year round? |author=Bill, Joe |date=December 18, 2013 |publisher=Your Shepway |access-date=March 3, 2014 }}</ref>

==Other poultry==
[[Guineafowl]] originated in southern Africa, and the species most often kept as poultry is the [[helmeted guineafowl]] (''Numida meleagris''). It is a medium-sized grey or speckled bird with a small naked head with colorful wattles and a knob on top, and was [[Domestic guineafowl|domesticated]] by the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Guineafowl are hardy, sociable birds that subsist mainly on insects, but also consume grasses and seeds. They will keep a vegetable garden clear of pests and will eat the ticks that carry [[Lyme disease]]. They happily roost in trees and give a loud vocal warning of the approach of predators. Their flesh and eggs can be eaten in the same way as chickens, young birds being ready for the table at the age of about four months.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/ASC/ASC209/ASC209.pdf |title=Keeping Guinea fowl |author1=Jacob, Jacquie |author2=Pescatore, Tony |author3=Cantor, Austin |publisher=University of Kentucky |access-date=March 9, 2014}}</ref>

A [[squab]] is the name given to the young of domestic pigeons that are destined for the table. Like other domesticated pigeons, birds used for this purpose are descended from the [[rock dove]] (''Columba livia''). Special [[Utility pigeon|utility breeds]] with desirable characteristics are used. Two eggs are laid and incubated for about 17 days. When they hatch, the squabs are fed by both parents on "pigeon's milk", a thick secretion high in protein produced by the [[Crop (anatomy)|crop]]. Squabs grow rapidly, but are slow to fledge and are ready to leave the nest at 26 to 30 days weighing about {{convert|500|g|lboz|abbr=on}}. By this time, the adult pigeons will have laid and be incubating another pair of eggs and a prolific pair should produce two squabs every four weeks during a breeding season lasting several months.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/213221/Squab-raising.pdf |title=Primefacts: Squab raising |author=Bolla, Gerry |journal=Primefacts |date=April 1, 2007 |issn=1832-6668 |publisher=NSW Department of Primary Industries |access-date=March 9, 2014}}</ref>

==Poultry farming==
{{main|Poultry farming}}
[[File:Duck farm in Hainan 02.jpg|thumb|Free-range ducks in Hainan Province, China|240x240px]]
[[File:Battery-farm.jpg|thumb|240x240px|Hens in battery cages can not move freely, with several birds living in a single cage.]]
Worldwide, more chickens are kept than any other type of poultry, with over 50 billion birds being raised each year as a source of meat and eggs.<ref name=Compassion>{{cite web |url=http://www.ciwf.org.uk/farm_animals/poultry |title=Compassion in World Farming: Poultry |publisher=[[Compassion in World Farming]] |access-date=February 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227233132/http://www.ciwf.org.uk/farm%5Fanimals/poultry/ |archive-date=February 27, 2014 }}</ref> Traditionally, such birds would have been kept extensively in small flocks, foraging during the day and housed at night. This is still the case in developing countries, where the women often make important contributions to family livelihoods through keeping poultry. However, rising world populations and urbanization have led to the bulk of production being in larger, more intensive specialist units. These are often situated close to where the feed is grown or near to where the meat is needed, and result in cheap, safe food being made available for urban communities.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/themes/en/poultry/home.html |title=Animal production and health: Poultry |date=September 25, 2012 |publisher=FAO |access-date=February 27, 2014}}</ref> Profitability of production depends very much on the price of feed, which has been rising. High feed costs could limit further development of poultry production.<ref>{{cite web|last=Agritrade|title=Poultry Brief 2013|url=http://agritrade.cta.int/Agriculture/Commodities/Poultry/Executive-Brief-Update-2013-Poultry-sector|publisher=CTA|access-date=February 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140709034856/http://agritrade.cta.int/Agriculture/Commodities/Poultry/Executive-Brief-Update-2013-Poultry-sector|archive-date=July 9, 2014}}</ref>

In [[free-range]] husbandry, the birds can roam freely outdoors for at least part of the day. Often, this is in large enclosures, but the birds have access to natural conditions and can exhibit their normal behaviours. A more intensive system is [[yarding]], in which the birds have access to a fenced yard and [[Chicken coop|poultry house]] at a higher stocking rate. Poultry can also be kept in a barn system, with no access to the open air, <!-- (or predators and disease-carrying wild birds), --> but with the ability to move around freely inside the building. The most intensive system for egg-laying chickens is [[battery cage]]s, often set in multiple tiers. In these, several birds share a small cage which restricts their ability to move around and behave in a normal manner. The eggs are laid on the floor of the cage and roll into troughs outside for ease of collection. Battery cages for hens have been illegal in the [[European Union|EU]] since January 1, 2012.<ref name=Compassion/>

[[File:Yarding poultry farm 02.jpg|thumb|center|[[Yarding]] poultry farm in [[Vernon County, Wisconsin]] with a fenced in area and shadded areas for chickens to roam]]

Chickens raised intensively for their meat are known as "broilers". Breeds have been developed that can grow to an acceptable carcass size ({{convert|2|kg|lboz|abbr=on|disp=or}}) in six weeks or less.<ref name=Browne/> Broilers grow so fast, their legs cannot always support their weight and their hearts and respiratory systems may not be able to supply enough oxygen to their developing muscles. Mortality rates at 1% are much higher than for less-intensively reared laying birds which take 18 weeks to reach similar weights.<ref name=Browne>{{cite news |title=Ten weeks to live |author=Browne, Anthony |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2002/mar/10/foodanddrink.features1 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=March 10, 2002 |access-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref> Processing the birds is done automatically with conveyor-belt efficiency. They are hung by their feet, stunned, killed, bled, scalded, plucked, have their heads and feet removed, eviscerated, washed, chilled, drained, weighed, and packed,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.poultryhub.org/anatomy-and-physiology/meat-chicken-farm-sequence/ | title=Meat chicken farm sequence (processing) | publisher=Poultry Hub | date=August 20, 2010 | access-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref> all within the course of little over two hours.<ref name=Browne/>

Both intensive and free-range farming have animal welfare concerns. In intensive systems, [[Cannibalism (poultry)|cannibalism]], [[feather pecking]] and [[vent pecking]] can be common, with some farmers using [[debeaking|beak trimming]] as a preventative measure.<ref name=Sherwin>{{cite journal |author1=Sherwin, C. M. |author2=Richards, G. J |author3=Nicol, C. J. |year=2010 |title=A comparison of the welfare of layer hens in four housing systems in the UK |journal=British Poultry Science |volume=51 |issue=4 |pages=488–499 |doi=10.1080/00071668.2010.502518|pmid=20924842 |s2cid=8968010 }}</ref> Diseases can also be common and spread rapidly through the flock. In extensive systems, the birds are exposed to adverse weather conditions and are vulnerable to predators and disease-carrying wild birds. Barn systems have been found to have the worst bird welfare.<ref name=Sherwin/> In [[Southeast Asia]], a lack of disease control in free-range farming has been associated with outbreaks of [[avian influenza]].<ref name=WSPA>{{cite web | url=http://wspa-international.org/publicfiles/Free_range_farming_and_avian_flu__3_.pdf | title=Free-range farming and avian flu in Asia | publisher=WSPA International | access-date=February 12, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216083304/http://www.wspa-international.org/publicfiles/Free_range_farming_and_avian_flu__3_.pdf | archive-date=December 16, 2013 }}</ref>

==Poultry shows==
In many countries, national and regional poultry shows are held where enthusiasts exhibit their birds which are judged on certain [[phenotype|phenotypical]] [[breed]] traits as specified by their respective [[breed standard]]s. The idea of poultry exhibition may have originated after cockfighting was made illegal, as a way of maintaining a competitive element in poultry husbandry. Breed standards were drawn up for egg-laying, meat-type, and purely ornamental birds, aiming for uniformity.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.poultryclub.org/poultry/history-of-poultry/ |title=History of poultry |publisher=Poultry Club of Great Britain |access-date=February 23, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228121601/http://www.poultryclub.org/poultry/history-of-poultry/ |archive-date=February 28, 2014 }}</ref> Sometimes, poultry shows are part of general [[livestock show]]s, and sometimes they are separate events such as the annual "National Championship Show" in the United Kingdom organised by the [[Poultry Club of Great Britain]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.poultryclub.org/showing/types-of-show/ |title=Types of Show |publisher=Poultry Club of Great Britain |access-date=February 23, 2014 |archive-date=February 26, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226031644/http://www.poultryclub.org/showing/types-of-show/ }}</ref> <!-- THIS SHOW HAS NO LIVE POULTRY COMPETITION In the United States, the largest show was the International Poultry Expo organized by the [[U.S. Poultry and Egg Association]]. In 2013, this was amalgamated with the International Feed Expo and the International Meat Expo to give the world's largest livestock trade fair, the International Production and Processing Expo. IPPE attracts exhibitors from around the world and includes an International Poultry Scientific Forum.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ippexpo.com/ |title=International Production & Processing Expo |access-date=February 23, 2014}}</ref> -->

==Poultry as food==
{{See also|Chicken as food|Duck as food|Goose as food|Turkey as food}}

===Trade===
[[File:HK Central 結志街 Gage Street market 雞蛋 Chicken n 鴨蛋 Duck Eggs on sale March-2012.jpg|thumb|Chicken and duck eggs on sale in Hong Kong]]
Poultry is the second most widely eaten type of meat in the world, accounting for about 30% of total meat production worldwide compared to [[pork]] at 38%. Sixteen billion birds are raised annually for consumption, more than half of these in industrialised, factory-like production units.<ref name="sciencenews.org">Raloff, Janet. [http://www.sciencenews.org/blog/food-for-thought/global-food-trends Food for Thought: Global Food Trends]. Science News Online. May 27, 2003.</ref> Global broiler meat production rose to 84.6 million tonnes in 2013. The largest producers were the United States (20%), China (16.6%), Brazil (15.1%) and the European Union (11.3%).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thepoultrysite.com/reports/?id=1788 |title=USDA Livestock & Poultry: World Markets & Trade |date=April 30, 2013 |publisher=The Poultry Site |access-date=February 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227185757/http://www.thepoultrysite.com/reports/?id=1788 |archive-date=February 27, 2014 }}</ref> There are two distinct models of production; the European Union [[supply chain]] model seeks to supply products which can be traced back to the farm of origin. This model faces the increasing costs of implementing additional food safety requirements, welfare issues and environmental regulations. In contrast, the United States model turns the product into a commodity.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Manning, Louise |author2=Baines, R. N. |author3=Chadd, S. A. |year=2007 |title=Trends in the global poultry meat supply chain |journal=British Food Journal |volume=109 |issue=5 |pages=332–342 |doi=10.1108/00070700710746759 }}</ref>

World production of duck meat was about 4.2 million tonnes in 2011 with China producing two thirds of the total,<ref name=DuckGoose>{{cite web |url=http://www.thepoultrysite.com/reports/?id=3234 |title=USDA International Livestock & Poultry: World Duck, Goose and Guinea Fowl Meat Situation |date=December 19, 2013 |publisher=The Poultry Site |access-date=March 9, 2014 |archive-date=June 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170629181151/http://www.thepoultrysite.com/reports/?id=3234 }}</ref> some 1.7 billion birds. Other notable duck-producing countries in the Far East include Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia and South Korea (12% in total). France (3.5%) is the largest producer in the West, followed by other EU nations (3%) and North America (1.7%).<ref name=Cherry/> China was also by far the largest producer of goose and guinea fowl meat, with a 94% share of the 2.6 million tonne global market.<ref name=DuckGoose/>

Global egg production was expected to reach 65.5 million tonnes in 2013, surpassing all previous years.<ref name=Trend>{{cite web |url=http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/2653/global-poultry-trends-world-egg-production-sets-a-record-despite-slower-growth |title=Global Poultry Trends: World Egg Production Sets a Record Despite Slower Growth  |date=January 16, 2013 |publisher=The Poultry Site |access-date=February 24, 2014}}</ref> Between 2000 and 2010, egg production was growing globally at around 2% per year, but since then growth has slowed down to nearer 1%.<ref name=Trend/> In 2018, egg production reached 76.7 million tonnes, a huge 24% growth since 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-06-19 |title=Global Egg Production Continues to Grow |url=https://www.internationalegg.com/resource/global-egg-production-continues-to-grow/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=International Egg Commission |language=en-GB}}</ref>

===Cuts of poultry===
[[File:MIN Rungis volaille.jpg|thumb|In the poultry pavilion of the [[Marché d'Intérêt National de Rungis|Rungis International Market]], France]]
Poultry is available fresh or frozen, as whole birds or as joints (cuts), bone-in or deboned, seasoned in various ways, raw or ready cooked.<ref name=FeedCo/> The meatiest parts of a bird are the [[flight]] [[muscle]]s on its chest, called "breast" meat, and the [[walking]] muscles on the [[leg (anatomy)|leg]]s, called the "thigh" and "drumstick". The wings are also eaten ([[Buffalo wing]]s are a popular example in the United States) and may be split into three segments, the meatier "drumette", the "wingette" (also called the "flat"), and the wing tip (also called the "flapper").<ref name=FeedCo>{{cite web |url=http://www.feedcousa.com/poultrymeatcuts.htm |title=Poultry meat cuts |publisher=FeedCo USA |access-date=March 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130430031413/http://www.feedcousa.com/poultrymeatcuts.htm |archive-date=April 30, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chow.com/food-news/105062/america-youre-getting-two-thirds-of-the-chicken-wing/ |title=America, You're Getting Two-Thirds of the Hot Wing |access-date=April 3, 2014 |archive-date=September 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907193642/http://www.chow.com/food-news/105062/america-youre-getting-two-thirds-of-the-chicken-wing/ }}</ref> In Japan, the wing is frequently separated, and these parts are referred to as 手羽元 (''teba-moto'' "wing base") and 手羽先 (''teba-saki'' "wing tip").<ref>{{cite book |title=日本料理用語辞典 (英文): Ingredients & Culture |last=Hosking |first=Richard|year=1996 |publisher=Tuttle Publishing |isbn=978-0-8048-2042-4 |page=156 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1avA7zEYCQ0C&q=teba-moto+teba-saki&pg=PA156 }}</ref>

Dark meat, which avian [[myologist]]s refer to as "red muscle", is used for sustained activity—chiefly walking, in the case of a chicken. The dark color comes from the protein [[myoglobin]], which plays a key role in oxygen uptake and storage within cells. White muscle, in contrast, is suitable only for short bursts of activity such as, for chickens, flying. Thus, the chicken's leg and thigh meat are dark, while its breast meat (which makes up the primary flight muscles) is white. Other birds with breast muscle more suitable for sustained flight, such as ducks and geese, have red muscle (and therefore dark meat) throughout.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dwb.unl.edu/teacher/nsf/c10/c10links/www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/pubs/mpcolor.htm |title=The color of meat and poultry |date=May 1, 2000 |publisher=USDA: Food Safety and Inspection Service |access-date=March 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607080043/http://dwb.unl.edu/Teacher/NSF/C10/C10Links/www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/pubs/mpcolor.htm |archive-date=June 7, 2013 }}</ref> Some cuts of meat including poultry expose the microscopic regular structure of intracellular [[Myofibrils|muscle fibrils]] which can [[diffraction|diffract]] light and produce [[iridescent]] colors, an optical phenomenon sometimes called [[structural colouration|structural coloration]].<ref name=foods>{{cite journal | year=2013 | author=Martinez-Hurtado, J. L. | title=Iridescence in Meat Caused by Surface Gratings | journal=Foods | volume=2 | pages=499–506 |doi=10.3390/foods2040499 | issue=4| hdl=10149/597186 | pmc=5302279 | pmid=28239133| doi-access=free }}</ref>

==Health and disease (humans)==
[[File:LemonChicken2.jpg|thumb|left|Cuts from plucked [[Chicken (food)|chickens]]]]

{{asof|2022|post=,}} no clinical trials have assessed poultry intake on human health.<ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Connolly G, Clark CM, Campbell RE, Byers AW, Reed JB, Campbell WW |year=2022|title=Poultry Consumption and Human Health: How Much Is Really Known? A Systematically Searched Scoping Review and Research Perspective|journal=Advances in Nutrition|volume=13|issue=6|pages=2115–2124|doi=10.1093/advances/nmac074|pmid=36351778|pmc=9776623}}</ref> Poultry meat and eggs provide nutritionally beneficial food containing protein of high quality. This is accompanied by low levels of fat which have a favourable mix of fatty acids.<ref name=FAOhealth>{{cite web |url=http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/themes/en/poultry/human_health.html |title=Poultry and human health |date=August 1, 2013 |publisher=FAO |access-date=February 25, 2014}}</ref> Chicken meat contains about two to three times as much [[polyunsaturated fat]] as most types of [[red meat]] when measured by weight.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nuinfo-proto4.northwestern.edu/nutrition/factsheets/lipids.html |title=Feinberg School: Nutrition Fact Sheet: Lipids |publisher=Northwestern University |access-date=August 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720014201/http://nuinfo-proto4.northwestern.edu/nutrition/factsheets/lipids.html |archive-date=July 20, 2011}}</ref> However, for boneless, skinless chicken breast, the amount is much lower. {{Convert|100|g}} of raw chicken breast contains {{Convert|2|g}} of fat and {{Convert|22|g}} of protein, compared to {{Convert|9|g}} of fat and {{Convert|20|g}} of protein for the same portion of raw [[Cut of beef|beef flank]] steak.<ref>{{Cite web |last=United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service |author-link=Agricultural Research Service |title=FoodData Central {{!}} Chicken, breast, boneless, skinless, raw |url=https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2646170/nutrients |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=fdc.nal.usda.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service |author-link=Agricultural Research Service |title=FoodData Central {{!}} Beef, flank, steak, boneless, choice, raw |url=https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2646175/nutrients |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=fdc.nal.usda.gov}}</ref>

A 2011 study by the [[Translational Genomics Research Institute]] showed that 47% of the [[meat]] and poultry sold in [[United States]] grocery stores was contaminated with ''[[Staphylococcus aureus]]'', and 52% of the bacteria concerned showed resistance to at least three groups of antibiotics. Thorough cooking of the product would kill these bacteria, but a risk of cross-contamination from improper handling of the raw product is still present.<ref>{{cite news |title=US meat and poultry is widely contaminated with drug-resistant Staph bacteria, study finds |author=The Translational Genomics Research Institute |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110415083153.htm |newspaper=Science Daily |date=April 15, 2011 |access-date=February 27, 2014}}</ref> Also, some risk is present for consumers of poultry meat and eggs to bacterial infections such as ''[[Salmonella]]'' and ''[[Campylobacter]]''. Poultry products may become contaminated by these bacteria during handling, processing, marketing, or storage, resulting in [[food-borne illness]] if the product is improperly cooked or handled.<ref name=FAOhealth/><!-- these species do not cause food poisoning like Staph -->

In general, [[avian influenza]] is a disease of birds caused by bird-specific [[influenza A virus]] that is not normally transferred to people; however, people in contact with live poultry are at the greatest risk of becoming infected with the virus and this is of particular concern in areas such as Southeast Asia, where the disease is [[Endemic (epidemiology)|endemic]] in the wild bird population and domestic poultry can become infected. The virus possibly could mutate to become highly virulent and infectious in humans and cause an [[influenza pandemic]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/ |title=Information on Avian Influenza |work=Seasonal Influenza (Flu) |publisher=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |access-date=March 3, 2014}}</ref>

Bacteria can be grown in the laboratory on nutrient culture media, but viruses need living cells in which to replicate. Many [[vaccine]]s to [[infectious disease]]s can be grown in fertilised chicken eggs. Millions of eggs are used each year to generate the annual flu vaccine requirements, a complex process that takes about six months after the decision is made as to what strains of virus to include in the new vaccine. A problem with using eggs for this purpose is that people with egg [[Allergy|allergies]] are unable to be immunised, but this disadvantage may be overcome as new techniques for cell-based rather than egg-based culture become available.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm336267.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127110603/http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm336267.htm |archive-date=January 27, 2013 |title=The evolution, and revolution, of flu vaccines |date=January 18, 2013 |work=FDA: Consumer updates |publisher=U.S. Food and Drug Administration |access-date=March 6, 2014}}</ref> Cell-based culture will also be useful in a [[pandemic]] when it may be difficult to acquire a sufficiently large quantity of suitable sterile, fertile eggs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/articles/vaccines-pandemic-threats |title=Vaccines for pandemic threats |date=January 15, 2014 |work=The History of Vaccines |access-date=March 5, 2014}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Gamebird]]
* [[Poultry allergy]]
* [[Virulent Newcastle disease]]
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== References ==
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{{Commons category}}

{{Poultry}}
{{Birds in culture}}
{{Animal domestication}}
{{Meat}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Poultry| ]]
[[Category:Domesticated birds]]
[[Category:Meat]]
[[Category:Livestock]]