It has been stated that: “If you grew as fast as a chicken, you’d weigh 349 pounds at age two.” While this statement may have been originally intended to be a humorous way of emphasizing the rapid growth of commercial broiler chicken strains, it is highly misleading and has been misused.
At present in the U.S. less than 2 percent of the total population is involved in production agriculture. This means, of course, that a majority (98 percent) of the population (consumers) has no idea how their food arrives or the challenges involved in production agriculture. Yet, consumers demand inexpensive, tasty and nutritious foods. To meet these demands production agriculture continues to adopt increasingly more efficient production methods.
The broiler industry has become more efficient primarily by breeding birds that grow rapidly. The growth curve shown below is typical of broiler growth. Growth curves for virtually all animal species resemble this curve. However, it is important to realize that the period of rapid growth is short lived and growth slows almost as quickly as it began. The comparison of chicken growth rates with human growth rates used the most rapid growth rates on the curve.
Such comparisons are unrealistic because they focus on a short time span when extremely rapid growth occurs and such growth can not be sustained for a long time period. It is also important to understand that birds (including chickens) normally gain weight rapidly. This rapid growth allows birds to gain body mass, mature and reproduce rapidly during warmer months so that chances of survival during the colder months are enhanced.
Broiler production takes advantage of this rapid growth to economically produce meat for consumers.
However, one must realize that chickens (even those bred for rapid growth) grow two to three times SLOWER than other common bird species. In fact, it might be said, “If you grew as fast as a house sparrow you would weight 698 pounds at age two.”
Frank Jones is the Associate Director for Extension, Center of Excellence for Poultry Science at the University of Arkansas.
