Chicken Legs

From Farm to Table: How a Chicken Leg Journeys from Birth to Supper

As people become more conscious of where their food comes from—and as traces of antibiotics and hormones start appearing in food labels—it’s important to know how the food on our dinner plates got there. One interesting example of this journey is the history of a chicken leg, from the poultry farm to the kitchen table.

A chicken leg typically begins its journey as a single egg in a battery cage. Battery cages are a common method of housing chickens, and they can be used to house up to 50 birds at one time. The eggs are incubated in metal trays placed within the cages, and the entire incubation process takes about 21 days.

Once the eggs have hatched, the chicks are moved into a brooding house. Here, they spend five weeks in a warm, safe environment. The chicks are given plenty of food and water, and are kept away from any threats or predators. After five weeks, the chicks are fully formed and ready to be moved out of the brooding house.

The next step in the chicken leg’s journey is the poultry farm. The chickens are moved to the farm, where they will spend the next 6-9 months of their lives. At this stage, the chickens are fed a specifically designed diet that helps them gain weight and size quickly. This diet consists of corn or other grains, food grade limestone, fish meal, vitamins and minerals. The chickens also have access to fresh water throughout the day.

During this period, the chickens molt four to six times. Molting is the process in which chickens shed their feathers and grow new ones. This indicates that the chickens have reached their full size and are ready for processing. At this point, the chickens weigh around four pounds, but their size will depend on the specific breed.

The chickens then move to the processing plant, where they are carefully herded into cages and stunned with an electric current. This process quickly immobilizes them and renders them unconscious. After this, the chickens’ feathers are removed and their legs are cut off. The legs are then put into large bins and taken to a chilling room, where the temperature is lowered to approximately 40 degrees Fahrenheit for two to four days. This helps keep the chicken legs fresh and safe to eat.

Finally, the chicken legs are put into cardboard boxes and shipped to grocery stores and restaurants. Grocery stores check the legs for any signs of damage, bad odor, and contamination. If the legs pass the inspection, they are stored in a cool environment until they are sold.

When someone buys the chicken legs from the store or restaurant, the last step is for them to prepare the food for their dinner. The legs are washed, seasoned, and cooked to the buyer's preference. Once cooked, they can be eaten as is, or added to a variety of dishes.

So, this is the journey a chicken leg takes from the poultry farm to someone’s dinner plate. From the battery cages to the processing plant, this little leg has a long and detailed history. Taking into account the various steps of the process—which ensure food safety, freshness, and quality—it's easy to see why this process is so important to the food industry.

The journey of the chicken leg is a prime example of how we get the food on our plates. When we understand how our food is sourced, it gives us more appreciation for what goes into ensuring a safe, delicious meal.