Category: Chicken

In this report, I will be talking about how accommodations for chickens should be set up and maintained. This will include information about the legal space requirements, the types of fixtures that chickens require within their housing and the best bedding materials for them, as well as how the buildings should be set up to make cleaning and the movement of animals in an emergency (such as a fire) easier and more efficient.

There are several factors to take into consideration when designing accommodation for chickens, such as size, materials, the structure itself, and any environmental factors that may have an effect on the housing. Chicken accommodation should be made out of untreated wood, with a smooth wooden floor as this is easy to clean and helps keep out predators, and have an enclosed area made of chicken wire for them to use as a run [1]. The enclosed area should have either a soft bedding material or be on natural ground, as chickens like to scratch the floor and dig around [2]. Each chicken requires around one square meter of space [3]. The building should be built in a way that keeps the main door facing away from the prevailing winds, to protect the inside of the accommodation from the weather.

As well as making sure you use the right materials, you also need to fit the proper fixtures that chickens require in their housing. Chickens are known to knock their water troughs, food troughs, and other fixtures over, so heavier or well-secured equipment is needed. Water and food troughs should be accessible to all of the chickens in the building, and should be properly secured to the floor. If the troughs are kept outside, then they should be raised off the floor in order to prevent pests, such as rats, from having access to them [5]. Chickens can also benefit from having a perch set up in their housing for them to sit on.

One type of bedding that can be used in chicken accommodation is straw. Straw is good for chicken bedding because it’s warm and comfortable, and allows urine to drain out. It’s also cheaper than a lot of other types of bedding, however, it does get more expensive during Winter due to a lower supply for higher demand.

Another type of bedding that can be used in chicken accommodation is wood shavings. Wood shavings are good for chicken bedding because it’s comfortable, absorbent, and easy to clean off the floor. However, dust masks have to be worn while cleaning them out due to the dust that comes off of them. This dust can be inhaled into your lungs, which can lead to respiratory issues.

If I were to clean out chicken accommodation, I would use wheat straw to bed it back up because wheat straw is fairly cheap, dust free, warm, and comfortable. It’s also absorbent and can be cleaned out easily. [6].

The best accommodation for chickens would be a building large enough to comfortably accommodate all of your chickens made out of wood, with a smooth wooden floor. Chicken housing made out of wood is both waterproof and weather resistant, meaning it won’t need to be as closely monitored and maintained as other types of materials would. A smooth wooden floor stops the chickens from digging up the flooring and makes it both easier and quicker to clean out the accommodation. As for bedding, wheat straw is cheap, dust-free, and absorbent. This, along with the wooden floor, should make cleaning out the chicken housing quick, easy, and fairly mess-free while still providing the chickens with a warm, comfortable layer of bedding to sleep on.

The environmental conditions that affect the health and welfare of chickens include the ventilation, insulation, lighting, and drainage in their housing and where the accommodation and any outside space they have access to are placed. The best type of ventilation for chicken accommodation is a stack effect system [7]. This method of ventilation uses convection to bring in cooler air through vents in the sides of the buildings while pushing the warm air out through vents in the roof, allowing the chickens a constant supply of fresh air. If the chicken housing has been insulated, it should be a fairly consistent temperature all year round as heat will only be lost through the ventilation system.

You should also make sure the chicken accommodation is lit properly, as chickens can be sensitive to incorrect lighting. Their housing should be dimly lit, especially around the resting areas, as chickens do require some light to be able to identify objects such as feeders and other chickens [8].

Before you try to clean out chicken accommodation, you should first move all of your livestock out of the building and into either another building or a fenced-off field. Once the chickens have been moved, the best way to clean out the chicken accommodation is to remove all of the bedding, animal waste, and old food from the floor and into a pile outside of the accommodation. This can be done with a shovel or a pitchfork, depending on the bedding material used. Once the accommodation is empty, it should be disinfected and left to dry for a few hours. This is to kill off any bacteria present on the floor before putting fresh bedding back into the accommodation. After putting new bedding down, the chickens can be let back into the housing. [9].

It’s important to maintain chicken accommodation as neglecting to do so will lead to the accommodation becoming damaged and unsanitary over time. If the structure or fixtures get damaged, they could potentially injure the chickens if any sharp edges are sticking out or any loose fixtures fall into the chickens. Not maintaining the accommodation can also lead to a build-up of bacteria, which could give both the chickens and any workers diseases. These lead to an overall loss in profit for commercial farms and a large cost in vet bills for chickens kept as pets. [10]

One potential maintenance task for chicken accommodation would be a build-up of food waste in the feeding troughs. This can be a problem as old food can start rotting in the bottom of the feeding troughs, which could potentially lead to diseases and other health problems in the chickens. Leftover food can also attract pests, such as rats, which can then either damage the walls or flooring of the accommodation or spread diseases to the chickens. We can prevent a build-up of old food in the feeding troughs by emptying them every day and by cutting down on the amount of food being given to the chickens if they’re consistently leaving some of it.

Another potential maintenance task would be a loose fixture, such as a perch. This can be a problem because if left, it could end up falling on and injuring one of the chickens. We can avoid this problem by securely fitting all permanent fixtures when they’re installed, and then by checking them every day to make sure they’re still properly attached.

A third potential maintenance task for chicken accommodation would be a loose or missing roof panel, which would usually happen during strong winds and storms. This would be a problem because a loose roofing panel could easily fall into the accommodation and crush the chickens, and a missing panel opens the inside of the accommodation up to the weather, such as rain or snow, which may cause health issues for the chickens inside. This can be avoided by properly securing the roof down, picking a sturdy material for the roofing, and keeping an eye on the weather. If it’s likely to be stormy, the accommodation should be checked before and after to ensure that any problems can be dealt with quickly.

In this report, I have discussed the best materials used for building chicken accommodation, the most efficient ways to clean and maintain it, and considered the environmental factors that contribute to the health and welfare of chickens. Overall, the best way to house chickens is in an untreated wood shed with a wooden floor as this is sturdy, easy to clean, weather-resistant, and difficult for both the chickens and any pests to damage.

References:

1. https://www.dummies.com/home-garden/hobby-farming/raising-chickens/typical-building-materials-for-chicken-coops/
2. https://www.forloveoflivestock.com/blog/chicken-coop-floor-options-the-best-materials
3. https://www.omlet.co.uk/guide/chickens/should_i_keep_chickens/how_much_space_do_i_need/
4. https://www.wireshop.co.uk/product/chicken-coop-cc002hr-6-12-hens/
5. https://poultrykeeper.com/general-chickens/choosing-equipment-for-chickens/
6. https://www.yourchickens.co.uk/care-and-advice/bedding-for-chickens-1-4495481
7. https://www.royalrooster.com.au/articles/why-its-crucial-to-ventilate-your-chicken-coop/
8. https://www.thespruce.com/light-in-the-chicken-coop-3016562
9. https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2011/03/naturally-disinfecting-the-chicken-coop.html
10. http://www.idph.state.il.us/health/infect/Poultry.htm

Being from the south, I insist that everyone should experience the taste of a southern chicken sandwich. It’s a sandwich that releases a feeling of joy through the body. During this project, I plan to make a southern chicken sandwich that contains, lettuces, tomatoes, chipotle sauce, pickles, a grilled chicken patty, and a honey seed bun to a foreign country. I expect the country to allow sandwiches to be sold in several different fast-food restaurants. The country I would be pitching this idea to is the United Arab Emirates. It’s an Asia country that’s located in the Middle East region. According to an article in Britannica, “United Arab Emirates shares a border with three other countries; Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar. Its total area is 83,600 SQ Km. It has a population that’s at 9,586,000. UAE is a federation of seven constituent monarchies. The president of the country’s name is Sheikh Khalifah Ibn Zayid Al Nahyan and the prime minister’s name is Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Rashid Al Maktum. UAE has a civil law that is based on Shariah law. Its GNI is 367,800 and GNI Per Capital is 39,130.” According to an article in AZO Mining, “UAE’s major natural resources are petroleum and natural gas. UAE’S exports are dominated by petroleum and natural gas. Imports consist primarily of machinery and transport equipment, gold, precious stones, and foods. Their major trading partners include China, India, Japan, and western European countries. They have a large amount of trade that’s in reexports to neighboring gulf countries.” According to an article on United Arab Emirates Site, “UAE joined the world trade organization in 1996, and since then it has become an active member by participating in various trade negotiations and complying with many of their obligations. Since they are of the GCC’s negotiation team, they are currently in talks to establish free trade zones with the Europeans Union, Japan, China, India, Turkey, Australia, etc. All of these agreements are aimed to improve a wilder trade and economic cooperation that is based on equality and mutual benefits.” According to Best Exchange Rates, “the currency name in UAE is the United Arab Emirates Dirham-currency Guide. Its currency code is AED. Its exchange rate is 3.673.”

Business Proposal:

In the United Arab Emirates, franchising in fast food is good. According to an article in The National. ae, “The UAE’s food and beverage market appears to be booming. UAE fast food brands looking for franchise partners overseas to grow.” This means that fast food in the United Arab Emirates can use more partners in the fast food industry to do business with. The United Arab Emirates should consider bringing the southern chicken sandwich to its country, to maintain healthier citizens, happiness, and a good reputation overall.

Promote Healthiness in Your Country:

​Selling a sandwich that contains a lot of good nutrition for the body will cause people to want a lot of it. According to the Healthy Eating article, “Chicken is a good source of protein, B vitamins, and minerals such as iron, phosphorus, and selenium. Protein is important for repairing and maintaining tissue, building a strong immune system, and developing lean muscle mass. B vitamins are essential for metabolism, normal nerve function, and healthy red blood cells. Iron helps carry oxygen throughout the body; phosphorus works with calcium to build strong bones and teeth, and selenium strengthens the immune system and helps with thyroids function.” This means that people will be more willing to purchase a grilled sandwich because it’s healthy and have a lot of good benefits. What’s more important than your health? Being able to have access to a sandwich in every fast food restaurant in the country will help spread a better diet to unhealthy people but maintain healthy citizens. This means that there will be fewer people getting sick and more people experiencing fewer health problems overall.

Help Bring Happiness to Your Country:

​Bringing a southern chicken sandwich to UAE will spread happiness all over the country. Chicken is one of the most popular meats purchased in businesses today. According to an article in HuffPost, “Fast food companies have been putting more chicken on their menus, (McDonald’s is the second largest purchaser of chicken in the country), and restaurants saw 12 percent jump in menu items including chicken from 20009 and 2012.” This article shows that a lot of people love chicken. When you are getting what you love, it makes you happy. Everybody is happy when they’re eating food that they love. This southern chicken sandwich will reduce depression and increase the joy level in the country. We all know everybody wants to be happy!

The Importance of Reputation:

​Taking ideas from another country into consideration will give UAE a good reputation. People will see that this country is not afraid of change or difference. This will show other countries that UAE can compromise and partner well with others. According to an article in Policy Option, “Strong reputation creates economic opportunities. Respondents who perceive a country as having a strong reputation state a greater willingness to visit it for business or leisure, or to recommend living in, or buying products from, that country.” This statement proves how important a country’s reputation is. This southern chicken sandwich will open doors for other opportunities. When other countries are informed of how a sandwich sells swiftly in all restaurants, their going to want to try the sandwich and sell it too.

In Conclusion, A southern Chicken sandwich sold in every fast food restaurant in UAE will benefit the country overall.

Introduction

Jollof rice and chicken is a popular and flavorful dish that originates from West Africa. It is a delicious combination of spiced rice and tender chicken, cooked together to create a harmonious and satisfying meal. In this essay, we will explore the process of preparing jollof rice and chicken, providing a step-by-step guide to help you recreate this delightful dish in your own kitchen.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of long-grain rice
• 1 kg of chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, or a whole chicken)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, blended or finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon of thyme
• 1 teaspoon of curry powder
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional, for heat)
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken

• Rinse the chicken pieces under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels.
• Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and half of the minced garlic.
• In a large skillet or pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
• Add the chicken pieces to the pot and cook until they are browned on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.

Step 2: Sauté the Aromatics

• In the same pot, add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and bell peppers.
• Sauté the vegetables until they are soft and fragrant, usually for about 5 minutes.
• Add the blended or finely chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and the scotch bonnet pepper (if using). Stir well to combine.

Step 3: Add the Rice and Spices

• Add the rice to the pot and stir it with the vegetables to coat it evenly.
• Sprinkle in the thyme, curry powder, paprika, dried thyme, and dried rosemary. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil.
• Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked and has absorbed the liquid.

Step 4: Add the Chicken and Finish Cooking

• Gently place the browned chicken pieces on top of the rice.
• Cover the pot again and continue to cook on low heat for another 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
• Occasionally check the pot to ensure the rice does not stick to the bottom. If needed, add a little more broth or water to prevent burning.

Step 5: Serve and Enjoy

• Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for a few minutes.
• Fluff the rice with a fork, mixing in the chicken and vegetables.
• Serve the jollof rice and chicken hot, garnished with fresh herbs if desired.

Conclusion

Preparing jollof rice and chicken is a delightful culinary adventure that brings the vibrant flavors of West Africa to your plate. By following this step-by-step guide, you can create a delicious and satisfying meal that will surely impress your family and friends. So gather your ingredients, embark on this culinary journey, and savor the mouthwatering blend of spices, tender chicken, and fragrant rice that is jollof rice and chicken.

Introduction

Jerk chicken is a popular and iconic dish originating from the beautiful island of Jamaica. It is renowned for its distinctive flavors, aromatic spices, and unique cooking techniques. This informative essay will delve into the history, ingredients, preparation, and cultural significance of jerk chicken, providing readers with a deeper understanding and appreciation of this mouthwatering culinary delight.

Historical Background

Jerk chicken has its roots in the traditions of the Maroons, descendants of African slaves who escaped into the rugged mountains of Jamaica. The Maroons developed the technique of marinating and cooking meat over pimento wood fires, creating what we now know as jerk chicken. This cooking method was not only a means of preserving meat but also a way to infuse it with intense flavors.

Key Ingredients

The key to the flavorful taste of jerk chicken lies in its unique blend of spices and seasonings. The marinade typically consists of a combination of scotch bonnet peppers, thyme, allspice (pimento), garlic, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. The scotch bonnet peppers provide the signature heat, while the other spices contribute to the complex and aromatic flavor profile.

Preparation and Cooking Techniques

Traditionally, jerk chicken is prepared by marinating the meat, usually chicken, in the jerk spice mixture overnight. The marinated chicken is then cooked low and slow over a pimento wood fire in a pit or on a grill. The pimento wood imparts a unique smoky flavor to the meat, while the slow cooking process ensures tender and juicy results. However, modern variations of jerk chicken can also be prepared using ovens or stovetops.

Flavor and Texture

The combination of spices and the slow cooking process gives jerk chicken its distinctive taste and texture. The chicken absorbs the flavors of the marinade, resulting in a harmonious balance of heat, sweetness, and smokiness. The exterior of the chicken develops a flavorful crust, while the inside remains succulent and juicy. The result is a tantalizing combination of flavors and a delightful contrast in textures.

Cultural Significance

Jerk chicken is deeply rooted in Jamaican culture and has gained worldwide popularity. It is not only a delicious dish but also a symbol of Jamaican pride and heritage. In Jamaica, jerk chicken is often prepared and enjoyed at gatherings, parties, and festive celebrations. It serves as a focal point for communal feasting, bringing people together to share in the joy of flavorful food and vibrant culture.

Variations and Accompaniments

While traditional jerk chicken features chicken as the main protein, variations of jerk seasoning can be applied to other meats such as pork, fish, or tofu. Additionally, jerk sauce and marinade are widely used in Jamaican cuisine, adding a fiery and flavorful kick to various dishes. Jerk chicken is often served with traditional Jamaican side dishes like rice and peas, plantains, festival (a type of bread), or fresh tropical fruits, further enhancing the culinary experience.

Conclusion

Jerk chicken is more than just a delicious dish; it is a reflection of Jamaican culture and culinary artistry. With its rich history, vibrant flavors, and unique cooking techniques, jerk chicken continues to captivate taste buds and evoke a sense of adventure. Whether enjoyed in Jamaica or savored in restaurants around the world, this flavorful masterpiece will leave an indelible mark on your palate and create a memorable culinary experience. So, next time you encounter jerk chicken on a menu, embrace the opportunity to embark on a gustatory journey filled with aromatic spices and tantalizing flavors.

Today I will share with you one of my favorite things to make=satay chicken with a delicious peanut sauce. It is incredibly flavourful and simple to make, so let me share with you the recipe.

Prepare the Marinade

We are going to start by making the marinade for the chicken. In a medium-sized bowl, add a few tablespoons of ‘kecap manis’ which is an Indonesian sweet-style soy sauce. If you do not already have this, you should be able to find it with soy sauces or in the international section of your grocery store. If not, you can make a substitute by using regular soy sauce and adding a teaspoon of sugar.

Measure out a tablespoon of sesame oil, this has a tone of flavor.

Use a garlic crusher to crush in 2 cloves of garlic.

Use a fork to give the marinade a stir to combine the ingredients and set it to the side while we prepare the chicken.

Prepare the chicken meat

For this satay, I am using skinless boneless chicken thighs. I prefer these as they are a lot more tender than chicken breasts but it’s really up to you what you use. Chicken, beef, prawn, or even tofu for a vegetarian take.

Cut the chicken into strips, and then place it into the bowl together with the marinade.

Give it a quick toss so everything is evenly coated.

Cover with plastic wrap before putting it in the fridge.

For the best results, I recommend marinating the chicken overnight but if you are pushed for time, a few hours should do.

After the chicken has marinated, remove it from the fridge and then start by threading it onto skewers.

At the same time as you make the chicken marinade, place a few bamboo skewers into some cold water to soak. it will help stop the skewers from burning when you cook the chicken.

For three chicken thighs, I am making 6 skewers which will be enough to serve 2-3 people. This is a great appetizer but you can also serve it with rice to make it into a main meal.

Divide the chicken up evenly between the skewers and place on a plate.

Prepare the sauce

The chicken will only take about 5-7 minutes to cook, so next I am going to start by preparing the peanut sauce=

Slice a medium-sized onion in half and remove the peel.

Slice into chunks, it’s going to be blended so they don’t need to be even, and place into a mini food processor.

Slice a red chili in half and remove the seeds.

Leave the chili out but by removing the seeds it takes away most of the spice.

Place into the food processor along with the onion and 2 cloves of crushed garlic.

Pulse the food processor a few times or until everything is finely chopped.

I prefer the peanut sauce to be smooth apart from the peanuts. But if you don’t mind with its thicker, you don’t need to use a food processor.

The cooking process of the satay-A

Heat a teaspoon of oil in a saucepan over medium heat

Add the onion, chili, and garlic.

Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion has become translucent.

Be careful not to burn it.

Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan over medium-high heat until hot.

There is no need to oil the pan as the marinade for chicken contains enough oil.

Place the skewers in the griddle pan and leave to cook for about 3-4 minutes until deeply golden brown.

I prefer to use a griddle pan for this as it leaves really lovely grill marks on the chicken and it provides even heat but if you don’t have one a regular fry pan will work too.

The cooking process of the satay-B

I am using peanut butter for this peanut sauce just because it’s so much easier. You can of course grind down peanuts if you have more time, that’s up to you=

Measure out about half a cup of peanut butter

Smooth or chunky works, we will be adding peanuts to the sauce as well.

Turn the heat down on the saucepan and add the peanut butter as well as coconut milk.

Stir until the peanut butter has melted and the sauce has come together. The sauce is quite thin in consistency here but it will thicken as it cools. If you like a really thick sauce, just add a touch less coconut milk.

Add a couple of tablespoons of ”kecap manis”.

Stir and remove the sauce from the heat to cool.

Turn the chicken skewers over.

They should be deeply golden brown. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes or until completely cooked through.

Cut a fresh lime in half and squeeze the juice into the peanut sauce along with a handful of crushed peanuts.

Use a mortar and pestle or if you don’t have one, a knife works too.

Stir the sauce and check for seasoning.

This recipe makes quite a large batch of sauce, you will definitely have leftovers. It should store in the fridge for at least 5 days but you can use it for a ton of different recipes.

Remove the chicken from the griddle pan and serve with the sauce.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe, comment below if you are going to make it.

These burritos are stuffed with huge amounts of protein and fiber. Even better, they’re light and won’t burden you, which means you might need to eat multiple! Furthermore, that is absolutely alright! The darkened chicken gives such amazing flavor and is a lot more advantageous choice to ground hamburger. That makes these infants fit and ideal for lunch, supper, or even after an exercise.

Chicken Rice and Black Bean Burritos

My most loved part about these burritos is the cilantro lime rice. It’s good to the point that you can eat it independently from anyone else! We add our own to burrito bowls and tacos too. The lime isn’t overpowering and truly includes the ideal measure of flavor regardless of what dinner you’re utilizing it for. Propelled by my most loved Mexican flame broil Chipotle, I get the chance to appreciate a similar extraordinary taste by making a comparable form in my very own home.

This formula makes Mexican night so fun. The children can pick their own fixings and the hubby will have the capacity to include as much hot sauce as his little heart wants. I use gluten corn tortillas or entire wheat pita bread to make our burritos. In the case of utilizing hot sauce, we utilize Frank’s RedHot unique, and afterward, I chill it off with a spoonful of light acrid cream.

What you need

• cilantro lime rice (formula here)
• without gluten corn tortillas (or entire wheat pita)

For the chicken and taco flavoring:

• 3 boneless skinless chicken bosoms
• juice of a large portion of a lime
• ¼ container of additional virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp bean stew powder
• 2 tsp flour
• 1½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp granulated sugar
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp paprika
• ¼ pepper
• ¼ cayenne powder

For fixings (all discretionary):

• ½ container canned dark beans flushed and depleted
• 1 container of hacked romaine lettuce
• ½ container diced tomatoes
• ¼ container diced jalapeños
• ¼ container light sharp cream
• ½ container of destroyed cheddar
• Straightforward’s RedHot Original Hot Sauce

What you have to do

Set up the chicken. In a little bowl, consolidate dry flavors and blend to blend. In an extensive bowl, consolidate the chicken with oil, lime, and include the taco flavoring. Coat chicken, cover, and marinate for 30 minutes in the cooler.

Cook the rice as indicated by this cilantro lime rice formula.

Barbecue chicken on medium/high warmth, around 4 min for every side, contingent upon the thickness of the chicken. Make sure the focal point of the chicken isn’t pink and don’t over-cook. Put aside and cut vertically for the wanted thickness.

You can warm the pita bread on the stove at 350 for 3-5 minutes, whenever wanted. Top pitas with chicken, rice, dark beans, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, harsh cream, and cheddar. Do whatever it takes not to over-burden with garnishes as it will be difficult to roll the pita a short time later. Overlap the base of the pita up, and the left and right sides over. Utilize a toothpick to hold the setup. Serve.

You may enclose them by thwart and store them in the cooler for 3-4 days.

If you’re not cautious you’ll regret it… My dog, Felix, was one year old and my brother never had a dog growing up, so when we did finally get a dog two years ago he was slightly annoyed and disappointed that he had missed out. I thought that we should go for a walk to remedy these feelings. It was about 10 am and we decided to place Felix in his harness and headed out. When we arrived on the ground floor Felix was impatient and pulled on his leash. He wanted to meet Rosie, his Dachshund friend, but she wasn’t home. Felix kept pulling at his leash and I asked my brother to hold the dog since he is 6 feet 4 inches and Felix is a 12-pound Yorkshire Terrier and Maltese mix. It seemed easy enough.

After I handed the leash to my brother, he opened the heavy wooden door and we started to walk outside and through the courtyard. Once we exited the gate which has little holes in it that are too small for people to get through but Felix was just the right size to fit through, he got impatient and put his little head under the hole in the gate j but he luckily didn’t get very far and my brother pulled him back. We proceeded to leave the apartment complex and took a right, passing by all the plants and mouse traps. We got to the corner and turned left where trash was piled a few feet high. Unfortunately for everyone, there was a chicken bone that looked like it was covered with orange barbeque sauce and had been rotting for at least two hours before we arrived there. Felix is very curious, so he just had to bite the chicken bone! He started to chew on it and I heard the noise, it sounded like when Felix chews his peanut butter bone but we were by the park and next to piles of trash so I knew this couldn’t be good. My brother was still holding Felix but was texting at the same time so he hadn’t noticed that something was wrong. This was not completely his fault since it was his first time walking a dog.

At this point, I processed what was going on and I remembered the articles I had read online about chicken bones for dogs and how damaging they were to them. The chewing can split the bone into extremely sharp pieces and when the dog swallows them or chews them, well, obviously that isn’t optimal. Realizing all of this, I quickly sprung into action and crouched down to Felix’s level in about a second and grabbed one end of the bone. He turned into a dog that I had never seen before! He was growling very loudly and showed me his white fangs, his eyes looked very threatening too but it didn’t matter, I needed to remove this bone out of his mouth now, nothing else mattered. My brother during all of this was tugging on the leash and making sure Felix didn’t run off while I did the work. While I was holding one end of the bone he paused his chewing because he realized if he let his grip go for even half a second I would have yanked the bone out of his mouth and he would never be able to get it back. Eventually, after about a minute his eyes rolled back which revealed to me the white of his eyes like a shark getting ready to eat his prey. He let go and attempted to jump at me but thankfully for me my brother still had the leash and even though he wasn’t expecting this to happen he reacted quickly enough and pulled Felix backwards. I threw the bone in the trash and we continued our walk.

Felix was normal the rest of the time. Once we got back to the apartment we told our parents what had happened and my dad was angry since he didn’t trust my brother to walk Felix due to his lack of experience. An hour passed and everyone settled down but the dog was not his happy energetic self. He was sitting by the door, whimpering, not wanting to play or eat. At the time it was about 1 pm and the nearby vet wasn’t going to be open much longer, so my dad decided to take Felix to the veterinarian. Meanwhile, while this was happening I was at home worrying, pacing around the apartment.

I couldn’t stay there and just wait, I needed to leave and do something. I called my old friend who lives in the building next door and he wasn’t busy so I put on my sneakers and headed out. When I got there he was watching the NHL draft. While we were watching the draft I was constantly checking my texts. Around 6 pm when the draft ended, I decided to head back home. I finally received a text from my dad saying that this vet couldn’t treat Felix and so he had to take him to the animal hospital uptown. He also said that Felix would have to stay the night. When he returned, he looked tired and worried. The vet had taken an X-ray which clearly showed a small piece of chicken bone but which had not damaged his organs. So the vet did not think that Felix’ condition was due to the bone.

At dinner, my father jokingly remarked that the vet had asked him repeatedly if he had fed Felix Marijuana. My dad said that he understood they had to ask him this because Felix’s heart rate was extremely low but they were insistent on pushing this ridiculous narrative. We don’t have any Marijuana so that seemed odd, but my grandma takes heart medication so it’s possible Felix got ahold of it. The next day we were not yet able to pick up Felix but thankfully he had survived. However, they wanted to keep him another night under observation and to make sure nothing went wrong. The important thing though was that Felix was ok. Knowing that there can be a close call at any time makes you feel grateful for the usual moments.

Research Question: Can the recent exponential increase in imported Chicken, into South Africa, be seen as positive and beneficial for our country’s food security situation, economy as well as local South African’s livelihood, as a whole?

In this essay, I have explored the situation in which South Africa has found itself due to the exponential increase of poultry products in our country. The importation of Chicken goods into South Africa has increased exponentially in the past 4 years, thus leaving local Chicken farmers in huge distress as well as a financial difficulty due to loss of business. The South African poultry industry is struggling significantly due to the European Union’s import decisions. The main country of origin is Brazil; however, it is known that over 10 other countries export their Chicken goods through South African borders annually. According to the senior executive of the SAPA (South African Poultry Association), over 7 major commercial producers have been liquidated, and as a result, more than 10 000 jobs lost in recent months, which relate directly or indirectly to the SAPA. Major local producers were losing millions of Rands every week. Although South Africa has increased the cost of tariffs on chicken imports across their borders, the imports are still coming in at an alarming rate and people are encouraged to support local chicken producers with the hope of saving the jobs of fellow South Africans. The increase in importation of this product can therefore not be seen as positive for our country.

In recent years, the European Union has used its economic partnership contracts to enable their excess chicken pieces, which are of high quality, to be ‘dumped’ into South Africa due to the fact that the EU countries do not consume chicken wings, legs, or thighs. According to the Sunday Tribune, over 530 000 tonnes of chicken were imported into South Africa last year. Due to the fact that the parts of the chicken imported into SA are seen by the EU as “trash” and of low quality, the prices at which these chicken pieces are sold are of very low price, coming in at a lower selling price than those locally produced in South Africa. Although the EU is seen as having the biggest influence and control of chicken imports or ‘dumping’ of chickens into South Africa, it is not the biggest exporter of chicken products into SA. Brazil imports the largest amount of chicken products into South Africa. Around 60% of total chicken imports originate from Brazil, a total of 21 637 tonnes of total imports. The next big importer is the USA. Allegations have risen and some of which have been confirmed that the Brazilian poultry industry uses slave labor to produce chicken products and to work in the poultry industry which is later exported to South Africa. Suspicion rose due to the fact that the cost of an imported chicken was miraculously cheaper than that of a locally produced chicken in South Africa. If reports are correct, it shows highly unacceptable working conditions that Brazilian laborers are forced to work in. Thus, explaining why the cost of importation is significantly lower.

The importation of cheap chicken products has placed a huge amount of strain on South Africa’s economy. This has come about due to the disturbing number of people who have been left jobless, due to being retrenched from the poultry companies from which they worked and made a living. Rainbow Chickens, the largest Poultry Company in South Africa, announced that they will be selling 15 of their 25 farms in Hammarsdale, Kwa-Zulu Natal, as well as leaving over 1 350 employees jobless. Mikes Chicken’s in Polokwane has shut down leaving over 2000 employees jobless. Country Bird, which is based in the North West and Free State and is South Africa’s third largest chicken producer, has retrenched 1 500 employees since their financial struggle started. It has been estimated that for every 10 000 tonnes of chicken meat imported into South Africa, around 1 000 direct and indirect jobs are lost. South Africa’s poultry industry could create around 30 000 jobs if the country refrained from importation of poultry. It is ludicrous to think that the 27% unemployment rate is rising due to the fact that retailers are supporting the EU at a cost of their own.

As a result of SA’s largest poultry-producing companies shutting their doors, the food security of poultry products has reduced rapidly within South Africa as the importation of poultry can be cut off at any moment, leaving the country with no internal option for poultry products. Being part of the typical South African diet, no option for poultry products within the country will lead to huge devastation with regard to the expensive and often unavailable food options left over. The government needs to address and put a stop to the overpowering dominance that the EU has over the control of South Africa’s poultry market by engaging in anti-dumping practices, higher import tariffs, and other strict methods to reduce the importation of these products. It is a growing concern for other employees as no job can be safe in companies struggling to compete with cheap imports of food or commodities. It is truly sad that one of the most labor-intensive industries has, as well as is, in the process of shutting down in an already poverty-stricken South Africa.

Cheap importation of poultry products into South Africa is and has not been beneficial for our country in any way. It has increased the unemployment rate, as a result, increased the crime rate, it has been a huge loss with regards to the possible economic gain South Africa could’ve achieved as well as the internal flow of money from which the poultry industry contributed hugely towards. People have been forced to seek employment elsewhere which has dug poverty-stricken South Africa deeper into its hole. The situation in which the country is currently with regards to huge financial loss can be blamed on the South African government’s decisions on importation. However, the decision on the survival of South Africa’s poultry industry, food security, livelihood, and the future of up to 130 000 employees as well as their families is purely in the hands of the government and the decisions they make hereafter.

It’s Saturday evening and you and your friends are getting ready to watch the big game or a movie or maybe it’s just a small party. So what’s the favorite dish that you can serve on such days? Yes, you guessed it right! It’s indeed fried chicken.

Fried chicken recipes need not be time-consuming and messy. You can try out some easy-to-make fried chicken recipes that won’t take much of your time in the kitchen. It’s always nice to serve your family and friends a variety of dishes. let’s look at some of the easy-to-make fried chicken recipes with a touch of difference.

Honey fried chicken:

Ingredients

• • Oil to fry or you can use shortenings
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 3 tbsp white vinegar
  • 2 tsp poultry seasoning
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 8 pieces of frying chicken
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Whisk together honey and vinegar in a bowl and set aside. Now mix flour, poultry seasoning, and cayenne pepper in a bowl.

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and keep for some time. Now roll the pieces in the flour mixture and coat them evenly on all sides. Shake off the excess flour. Fry the pieces in oil and cook on both sides. Turn the pieces with the help of tongs. Fry till golden brown.

Pour off excess oil and now add the honey mixture into the skillet over the chicken and cook over medium-low heat. Turn the pieces to coat them with the honey mixture. Cook till the liquid thickens. Serve hot.

Florida fried chicken recipe:

Ingredient:

• • 1 frying chicken cut into pieces
  • Add half a cup of salt and mix it with 3 cups of flour. Top it up with a tablespoon of poultry seasoning. For additional taste, you could add paprika or red pepper.

Method:

Mix salt in water and stir well till it dissolves. Now put chicken pieces in salt water and make sure they are covered. Now refrigerate this for 3 hours or preferably overnight.

Combine flour, poultry seasoning, and paprika in a paper or plastic bag. Now put chicken pieces in the bag (let the pieces remain wet) two or three pieces at a time. Coat the chicken pieces on all sides. Now heat oil for deep frying and put in the chicken pieces.

Reduce heat if chicken browns quickly. Turn on all sides with a tong and cook well on all sides till golden brown.

This is a simple variation to the normal fried chicken recipes. These fried chicken recipes are sure to get you compliments from your friends and family. So try them!

Every year millions of people sit down and watch the Superbowl and thousands of those people take part in the yearly tradition of messily stuffing their faces with buffalo wings. This is a very popular food ritual similar to eating turkey on Thanksgiving or Ham on Christmas. There are many ways to get this delicious snack, a common way is from most grocery stores where you can purchase a bag of 10-15 frozen wings you can cook at home. A more preferred way is buying from a restaurant, sports bar, or wing joint, where they are served hot and fresh for customers.

The different flavors of wings, like barbeque, ranch, and buffalo help to pique the interest of different people allowing wings to be enjoyed by all different types of people. Though the bone-in wings are more preferred for Superbowl times there are also boneless options for those people who don’t enjoy having to work to eat their wings off the bone. Though wings are most correlated with the Superbowl there are very many other delicious treats that are just as known to be associated with the day. Nachos, pizza, and chips are some of the other famous Super Bowl snacks that some people have created their own Super Bowl traditions around. Pizza is actually a huge competitor with wings, in 2018 the largest pizza company in the world sold enough pizzas to stretch across 5,000 football fields.

This company, Dominos, expects to sell 2 million pizzas this 2019 year and contribute 4 million of the 1.3 billion wings being consumed for the game. Before the increase in popularity for chicken wings and legs they were thought of as one of the most useless parts of the chicken and often wasted because of their lack of chicken and increase of bone. A few years ago the National Chicken Council took the opportunity to advertise their chicken wings during the Superbowl and it took off. Ever since it has been a common tradition in many people’s homes to go out and get chicken wings before the big game. This cut of chicken was once seen as cheap and tossed aside, never really seen as a food that’s worth anyone’s time but ever since the increase in popularity and consumption of well over a billion of those tasty wings on game day wings have created a name for themselves and will forever be known for its Super Bowl Traditions and consumption numbers. We know that America consumes over 1.3 billion wings in just one day but what’s the rest of the world’s view on this Super Bowl snack? No other country has quite the same tradition based around wings and football but other countries do have other uses for chicken parts. Wings are most popular in the United States and China more than any other place, these countries together consume about 9 billion chickens a year.

The wings are most commonly given to the US and China but where does the rest of the bird go? China actually ends up purchasing the feet of the birds as well. The feathers are imported to Indonesia which is the top buyer of the 1.6 million tons of feathers produced each year out of the United States. The United States grinds up the feathers into feather meals and creates animal feed or plastic fortifiers for Indonesia to buy. Viscera gets most of the intestines to be ground and used as pet food or fertilizer. The wings and legs on a chicken were once the cheapest part but ever since the increase in consumption of well over a billion of those tasty wings on game day, the wings have doubled in price, consumption, and popularity. The Council’s greatest decision was to advertise its wings during the Superbowl and it was extremely successful it took off and created many traditions. People loved it so much that traditions were created to eat it each year during this special game. Each year just on Superbowl Sunday alone the world consumes over 1 billion chicken wings. That’s enough wings to circle the globe three times. 1.3 billion wings are enough for every man, woman, and child in the United States to eat four wings.

The Council is also currently petitioning the President and Congress to declare the Monday after the Super Bowl a federal holiday: “National Chicken Wing Appreciation Day”. If the number 1.3 billion wings being consumed on super bowl Sunday isn’t concerning to you then maybe it should be. With the extremely high number of wings consumed farms have to be able to match that number in chickens and the fact that one chicken only equals about 2-4 wings/legs it becomes very difficult to compete with these numbers naturally. Meaning these farms have to modify the genetics of these chickens to keep up with the requirements society demands. Food rituals are great to think about and take part in, they make you think differently about your food, most everyone in the world takes part in some sort of food ritual and it may be as simple as eating a burger or fries with your hands. Chicken makes up a large part of trading between countries, allowing each part of a chicken to ultimately end up all over the world. The Super Bowl’s wing ritual sold 1.3 billion chicken wings to be consumed in one day. It’s pretty crazy to think about. Knowing that these wings were created from genetically modified chickens sort of makes you re-think the possibilities of science but at the same time, you have to question the health effects of modifying these animals genetics.