NATIONAL POULTRY DAY
Poultry is the theme for March 19th as it is National Poultry Day. No fowl moods or ruffled feathers. However, there may be some quacking and gobbling going on.
#NationalPoultryDay
Kick the day off with eggs and turkey bacon for breakfast. Around lunchtime, serve an open-faced turkey avocado sandwich. Then perhaps, finish off the day with a good, ol’ fashioned fried chicken dinner.
Poultry refers to domestic birds that are raised for meat and eggs. These birds include chicken, turkey, ducks, geese, quail, and pheasant. Poultry is farmed in large numbers with chickens being the most numerous.
It is believed that chicken was introduced to American soil by European explorers in the 16th century. Most Americans raised small flocks, enough to feed their families. Over time, chicken consumption in the United States increased. And during World War II, due to a shortage of beef and pork, chicken stepped in to fill the protein need.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture oversees poultry production in the United States. Estimates place production at around 9 billion chickens in the United States. Chicken and turkey are lower in fats and cholesterol than other meats.
Poultry can be prepared in many different ways including roasting, baking, frying, grilling, sautéing, steaming, and broasting. The size of the chicken typically determines the best cooking style to use.
A Brooding and a Gaggling
While a group of chickens is called either a brood or peep, if they are chicks we call them a clutch or chattering. When it comes to ducks and geese, their collective nouns depend on where they are in relation to the Earth. A group of ducks in flight is called a flock, but once they land on the ground their collective nouns change. We call them either a brace or a badling. If they take to water they could be called a raft, team, or paddling. Whether geese are in the air, ground, or on the water, we generally use the collective noun flock. However, in flight, they can be called a skein, too. Once they land, though, they can be a gaggle, herd or corps.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL POULTRY DAY
- Enjoy your favorite poultry dish.
- Order chicken, duck or turkey off the menu.
- Test out a new poultry recipe. Try one of these recipes:
- Use #NationalPoultryDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL POULTRY DAY HISTORY
National Day Calendar continues researching the origins of this food and ag holiday. However, it has been celebrated since at least 2004. Before that, different states and organizations celebrated a National Poultry Day throughout the year, recognizing farmers, the produce they raised, and the industry as a whole.
Poultry FAQ
Q. Do chickens fly?
A. They do, but you won’t find them flying as high or as far as their other poultry relatives.
Q. How many eggs do chickens lay per day?
A. Chickens usually lay only one egg per day.
Q. How do ducks survive cold water and stay dry?
A. Ducks have specialized feathers that are coated in a waxy oil produced by the preen gland that make them virtually waterproof.
Q. What are male and female ducks called?
A. A male duck is called a drake, and a female duck is called a hen.
March 19th Celebrated History
1931
Nevada legalized gambling, setting the stage for “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”
1953
NBC presents the first televised Academy Awards. Master of Ceremonies, Comedian Bob Hope opened the 25th Oscars at the RKO Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, California. The Greatest Show on Earth directed by Cecil B. DeMille took home Best Picture honors. Best Actor actor went to Gary Cooper for High Noon and Best Actress went to Shirly Booth in Come Back, Little Sheba.
1964
Geraldine Mock departs from Columbus, Ohio in her single-engine Cessna 180 christened the “Spirit of Columbus” in an ambitious adventure. She earned the nickname the “Flying Housewife” and became the first woman to fly around the world solo when she returned to Columbus on April 17, 1964.
1979
C-Span launches and begins broadcasting live from the U.S. House of Representatives.
March 19th Celebrated Birthdays
David Livingstone – 1813
The Scottish missionary and explorer took an expedition deep into south-central Africa. He explored the upper Zambezi River and discovered Victoria Falls. During his third expedition, Livingstone began a search for the source of the Nile. When no word from Livingston was received for many months, journalist Henry Morton Stanley set out to find him. On November 10, 1871, his search party arrived in the village Ujiji in Tanzania after an eight-month-long search for the explorer and spoke the now-famous phrase. “Mr. Livingstone, I presume?”
Wyatt Earp – 1848
In a short six years, Wyatt Earp developed a legendary status when at the age of 26 he turned from outlaw to lawman in Wichita, Kansas. Just a few short years later, the gunfight at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, between Earp, his brothers, Doc Holliday, and the Clanton and McLaury created pulp western fodder.
Josef Albers – 1888
The American-German visual artist is best known for his color square paintings and in 1971, his work became the subject of a solo exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the first by a living artist.
Earl Warren – 1891
Before being named Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court in 1953, Earl Warren served many roles as an attorney. He began as deputy district attorney before being elected Attorney General of California.
Moms Mabley – 1894
Born Loretta Mary Aiken, the African American comedian earned the stage name “Moms” for her motherly and mentoring spirit. With one of the most successful stand-up acts headlining on stages such as the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theater, her routines rarely avoided edgy or crude topics.
Glenn Close – 1947
The award-winning American actress best known for her role as Alex in the 1987 thriller Fatal Attraction began her acting career on stage. Close has been nominated for Best Actress or Best Supporting Actress eight times, the most recent for 2021’s Hillbilly Elegy. It remains to be seen if she will finally win.
Bruce Willis – 1955
One of the biggest debates in December on social media is whether or not Die Hard is a holiday movie. One thing we know for sure, it is a Bruce Willis movie. The American actor came to prominence in the 1980s on the television sitcom Moonlighting. Since then, he’s made numerous memorable films including The Sixth Sense, Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys, and Death Becomes Her.
Clayton Kershaw – 1988
The left-handed professional pitcher has played in 13 years in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2020, Kershaw and the Dodgers won the World Series Championship. It was Kershaw’s first and the Dodger’s first since 1988.
Notable Mentions
John Henry Taylor – 1871
Nancy Elizabeth Prophet – 1890
Jill Abramson – 1954