Poultry is a name used to refer to many different types of birds, including those of different birds, that are usually domesticated and kept for their meat, eggs and feathers. The term is also used to include some birds that are killed for their meat (such as pigeons) but does not include those undomesticated birds that are hunted for food and sport, such as pheasants, which are referred to as game. The word "poultry" itself descends from a Latin word, through French and English influences, whilst "fowl" is Germanic in origin. The exact definition of what makes a bird poultry has tended to vary depending on the source.
Chicken is by far the most common poultry animal, and tends to be the bird though of when the term poultry is used, but quails and turkeys from the same order are also eaten. An estimated 50 billion chickens are raised each year, both for their meat and for their eggs, with the majority being raised in factory conditions. Waterfowl includes domesticated geese and ducks. Poultry meat itself is commonly eaten all around the world, and they have been domesticated for thousands of years. Chickens were domesticated in China over 10,000 years ago, making them one of the earliest domesticated animals, and spread slowly across the world. Eggs are also widely consumed, and used as an ingredient in many recipes. Of the different poultry birds, chicken is usually the cheapest to buy. Turkey is a common bird for special occasions, such as Thanksgiving in North America and at Christmas.
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