Major Metropolitan Areas in Europe. Eurostat, the statistical agency of the European Commission (European Union) now designates metropolitan areas (Note) for the European Union (EU) and the European Three Trade Association (EFTA). The EU has 28 members, having just added Croatia, while the EFTA has 4 members.
Millions Of Chickens To Be Killed As Bird Flu Outbreak Puzzles Industry. Millions Of Chickens To Be Killed As Bird Flu Outbreak Puzzles Industry. Chickens stand in their cages at a farm near Stuart, Iowa, in 2009. This week, bird flu hit a large poultry facility in Iowa. It's not clear how the virus is evading the industry's biosecurity efforts.
The Lifespan of a Chicken. Believe it or not, chickens have quite an impressive lifespan! The maximum age of a chicken is around 25 years. It's very rare for a chicken to live that long, however, because they are so vulnerable to predators and disease. Due to their vulnerability, the average age of a backyard chicken is only about 3 or 4 years, although I feel that with special protection and care it would not be unreasonable to expect 7 or 8 years. My oldest hen is a New Hampshire red/blue bantam cochin mix named Sarah. She is 11 years old and still laying.