A chicken has a heart rate of 275 beats per minute. Is that normal?

A chicken has a heart rate of 275 beats per minute. Is that normal?

• A. No, that is normal.
• B. Yes, that is above normal.
• C. No, that is below normal.
• D. Yes, that is below normal.

Answer: (A)

Birds have high resting metabolic rates, so their heart rates are naturally fast. In chickens, a typical resting heart rate is about 250 to 350 beats per minute. A reading of 275 BPM fits well within that range, so it is considered normal for a chicken at rest. Remember that stress, handling, temperature, or recent activity can raise the rate, and persistently very high or very low values would warrant evaluation.

Birds have high resting metabolic rates, so their heart rates are naturally fast. In chickens, a typical resting heart rate is about 250 to 350 beats per minute. A reading of 275 BPM fits well within that range, so it is considered normal for a chicken at rest. Remember that stress, handling, temperature, or recent activity can raise the rate, and persistently very high or very low values would warrant evaluation.