Characteristics of Selected Farm Animals (Poultry and Rabbit)

Characteristics of Selected Farm Animals (Poultry and Rabbit)

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

Poultry refers to domesticated birds raised for meat, eggs, and feathers, including chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese.
Body Covering: They have feathers covering their bodies.
Beaks: Poultry birds have beaks used for pecking and picking food.
Egg Laying: Most poultry birds lay eggs which are consumed as food.
Limbs: They have two legs with claws for scratching the ground and two wings for limited flying.
Feeding Habits: Poultry birds are omnivores. They eat grains, seeds, insects, and worms.

Rabbits are small, herbivorous mammals with long ears, short tails, and soft fur.
Body Covering: Rabbits have a soft, thick coat of fur.
Legs: They have strong hind legs, which help them hop and run quickly.
Teeth: Their front teeth (incisors) are adapted for gnawing and chewing plant material.
Breeding: Rabbits reproduce quickly, and a female rabbit (doe) can give birth to many young (kits) at once.
Feeding Habits: Rabbits are herbivores and feed primarily on grasses, leafy plants, and vegetables.

Classes of Farm Animals | AGRIC SCIENCE LESSON NOTE FOR JS1

Size: Large animals like cattle, horses, and camels are bigger in size compared to small animals like rabbits and poultry.
Uses: Large animals are mainly used for labor (e.g., plowing, transportation) and providing products like milk and meat, while small animals are raised primarily for meat, eggs, and fur.
Feeding: Large animals typically consume larger quantities of food and graze on grasses, while small animals like rabbits and poultry eat smaller portions, such as grains and leafy plants.

Introduction: Start by asking students to name common farm animals and group them into large and small animals.
Lesson Development:
- Explain the characteristics of poultry birds and rabbits using visual aids like pictures.
- Describe the feeding habits of poultry birds and compare it to those of rabbits.
- Encourage students to list differences between large and small animals based on their size, feeding habits, and uses.
Activity: Ask students to group animals (both large and small) based on the characteristics discussed.

Wrap-Up: Recap the key characteristics of poultry and rabbits, and ask students to explain the difference between large and small animals.
Assessment:
- Ask students to describe the feeding habits of poultry birds.
- Compare and contrast between a large farm animal and a small farm animal.