6 Shocking Facts About Thanksgiving And Turkey That You Probably Didn't Know!

These crazy facts will change the way you look at this holiday forever!

1. Americans eat roughly 7 BILLION pounds of turkey on Thanksgiving

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About 280 million turkeys are sold annually for Thanksgiving which is about 7 BILLION pounds of Turkey and approximately $3 billion worth of sales. All those poor turkeys!

2. Newborn slaughterhouse turkeys search and call for their mothers

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But never get to be with them!

3. Turkeys form deep friendships and emotional bonds

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Many turkeys, even those who have known great cruelty at human hands, will happily sit for hours having their feathers stroked while enjoying the company

4. Mass produced turkeys grow at an unhealthy rate!

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In the 1970's, the average turkey raised for meat weighed around 17 pounds. Today, factory-farmed turkeys weigh up to 28 pounds thanks to copious amounts of high-calorie feed. Because of this, some turkeys have such large breasts that they are unable to naturally reproduce.

5. Pork is the traditional Thanksgiving Day feast!

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The first dish to emerge as a traditional Thanksgiving entree was pork ribs, not turkey. By 1857, turkey had become a traditional part of Thanksgiving dinner... but only in New England, where tight-fisted Yankees will suppress any smile if it saves a dollar. Of course, traditional Thanksgiving feasts today vary by your locale and culture.

6. The Turkey was Ben Franklin’s vote for the national bird

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Wonder what happened to that!

Keep in mind that Thanksgiving is ranked as America's second most popular holiday!

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With Christmas being #1!

Wow, perhaps you should rethink your menu for this Thanksgiving!

Not to worry, you can choose a happy turkey!

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Discouraged to celebrate Thanksgiving this year? Don't be! Plenty of independent farmers are raising heritage turkeys that are full of flavor—and guilt-free. You can find free range and organic turkeys online and at local farms! Lets give thanks to humanely raised turkeys that taste great!