Chicken

A typical white hen

A male (known as rooster or cock) with a hen in the foreground.

The Chicken (Gallus domesticus) is a domesticated species descended from the Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus). It is the most common bird that comes to mind when people think of eggs and chicks. Although, now, most living chickens are living on farms, in factories, or kept as pets, there are a few still alive in the wild. The wild Red Junglefowl, which was first domesticated over 5000 years ago in Southeast Asia, is the ancestor of all chickens. The Grey, Sri Lankan, and Green Junglefowl have also contributed to the genetic makeup of this species. Chickens are one of the most widespread and common domestic animals, with around 26 million of them living today and more of them than any other bird.

Appearance

Chickens vary from breed to breed in size, color, and weight. Most common colorations are brown and white. Chickens have a red-pink, fleshy crest and wattles, which are bigger in males (cocks/roosters). Chickens have a yellow-whitish strong beak and strong, light yellow feet used for scraping. Males are bigger than females and have a longer, metallic green-black tail. They also have spurred legs.

The most commonly known chickens are the egg-producing chickens, which are hybrids between Rhode Island Reds and White Leghorns.

The chicks are nidifugous and covered of a soft, fluffy down. The down can be yellow, gray, whitish, black or brown.

Behavior

Chickens eat mainly seeds (they are granivorous), but they also eat worms and insects, fruits, vegetables and even mice and lizards. The male (cock or rooster) is polygamous. The chicks are nidifugous and the mother hens are very protective to them. Contrary to what people think, chickens can fly, even if for short distances. Some domestic races have trouble with taking off because they are very heavy and can't fly high, but wild chickens fly good as pheasants and grouses do.

Origin

Chickens descend from the wild Red Junglefowl, that still lives in Southeast Asia. Junglefowls were domesticated and now they live as farm animals in all the world. The Red Junglefowl is smaller than the majority of the domestic chickens races. Domestic chickens are also much heavier than junglefowls and it is more difficult for them to take off.

Gallery

brown hen

rooster crowing

black cockerel

rooster spurs

grey hen

red rooster