Why chickens? Here are some amazing Facts about Chickens.
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Facts about Chickens
1 ) Gallus domesticus is a domestic subspecies of the red junglefowl. It is part of the pheasant family and is a member of the chicken family. Genetic studies have shown that the grey forest fowl contributed to the evolution of the chicken.
2 ) This bird was likely first domesticated for cockfights and not as food.
3 ) Chickens can fly, but they don’t have to be completely free. They can still get up high enough to cross a fence or climb into a tree.
4 ) Omnivores are these birds. They will eat insects and seeds, but they also eat larger prey such as small mice or lizards.
5 ) There are 25 billion chickens worldwide, more than any other bird species.
6 ) Many chicken breeds, such as the Rhode Island red, leghorn, and Dutch bantam.
7 ) Chicks are baby chickens. Female chickens are called pullets, and they don’t have the right to become hens until they reach puberty. Male chickens may be called c*cks, cockerels, or roosters, depending on where you live.
8 ) A rooster announces his discovery to a flock of chickens. He uses a “took and took, took, took” sign. But the chickens aren’t paying attention if there’s food around.
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9 ) Roosters do a little dance called “tidbitting”, in which they make food calls and move their heads up and down, picking up and dropping some food. Research has shown that females are more attracted to males who tidbit and have brighter larger combs.
10) Scientists believe that the rooster’s wattle, the bit under his beak, helps him attract a hen’s attention when tidbitting.
11 ) Although a female chicken can mate with multiple males, she can decide to eject the sperm of a particular rooster after she has done her deed. This happens most often when the male is lower down in the pecking list.
12 ) In 2004, the chicken became the first bird to have its DNA sequenced.
13 ) Avian influenza (a.k.a. Bird flu is highly contagious. It can make chickens sick and even kill them. In just 48 hours, the highly pathogenic version of the disease can cause death in as many as 90% to 100% of birds in a flock.
14 ) Which came first, the egg or the chicken? All vertebrates have eggs. However, the hard-shelled version was first discovered among reptiles.
