Facts About Chickens

Chicken Facts

• Chickens are the most popular domesticated fowl in the world, with a population of over 19 billion in 2011.
• Although some people keep chickens as pets, they are generally considered livestock due to their value as a source of food (meat and eggs).
• Hens (female chickens) can lay eggs daily, earning them the title "bird that gives birth every day" since the 15th century BC.

Diet and Habitat

• Chickens are omnivores, consuming a wide variety of foods including worms, insects, seeds, rice, lizards, and young mice.
• In their natural habitat, chickens can live up to ten years.

Nicknames and Classification

• Adult male chickens (>1 year old) are called "cocks" in the UK and Ireland, and "roosters" in the US, Australia, and Canada.
• Male chickens (<1 year old) are called "cockerels".
• Castrated roosters are called "capons".
• Female chickens are called "hens" (adult) and "pullets" (young).

Physical Characteristics

• Chickens have two legs with four fingers on each foot.
• They have two wings on either side of their body.
• Their bodies are covered in plumage.
• Both male and female chickens have a comb (on their head) and wattles (under their head).