Most scientists agree that the Southeast Asian Red Junglefowl (gallus gallus) is the primary wild ancestor of chickens. But because DNA tests show that the Red Junglefowl doesn’t have the gene for yellow skin (and shanks), it is thought that it has bred with the Indian Grey Junglefowl (Gallus sonnaratii) at some point. The Indian Gamebird (Cornish) and the Brahmas of China have body shapes that show they were influenced by Grey Jungle Fowl. The tail carriage of the breed Sumatra indicates genetic contributions of the SriLanka Junglefowl (Gallus lafayetti). No doubt the Green Junglefowl (Gallus varius) has also contributed to modern chickens. Red Jungefowl (Gallus gallus).
The classification of today’s chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) recognizes its primary origin, the Red Junglefowl. Domestication probably occurred 7,000-10,000 years ago in Southeast Asia and Oceana.
Large numbers of chickens were quickly spread because they could provide meat and eggs without competing with human food sources. But it is believed that the sport of Cockfighting was the principle reason for dispersion of chickens.
The Auracana, originally found in Auracania region of Chile continues to provide confusion. Some scientists believe that it was Pre-Columbian and originally from Polynesia. But DNA evidence disputes this theory. The Sebright Bantam was developed by Sir John Sebright in the early 19th Century.
It is interesting to note that Charles Darwin borrowed extensively from pigeon and chicken breeders of is time in order to formulate his Origin of the Species. Sir John Sebright developer of the Sebright Bantam was often quoted by Darwin in the mid-19th century.
Even the Punnett Square, that we all learned to use in Biology Class, was named for R.C.Punnett, who utilized chicken gene traits to prove Mendelian Genetics at the beginning of the 20th century.
The chicken – it’s just a common barnyard bird, right? We see chickens everywhere, from farms to backyards. While they may seem ordinary, a closer look reveals that chickens are complex, social creatures with distinct personalities. Let’s peel back the layers and explore the fascinating world of the chicken.
A Brief History of Chickens
Chickens descend from wild junglefowl native to Southeast Asia. The earliest domesticated chickens appeared around 8,000 years ago in China, India, and Southeast Asia. Over centuries, humans bred chickens to develop different characteristics like egg-laying, meat production, and ornamental features.
Today, chickens are the most abundant domesticated animals on Earth. There are about 23 billion chickens in the world, which is a lot more than people. Every year, the average American eats more than 90 pounds of chicken meat.
Despite their ubiquity, most people know surprisingly little about the daily lives of chickens. That’s where places like What a Chicken in Petaluma, California come in
Getting to Know Chickens
What a Chicken provides a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with chickens. Their mini urban farm houses over 200 chickens spanning over 30 different breeds. Visitors can feed pet and hold the chickens while learning about their individual personalities and characteristics.
The author of What the Chicken Knows, Sy Montgomery, says that chickens are complicated animals with strong mental abilities. For instance:
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Chicks can walk and peck for food just hours after hatching.
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Chickens have great memories – they can recognize over 100 other chickens and remember humans who have cared for them.
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They have at least 24 distinct vocalizations to communicate different information within their social groups.
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Mother hens talk to their chicks while still in the egg, who chirp back in response.
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Chickens anticipate future events and respond to one another’s emotional states.
The Social Life of Chickens
Chickens form social hierarchies with defined roles and responsibilities. The dominant hen is in charge of showing the other birds where to find food and watching out for danger. Chickens also form bonds and friendships with certain other chickens in their flock and even with cats and people.
According to Montgomery, her backyard flock of 12 chickens rush excitedly to greet her when she arrives. They patiently wait their turns to be petted and held. Her hens even try to visit with the human neighbors they’ve bonded with.
At night, some chickens sleep on the family pig, while others would rather sleep with their flockmates. Distinct preferences like this demonstrate how chickens have unique personalities.
Dispelling Myths About Chickens
Many people write chickens off as dumb or boring birds. However, chickens display many higher-level cognitive, emotional, and social skills on par with mammals.
Yes, the chicken is viewed by many as merely a food source. However, taking a closer look at how chickens think and behave reveals they are far more complex than we give them credit for. Initiatives like What a Chicken that allow hands-on interaction help bring awareness to the chicken’s extraordinary nature.
The humble chicken still holds many mysteries waiting to be uncovered. We have really only begun to understand how amazing chickens truly are. Simple daily encounters can uncover new insights into the mind of the chicken.
So next time you see a chicken, look at it with fresh eyes. You may be surprised at what you discover about this familiar but extraordinary bird. Paying attention to our everyday chickens can reveal wonders we never expected.
Egg Producing Breeds of Chickens
All chickens produce eggs that can be used by people for food. By providing proper diets and environment, specifically light, chickens can be stimulated to produce quantities of nutritious eggs.
By selecting for specific physical traits, generation after generation, breeds chickens were developed. In 1874 the American Poultry Association published the first Standard of Excellence that outlined the breed characteristics. At the start of the “Golden Age of Pure Breeding,” chickens were the best of all the animal breeds.
Heavy breeds such as the Brahma, matured slowly and did not excel in egg production. Some light breeds, like the Minorca, Leghorn, and Ancona, laid lots of eggs, but they weren’t big enough to make good meat. Dual purpose breeds like the Rhode Island Red, Barred Rock and White Wyandotte met both requirements, but seldom produce more than 250 eggs per year!.
Breeds with white earlobes tend to produce white eggs and those with red earlobes usually produce brown eggs.
Therefore, any pure breed of chicken can be kept for egg production. However, modern egg production hybrids far surpass the pure breeds in egg production and feed efficiency. These birds will produce well over 300 eggs per year and will convert about 2 pounds of feed into a dozen large eggs!.
County Fair Entry Books Can Be Confusing
Most Wisconsin county fair entry books follow State Statutes that were passed before Hybrid Laying chickens were readily available. Therefore, the terminology of “Crossbred egg type white earlobes” and “Crossbred egg type red earlobes” inaccurate today! The appropriate entries for these classes are the hybrid white and hybrid brown pullets as pictured above. Crossbreds or purebreds will be down-graded as production pullets.
Much of the credit for Hybrid Layers can be given to Henry A. Wallace, the founder of Pioneer hybrid seed corn company in 1926. The successes achieved in corn led Wallace to believe that similar gains could be achieved with the laying hen. In 1936 Wallace established Hy-Line poultry genetics on his farm in Iowa. In 1944 the DeKalb seed corn company began development of its own hybrid layers. Universities and other hatcheries also started their own lines of hybrid layers, giving us the Wisco White and the California White.
Today, the majority of hybrid layer genetics is concentrated in several large international companies. These companies produce the parent stock that hatcheries purchase to produce the chicks that they sell to producers. Poultry project members should familiarize themselves with these companies and ask their suppliers of chicks the origins of their birds. These major suppliers include:
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FAQ
What was the chicken incident?
Someone in the crowd threw a chicken on stage, and Alice thought it might fly, so she threw it back over the crowd, hoping it would go away. Instead, it “plummeted” into the crowd and the audience tore it apart. The next day the headlines read: “Alice bites head off chicken and drinks blood”.
What does the mean?
The emoji typically represents a chicken, a domestic fowl used for its meat and eggs. It can also symbolize cowardice or fear in some contexts.
Was it actually the chicken or the egg?
Alright, recap! Chickens lay amniotic eggs, a trick they inherited from their reptilian ancestors. So that means that the egg came first, before the chicken!Jan 18, 2024.