| Scientific Name: |
Gallus gallus |
| Range: |
Chickens are found on almost every continent except
for Antarctica. |
| Habitat: |
Chickens can survive in almost any domestic setting,
but prefer mild and warm climates. |
| Natural Diet: |
Insects, grain, fruit, seeds |
| Zoo Diet: |
Scratch grain |
Physical
Characteristics: |
There are various breeds of chickens. Some of the
more common breeds are the Rhode Island red, leghorn, orpington,
Plymouth rock, white sully and bantam. Chickens weigh anywhere from 1.1
pound to over 11 pounds. They are the only domestic fowl with a comb on
their head. Fleshy wattle hangs at the throat. Most species
have four clawed toes on each foot. As birds, chickens are covered
with feathers. |
| Behavior: |
Chickens like to scratch the ground with their beaks
and claws. This helps them find food. Chickens can only fly a few 100
feet into the air due to their weight. They have a keen sense of
hearing and a poor sense of taste and smell. |
| Reproduction: |
Hens lay between four and ten eggs when nesting. If
the egg has been fertilized by the rooster, It takes about 21 days to
hatch. Chicks can walk in a few hours and bond quickly to their
mothers. In a year a female may lay around 240 eggs. Hens
start to lay eggs around 5 months of age. |
| Notes: |
Chickens have gizzards that contain particles of sand
and stone. These particles help them digest food. Male chickens
are called roosters, and female chickens are call hens. Chickens were
domesticated about 5000 years ago from jungle fowl. |
