15 Fun Facts about Chickens

15 Fun Facts about Chickens

I bet you’ve heard of the famous joke about these creatures, ‘Why did the chicken cross the road?’ Or better yet,  what came first? The egg or the chicken? Yet perhaps there is more to discover about chickens, and much more that many don’t have any idea about. For example, did you know that an average chicken can live for five to eleven years in its wild habitat? Or that a headless chicken can run the length of a football field before it dies? Chickens are fascinating creatures, and continued discoveries about their genetic makeup, behavior, and abilities prove this. Here’s a list of fun facts to remember the next time you order a buffalo wing or an omelet.

1. Chickens are very close relatives of a dinosaur

Image by Couleur-Pixabay.

That’s the Tyrannosaurus Rex (T-Rex). Although not as massive or as scary as we imagine dinosaurs to have been, chickens and ostriches have been termed the closest living relatives of the now-extinct T-Rex. In March 2004, their DNA was mapped against a fossilized T-Rex bone and this conclusion was made. The chicken is, however, a domestic subspecies of the red jungle fowl which is native to Asia. That would explain the belief that it was domesticated over 8,000 years ago in China.

Check out the 25 Interesting Facts about birds.

2. They outnumber the human population, by far

Image by Сергей from Pixabay.

There are approximately 7.7 billion human beings on earth. The chicken population is approximately 25 billion, which is at least three times more. Imagine a chicken revolution someday! Pretty utopian but well, just saying.

3. There are over 300 chicken breeds in the world

That’s in exclusion of wild chickens. Domesticated breeds are quite a variety, and they come in all kinds of features and colors. One of the rarest breeds is found in Indonesia. It’s black, from the beak to the feathers to its organs! Talk of super hyperpigmentation! The breed is quite expensive, ranging from at least $2,000.

4. Chickens communicate in over 24 vocalizations

Animals have their unique manner of communication, and chickens happen to their a complex network of sounds for the same. From the clucking to quacking, chickens make a diverse range of sounds with particular meanings. Some may be warnings of danger, or the chicks letting the mother hen that they’re uncomfortable. Who knows, you could learn to speak chicken.

5. They have a pretty good memory

Image by Heike-Pixabay.

It’s been proven that chickens can remember the faces of humans and fellow chickens, distinguishing various persons quite easily. They can remember up to 100 different faces! They will recognize their owners, and family groupings just like anyone else can.

6. They’ve been proven to be smarter than toddlers

Studies show that chickens have a basic level of intelligence, including problem-solving skills, mathematical reasoning, and structural engineering. Chicks only 2 days demonstrated object permanence, which is the ability to comprehend that even when an object is hidden, it still exists. A toddler only develops this skill at 7 months.

7. They can fly, sort of

Image by Duy Cường Nguyễn from Pixabay.

Chickens are not entirely flightless. A light one can fly for seconds at low heights, jump over a fence, or escape a predator. The longest recorded flight by a chicken is 13 seconds at a height of 301 feet. They can also run up to 9 miles per hour. They’re also quite agile, which explains partly why it’s so hard to catch a chicken in a chase.

8. There’s a pecking order in the chicken world

Just like human societies have class systems, chickens have their ‘pecking’ order, with the most dominant ones at the top of the ladder. A rooster at the lowest level of the chain may not be particularly lucky and here’s why. Since hens can eject sperm should they decide not to have offspring of their mate, factors such as strength or health, and the position in the pecking order may apply. Wild!

9. Chickens dust-bathe to keep clean

Chicken sandbathing by Daniel Borker-Pixabay.

Huh? Dust for a bath?  Yes. Dust and dirt, when ruffled against the feathers have an exfoliating effect. It also suffocates any insects or bugs, keeping the chickens bug-free. Dust-bathing is also viewed as a social activity for chickens.

Read more on: 15 Fun Facts about Turkeys.

10. Roosters dance to woe their desired mates

Image by Dusan Veverlokog-Unsplash.

Referred to as ‘tidbitting’, roosters will often move their head up and down, waddling and making distinct sounds to attract hens for mating. The combs and wattles will be noticed by the hens too, and the bigger, and brighter in color they are, the better.

11. Over 50 billion eggs are laid per year

Image by Nick Fewings-Unsplash.

An average hen will lay an egg per day, and this is usually in the morning hours (but you already knew that). In a year, it will lay an average of 300. As they grow old, they may lay larger but fewer eggs. The largest egg ever laid weighed 12 ounces and had 2 yolks. The record number of eggs laid by a hen in a year was 371, by a white longhorn.

Check out the Top 6 Places to Eat Eggs Benedict in London.

12. They can dream!

Scientists have proven that chickens exhibit Rapid Eye Movement (REM) periods of sleep, meaning they can dream! Although it’s hard to establish what exactly they dream about, it must be fascinating to imagine what could be going on in their chicken brains.

Have a look at the 10 Fascinating Facts about Dreams.

13. Chickens have ultraviolet vision

Chickens can see all colors, more than humans. While human beings have three cone types, enabling them to see in 3 color bands (red, blue, green), chickens have these, and an additional two. The latter helps them distinguish between violet and ultraviolet light. This can explain why roosters crow that early in the morning since they can see the sunlight hours earlier than human beings.

14. Buffalo wings’ delicacy has a fascinating history

Image by Andras Feher-Pixabay.

Did you know that historically, chicken wings were often seen as undesirable? They were often thrown away, until a restaurant owner in Buffalo, New York decided to nicely barbecue them and serve them in 1964. People loved it! Need I explain why we now call them Buffalo wings?

15. The fear of chickens is called Alektrophobia

They may seem harmless, but some people do get freaked at the sight of chicken. This fear has been named ‘Alektrophobia’. British rugby player Thomas Seymour is a confessed alektrophobe. The other side of the coin is Alektropholia.