roosters

The chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) is a domesticated red junglefowl species that is originally from Southeast Asia. They have also partially hybridized with other wild species of junglefowl (the grey junglefowl, Ceylon junglefowl, and green junglefowl). Rooster and cock are terms for ãdül† male birds, and a younger male may be called a cockerel. A male that has been castrated is a capon. An ãdül† female bird is called a hen, and a sexually immature female is called a pullet. Humans keep chickens primarily as a source of food (consuming both their meat and eggs) or as pets. Traditionally, they were also bred for cockfighting, which is still practiced in some places. Chickens domesticated for meat are broilers, and for eggs, they are layers.
Chickens are one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, with a total population of 23.7 billion as of 2018, up from more than 19 billion in 2011. There are more chickens in the world than any other bird. There are numerous cultural references to chickens—in myth, folklore, and religion, as well as in language and literature.
Genetic studies have pointed to multiple maternal origin theories within South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia, but the clade found in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa originated from the Indian subcontinent. From ancient India, the chicken spread to the Eastern Mediterranean. They appear in ancient Egypt in the mid-15th century BC, with the "bird that gives birth every day" having come from the land between Syria and Shinar, Babylonia, according to the annals of Thutmose III. They are known in ancient Greece from the 5th century BC.

You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
  1. B

    Trivia Roosters have built-in earplugs

    Roosters have built-in earplugs Considering a rooster's call can reach 140 decibels or louder, it might leave one to wonder how the rooster itself keeps from going deaf when that noise is coming right out of its beak. It turns out, the farm fowl have built-in earplugs. Researchers found that...
Back
Top