chicken
Sign in to saveThe chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) is a domesticated form of the red junglefowl (Gallus gallus), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is one of the most common and widespread domesticated animals in the world. Chickens are primarily kept for their meat and eggs, though they are also kept as pets.
AI overview
The chicken is a domesticated bird that descended from the red junglefowl and was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago in Southeast Asia. Today, chickens are one of the world's most common domesticated animals, raised primarily for their meat and eggs, though some people also keep them as pets.
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Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Subclass of
- poultry
- Has part
- hen
- Parent taxon
- Red Junglefowl
- Image
- Kruppert Cubalaya cropped.JPG
Show 9 more facts
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- Wikipedia:Vital articles/Level/4 (2022)
- P1889
- Huhn
- P1672
- chicken egg
Article
21 sectionsContents
- Nomenclature
- Description
- Reproduction and life-cycle
- Origin
- Phylogeny
- Domestication
- Dispersal
- Austronesia
- Africa
- Americas
- Eurasia
- Diseases
- Use by humans
- Farming
- As pets
- Cockfighting
- In science
- In culture, folklore, and religion
- Notes
- References
- External links
The chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) is a domesticated form of the red junglefowl (Gallus gallus), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is one of the most common and widespread domesticated animals in the world. Chickens are primarily kept for their meat and eggs, though they are also kept as pets.
As of 2023, the global chicken population exceeds 26.5 billion, with more than 50 billion birds produced annually for consumption. Specialized breeds such as broilers and laying hens have been developed for meat and egg production, respectively. A hen bred for laying can produce over 300 eggs per year. Chickens are social animals with complex vocalizations and behaviors, and feature in folklore, religion, and literature across many societies. Their economic importance makes them a central component of global animal husbandry.