Chicken

Chicken
Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum Information
Phylum	Chordata
Class Information
Class	Aves
Order Information
Order	Galliformes
Family Information
Family	Phasianidae
Genus Information
Genus	Gallus
Species Information
Species	G. gallus
Population statistics

The chicken (Gallus gallus) is a domesticated fowl that originated in either Southern Asia, or Vietnam. Due to its usage for both its meat and eggs, it rapidly spread all over the world when people domesticated the animal. Today, the chicken is the most widespread domesticated animal, with a population exceeding 24 billion as of 2003.

An adult hen (the female) generally lays as many as six eggs a week in production breeds, or as little as one or two a week in some hens. In general, the White Leghorn is used for white egg production, and the Rhode Island Red is used for brown egg production.

Dietwise, chickens are omnivores, often scratching for food. Some chickens eat lizards or other small reptiles, but usually eat worms or other smaller insects.

The lifespan of a healthy chicken generally goes to around six years. During this time, a hen can produce as many as 300 eggs a year. The egg laying capacity of a hen generally decreases as she gets older, usually around one year old.

A male chicken is referred to either as a rooster or a cock, and a young rooster is referred to as a cockerall. In general, a cockeral will start crowing around 6 months old.

Most chickens are skittish animals, but if hand raised, they can become extremly affectionate, even to the point of jumping on the person who raised them.