Chicken Behavior

Chicken Behavior is a matter of great enjoyment for Chicken fanciers and a matter of interest for scientists and biologists. Chicken has long been domesticated, but there is still much to guess and learn about the bird’s biology and behavior. So far, there is some uncertainty as to the bird’s exact origin. It is commonly believed that modern Chickens are the offspring of the Red Junglefowl, but there are significant discrepancies in their genotypes. There are grounds to believe that the today’s Chicken is closely related to the Grey Junglefowl. Both the Red and the Grey Junglefowl originate in Asia.

Although family Chicken farming is no longer common in the United States, there are lots of Chicken lovers who breed and wean and raise chickens out of mere interest. With artificial incubation so widely spread and the process so simple, it does not actually take too many complicated tools to build a hand-made incubator and produce Chickens in domestic conditions. This is quite a fascinating process for children, and, if it ends successfully, it is a matter of great pride for kids. Besides, this is the best way to get a broad idea of Chicken Behavior.

As Chickens are gregarious animals, studying their social behavior at home is also possible. Chickens form hierarchies, where dominant species establish their own “pecking orders” and determine the rules of feeding, nesting and egg-laying. Watching courtship rituals can be particularly intriguing. Not infrequently, roosters invite hens to places where food is available, thus gaining their attention and respect. Observing broody hens is also very interesting, especially watching them turning their eggs. This can be helpful in understanding the rules of artificial incubation, as eggs in the incubator must be turned on a regular basis. Chicken Behavior can be fully understood by way of total observation from hatching and through adulthood.

In the wild, Chickens live about 10 years, but on rare occasions, they can live 13-14 years. Chickens are very active in finding food. They feed on grains, cereals, grass, and sometimes on insects. Wild species can even take small lizards. Today, there are lots of Chicken breeds, some of which have been developed for ornamental purposes. Some species are bred for egg color. In any event, Chickens continue to play an enormous role in our lives, which we can hardly imagine without this unique fowl. We are still dealing with great difficulties understanding Chicken Behavior, which is way more complicated and entangled than we sometimes believe.