Chicken
Japanese Name:
鶏
Romaji Name:
niwatori
Description
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A chicken is a domesticated bird raised worldwide for its meat and eggs. Chickens have feathers, two legs, a beak, and a comb on top of their head. They are social animals and often live in groups called flocks.
History
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The chicken's wild ancestor is the red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) from Southeast Asia. Evidence suggests that chickens were first domesticated in the region of modern-day Thailand, Vietnam, and India, around 8,000 to 10,000 years ago.
Early humans likely domesticated chickens for their eggs and as a source of meat. These wild birds were kept in small flocks and used for ceremonial purposes as well.
By around 2,000 BCE, chickens spread to other parts of the world, including Egypt and Mesopotamia. The domestication process was facilitated by early trade and travel.
Chickens became important in ancient cultures, and they were often raised for their eggs, meat, and feathers. In Ancient Egypt, chickens were sometimes associated with fertility and were used in religious ceremonies.
By the time of Ancient Greece and Rome, chickens were well-known, and the Romans began selectively breeding them for more productive egg-laying and meat production.