Chickens are typically medium-sized birds with small heads, short beaks, and wings, along with round bodies supported by featherless legs. Their size and color vary significantly depending on the breed. Many breeds feature both males and females with fleshy skin folds on their chins and atop their heads, known as wattles and combs, respectively. They have four claws on each foot, which they use for scratching the ground in search of food. Roosters, or cocks, are usually larger than hens and often have more prominent wattles and combs, as well as more elaborate plumage.
Communication
Roosters are famous for their crowing, a loud and distinctive call used to assert territorial dominance and communicate with other males. Hens, on the other hand, do not crow but may cluck softly to communicate with their chicks or after laying an egg.
Chickens’ Diet and Eating Habits
Chickens at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo are fed They feed supplemented with oyster shells for added calcium.
Social Behavior
These are social animals that are active during the day. A typical flock consists of one rooster and several hens. Interestingly, chickens outnumber all other bird species on Earth.
