hen
Quick Summary
A chicken, scientifically known as Gallus gallus, is a domesticated bird descended from the wild red jungle fowl of India. Chickens are raised globally for their meat and eggs.1
A hen is specifically a female chicken, typically over one year old. Hens are known for their ability to lay eggs, with some producing up to 300 per year, stimulated by daylight or artificial light. After about 21 days of incubation, chicks hatch and mature quickly.21
Chickens exhibit a social hierarchy, often referred to as a pecking order, which influences resource access within a flock. Domestication of chickens likely began in Southeast Asia or India thousands of years ago, initially for religious or fighting purposes, before becoming a widespread agricultural commodity.1
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agricultural sciencesAnimal sciencesBy the 1980s, a laying hen of any popular genetic strain, if managed properly, could be expected to produce more than 250 eggs annually, while special meat-producing strains of chickens gain body weight at a rate of 1 : 2 in ratio with feed intake.
Read MoreBy the 1980s, a laying hen of any popular genetic strain, if managed properly, could be expected to produce more than 250 eggs annually, while special meat-producing strains of chickens gain body weight at a rate of 1 : 2 in ratio with feed intake.
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domesticationDomestication of animalsThe first domesticated hens perhaps were used for sport. Cockfighting was instrumental in bringing about the selection of these birds for larger size. Cocks later acquired religious significance. In Zoroastrianism the cock was associated with protection of good against evil and was a symbol of light. In ancient…
Read MoreThe first domesticated hens perhaps were used for sport. Cockfighting was instrumental in bringing about the selection of these birds for larger size. Cocks later acquired religious significance. In Zoroastrianism the cock was associated with protection of good against evil and was a symbol of light. In ancient…
Read More