Chicken

General Information

Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) are the domesticated form of the red junglefowl (Gallus gallus), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and now they are one of the most common and widespread domesticated animals in the whole world! 

Domestic chickens are omnivorous and feed on a wide variety of foods, including seeds, grains, insects, worms, fruits, and vegetation. They forage by scratching at the soil with their feet before pecking at food with their beaks.

At the zoo, we have flock of rare breed chickens, as part of our effort to conserve UK native species. 

Latin name – Gallus gallus domesticus
Class – Aves
Family – Phasianidae
IUCN Status – Not Evaluated (domesticated species)
Habitat – Farms, grasslands, woodlands, and urban environments under human care
Distribution – Worldwide