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More chickens are raised and killed for food than all other land animals combined, but if more people understood the complex nature of these interesting animals, they would probably hesitate before consuming their flesh or eggs. Here are some of our favourite facts about chickens:

1. Chickens dream just like we do. They experience REM (rapid eye movement) during sleep, indicating that their minds may be wandering far from the four walls of the factory farms where they are imprisoned.

2. Wild chickens lay only approximately 10 to 15 eggs a year during breeding season. The hens who are bred by the egg industry to produce eggs every single day often suffer from painful reproductive disorders and become exhausted after just a few years.

3. Chickens are the closest living relative to the T. rex, though perhaps not quite as scary!

4. Wild chickens survive for five to 11 years in their natural environment. Chickens raised for meat are often slaughtered when they're just 41 days old - for "free-range" birds, this period increases to just 56 days old. Male chicks born into the egg industry are routinely killed as soon as they're born.

Sadly, these intelligent, sensitive birds are subject to horrific conditions before they are slaughtered for food here in the UK. In one abattoir alone, up to 12,000 birds can be killed per hour, and that doesn't even account for all the hens suffering in the egg industry. Please stand up for these insightful animals by taking the pledge to go vegan.

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More chickens are raised and killed for food than all other land animals combined, but if more people understood the complex nature of these interesting animals, they would probably hesitate before consuming their flesh or eggs. Here are some of our favourite facts about chickens: Chickens dream just like we do.

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The chicken is well-known for many things - clucking about on farms, laying eggs, and being covered in big, white feathers, to name a few. All of these things are obvious, but there are many interesting facts about this animal you may not know.

If you've ever visited a local farm, it's very likely you've seen a bunch of chickens running about. Perhaps you've even held a baby chick at one point in your life. The chicken is much more fascinating than one may realize - read these chicken facts to learn more about this mostly domesticated animal.

Keep in mind, we can't tell you why the chicken crossed the road!

▪ Like we mentioned above, most chickens are domesticated - this means they have been tamed and kept as pets. You'll usually find chickens on farms or in backyards, although wild chickens can be found in India and Asia.

▪ Domesticated chickens are usually born and raised in chicken coops or some kind of fenced-in area.

What do they eat and drink?

▪ A chicken's diet will not be very appealing to us humans - chickens in the wild like to eat whatever they can overpower, like mice, insects, and grains. Domesticated chickens are often given "chicken feed" which is specifically created for chickens to give them the proper nutrition they need to grow. Chicken feed contains grains, vegetable/animal proteins, and other added minerals and nutrients.

▪ The average chicken might drink up to 500ml of water a day. It's important for chickens to stay well hydrated - hens in particular are more sensitive to water deficiency than food deficiency. It can even affect how well they lay eggs.

▪ Despite popular belief, not all chickens look exactly the same - they can come in different sizes and colors. However, the general body structure of chickens is rather similar, and includes a tiny head with a very plump body. Most chickens also have scale-covered legs and sharp claws used for gripping objects and walking.

▪ Chickens aren't just white, brown, and black - they can be gold, silver, red, blue, and green!

Believe it or not!

▪ Believe it or not, it is most likely that chickens were first domesticated for fighting each other, not for food. Forcing chickens to fight each other, or "cockfighting," is illegal in all 50 states today, and is considered to be a form of animal cruelty. People can now be punished by the law for this type of crime.

▪ Believe it or not, despite popular belief, chickens are not completely flightless. Chickens can fly a little bit - well enough to make it over a fence or even up a tree.

▪ Believe it or not, there are more chickens than any other type of bird species in the world - around 25 billion, to be exact. There are only 7 billion people in the entire world, so that means there are more chicken than people on the planet! We are certainly outnumbered by our feathered friends, aren't we?

▪ Believe it or not, chickens can be induced into a hypnotic state by drawing a straight line in front of their beaks. This is called "tonic immobility," and it means a catatonic fear-induced state. It is induced by holding a chicken on the ground and drawing a straight line using chalk in front of them - the chicken will focus on the line and become hypnotized and motionless. When the chicken is released, it will remain motionless for 30 seconds to 30 minutes, or until distracted/moved.

▪ Believe it or not, the chicken is the closest living relative to the Tyrannosaurus Rex!

Just so you know

▪ The term chicken is genderless and does not refer specifically to a male or female chicken. The term hen always refers to a female chicken. A rooster is a male chicken. A chick refers to the babies (of either gender). Confusing these two words is a very common mistake that many people make.

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The chicken is well-known for many things - clucking about on farms, laying eggs, and being covered in big, white feathers, to name a few. All of these things are obvious, but there are many interesting facts about this animal you may not know.

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https://animalcorner.co.uk/animals/chickens/

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DK Find Out! | Fun Facts for Kids on Animals, Earth, History and more!

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Visit DK Find Out! to learn about dinosaurs, space, animals, nature & more. Fun learning activities for kids with videos, quizzes & galleries at DKFindOut.com

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People have been raising chickens for more than 7,000 years. Chickens were first domesticated in Indian and China. You might think of chickens as farm animals, but even people in cities can raise a few chickens in the backyard. Chicken coops don't take up much room.

Chickens are raised mostly for their eggs and meat, but chickens also make good pets. Some chickens are very tame and will allow you to hold or pet them. Chickens eat almost anything - grass, bugs, fruit, vegetables and table scraps. If you don't clean your plate, your chickens will!

Fun Facts about Chickens for Kids

In Japan, people eat fried chicken and strawberry shortcake on Christmas Eve.

A healthy chicken lays about 265 eggs each year. That's a lot of omelets!

Chickens are related to the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Chickens will be less nervous if you walk backwards when entering the coop.

Most chickens swallow gravel to help mash food.

Chickens cluck after they lay an egg.

Chicken Vocabulary

Learn More all About Chickens

Watch a video about chickens:

A video about the private lives of chickens.

Chicken Q&A

Question: Do all chickens lay white eggs?

Answer: Some chickens lay brown, blue or green eggs.

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Question: How long do chickens live?

Answer: Most chickens live 5 to 8 years.

Enjoyed the Easy Science for Kids Website all about Chickens info? Take the FREE & fun Chickens quiz and download FREE Chickens worksheet for kids. For lengthy info click here.

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People have been raising chickens for more than 7,000 years. Chickens were first domesticated in Indian and China. You might think of chickens as farm animals, but even people in cities can raise a few chickens in the backyard. Chicken coops don't take up much room.

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All about chickens for kids and teachers. Also includes free worksheets, crafts, stories and songs