In 2011 a study in genetic and archaeological evidence conclude that the origin of the modern-day chicken is from South-East Asia. Fowl have been known in Egypt since the mid-15th century BC, with the 'bird that gives birth every day' having come from the land between Syria and Shinar, Babylonia, according to the annals of Thutmose III. Genetic studies have pointed to multiple maternal origin theories of within South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia, but the clade found in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa originated from the Indian subcontinent.įrom ancient India, the chicken spread to Lydia in western Asia Minor, and to Greece by the 5th century BC. There are numerous cultural references to chickens – in myth, folklore and religion, and in language and literature.

There are more chickens in the world than any other bird. Humans now keep chickens primarily as a source of food (consuming both their meat and eggs) and as pets.Ĭhickens are one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, with a total population of 23.7 billion as of 2018, up from more than 19 billion in 2011. Originally raised for cockfighting during the 500 B.C time frame in China according to estimations in the study of the sub-haplogroup C1, or for special ceremonies, chickens were not kept for food until the Hellenistic period (4th–2nd centuries BC). An adult female bird is called a hen and a sexually immature female is called a pullet. A male that has been castrated is a capon.

Rooster or cock is a term for an adult male bird, and a younger male may be called a cockerel. The chicken ( Gallus gallus domesticus) is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia.

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