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Yolks & Yolks of Fun: 10 Surprising Facts About Chickens
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# 1 – Roosters Don’t Just Crow At Dawn:
Roosters crow throughout the entirety of the day, not just at dawn. They have an internal circadian rhythm which helps set their crowing patterns. Their loudest predominately during sunrise or sunset. However, light levels, being near other roosters, trigger noises, season changes, and their daily routines can affect it as well.
#2 – Chickens Can’t Sweat:
Chickens can’t sweat so they rely on their comb and wattles to keep them cool. The flesh is thin and exposed in these areas and blood flow varies based on the seasons. During the summer, it increases which allows the blood to cool as it passes through. During the winter, it slows down to minimize heat loss.
#3 – Roosters Have Alarm Calls:
Roosters have distinct alarm calls to warn their flock of impending danger. They have an aerial and a ground threat call to help their hens prepare for an incoming attack. They also have locator calls as well as food calls.
#4 – Chickens Can Dream:
Chickens experience REM sleep which suggests they do dream. They also experience unihemispheric slow-wave sleep. This is a state of sleep where one hemisphere of the brain sleeps while one stays awake.
#5 – Chickens Are Omnivores:
Chickens are omnivores. This means they have a diet of both meat and plants. Plants include grasses, weeds, grains, fruits, and other vegetation. Meats include worms, bugs, grubs, and other small creatures like mice, snakes, lizard, and even baby birds.
#6 – Chickens Are Descendants Of Dinosaurs:
Chickens are descendants of theropod dinosaurs. Theropods are a group of dinosaurs that have hollow, thin-walled bones and small forelimbs. They varied from the chicken-sized Compsognathus and all the way up to the largest Spinosaurus. The most famous predator of the theropods was the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
#7 – Chickens Have Excellent Memories:
Chickens have excellent memories. They can recognize up to 100 different faces of both animals and humans. They can distinguish between members of their own flock and know exactly where each falls in the pecking order. Studies show chickens can even recognize individuals after they’ve been separated for months at a time.
#8 – Chickens Have Amazing Eyesight:
The placement of a chicken’s eyes offers them a panoramic view of almost 300 degrees. They are tetrachromatic which means they can see four primary colors. These include red, green, blue and ultraviolet which allows them to see a wider range of colors than humans can. They also have specialized cells called cones. These detect rapid changes in light which helps them easily spot predators or moving prey.
#9 – Chickens Are Very Efficient Breeders:
When a rooster mates, their sperm can live inside a hen for 2 – 3 weeks. There is an area called the tubular invaginations in the oviduct of the hen that stores sperm for future use. Due to this storage system a rooster can fertilize dozens of eggs with just one action.
#10 – Hens Are Born With A Lifetime Of Yolks:
Hens are born with every egg they will ever lay in their life. Thousands of chicken ova, or immature yolks, are held in a hens ovaries since birth. These develop into yolks when a hen begins laying, around 18 weeks old. The whole process takes around 24 – 26 hours for a single egg and repeats 30 minutes after its laid.
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