Chicken

The chicken is the domesticated form of the red junglefowl, a bird originally native to Southeast Asia, first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and now one of the most common and widespread domesticated animals in the world. Chickens are kept primarily for their meat and eggs, though also sometimes as pets, and as of 2023 the global chicken population exceeded 26.5 billion birds, with more than 50 billion produced annually for consumption. Specialized breeds such as broilers and laying hens have been developed for meat and egg production respectively, and a hen bred for laying can produce over 300 eggs a year. Chickens are social animals with complex vocalizations and behaviors, and they feature widely in folklore, religion and literature across many societies.