![]() Popular breeds are the Cornish, a compact, meaty bird often used in crossbreeding programs for broiler production the Orpington, a long-bodied breed that includes buff, black, white, and blue varieties and the Sussex, an excellent meat producer with a long body and broad shoulders. The English breeds are valued for the quality of their meat. Major breeds are the Rhode Island Red, a red-feathered bird with a long, rectangular body the Plymouth Rock, of which there are several varieties, all with long, fairly broad bodies and the New Hampshire (bred from Rhode Island Red stock), a meaty, medium-long bird with light red feathers. They are large and well-fleshed and lay brown-shelled eggs. The American breeds are called dual-purpose breeds because they are suited for both meat and egg production. Mature males have long been used for sport, although the practice of cockfighting is now banned in some countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.īreeds of chickens raised for their meat and eggs are generally categorized into four classes-American, English, Mediterranean, and Asian. Most immature males are castrated (in modern times usually through the use of chemicals, which damage the testicles) to become meat birds, called capons. Hens are raised for meat and for their edible eggs farmers have developed numerous breeds and varieties to fulfill commercial requirements. Both the male (rooster) and the female have one or two wattles-naked, fleshy growths hanging from the chin or throat-and a large comb, or crest, of similar tissue. The female, called a hen, is usually drab. The short wings are not suited for long-distance flight, and the legs and toes are adapted for running and scratching. The chicken is a heavy-bodied bird adapted to life on the ground. Its ancestor is the wild red jungle fowl. The scientific name of the domestic chicken is Gallus gallus. The chicken belongs to the group of domesticated birds called poultry, which also includes turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, and pigeons. It is raised worldwide for its meat and eggs. ![]() ![]() One of the most widely domesticated fowls is the chicken. ![]()
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