5 Things You Probably Didn't (Want to) Know about Chickens

The question of which came first, the chicken or the egg has plagued humans long before Colonel Sanders began covering these succulent birds in a special blend of seasonings and deep frying them. As someone who enjoys eating both chicken and eggs, I found the Smithsonian's Surprising Science article that listed some fun facts about chickens an interesting read. Here are my 5 favorites within their list of 14.

1. Tastes Like Chicken - Chickens do not only eat seeds and worms, but they have also been known to eat small creatures like lizards and mice.
2. I Believe I can Fly - Chickens are able to catch enough air to fly into the low-lying branches of a tree or escape the boundaries of a short fence.
3. Size Matters - Hens pay more attention to a rooster with a larger, brighter crown. They've also been known to eject the sperm of roosters who rank lower in the overall pecking order of the flock.
4. Name Game - A chick is a baby chicken. Pullets are adolescent females. Hens are females who produce eggs. And if you're from the United States, a boy chicken is called a rooster.
5. Battle of the Birds - The first domesticated chickens were used in cockfights long before they ever saw the inside of a deep fryer. 

So the next time you order some McNuggets or go to bite into a piece of greasy fried chicken, remember that there's more to these birds that meets the eye. Why not head on over to the Smithsonian site to learn more about them?