Find Chicken plush toys in the Barnyard at Animals N More.

Chickens come in many different shapes and sizes. Here are some of the chickens living at Animals N More. The big rooster in back is from Ganz; other chickens and roosters include Doodle the Ty Beanie Baby, three miniature glass roosters from Ganz, Duckie and Friend from Boyds, a Ganz Soft Spot Rooster with sound and some Chicken Salt & Pepper Shakers. Find many of these plush chickens and roosters at our sponsor's online Gift Shop.

The chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) is one of the most common and widespread domesticated fowl in the world. Currently there are more than 24 billion, more than any other species of bird.

The birds of this order, Galliformes, are usually plump of body and stout of limb, with small wings. They run rapidly if not far, scratching vigorously in leaves and dirt for food - mostly vegetable matter, though they also relish insects.

In Latin, gallus means "chicken." The Galliformes and gallinaceous birds are merely chicken-like or fowl-like birds. These gallinaceous birds have many enemies, and perhaps to compensate for this they lay, as a rule, a large clutch of eggs. The appealing, down-covered chicks are able to follow their mother as soon as they hatch.

The domestic chicken is probably the first bird ever domesticated by man and is the basis of a billion-dollar industry in the United States. Poultry husbandry is second in importance only to dairy products. The chicken's meat and eggs are two of our staple foods.

While the history of the chicken is very ancient, it was not introduced into the New World until the arrival of the Spaniards. The New World Galliform was the turkey, which was not known in the Old World until also introduced by the Spaniards.

Today there are many different varieties of chickens. They are all descendants of one species: the Red Jungle Fowl, Gallus gallus, of India. Todays breeds owe their origin to patient selection and development by man for desired traits and qualities. Flesh, feathers, eggs, strength, aggressiveness - all these are items that have entered into the breeder's calculations.

The White Leghorn is the most specialized chicken for laying eggs. This breed was introduced into the United States from Italy in 1835. They were imported from the port city of Livorno, on the western coast of Tuscany. The name Leghorn comes from the anglicisation of the word Livorno. Properly cared for, White Leghorn hens lay one egg a day almost throughout the year.

Farmers who keep a small flock of chickens for their own use, select a breed that combines good egg-laying with large size. Two of the best breeds of this type, the Rhode Island Red and the Plymouth Rock, are supposed to be of American origin.

Most Leghorns have single combs, the legs are bright yellow and the ear-lobes white. The eggs are white.

A chicken's lifespan varies greatly. The average is 3 to 5 years, but they can live up to 25 years.