{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "chicken",
  "name": "Chicken",
  "scientificName": "Gallus gallus domesticus",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "The chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) is the world's most common bird, a domesticated descendant of the red junglefowl of Southeast Asia. Kept worldwide for eggs, meat, and companionship, a typical bird weighs 1.5 to 3 kg (3.3 to 6.6 lb) depending on breed. Chickens are ground-feeding omnivores that can flutter for short bursts at up to 15 km/h (9 mph). Well-kept backyard birds commonly live 5 to 10 years.",
  "conservationStatus": "Domesticated",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Galliformes",
    "family": "Phasianidae",
    "genus": "Gallus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 2.5,
    "lengthM": 0.5,
    "topSpeedKmh": 15,
    "lifespanYears": 8
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Gallus gallus domesticus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Omnivore — grain, insects, vegetation, and scraps"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Domestic worldwide; origin in Southeast Asian forest edge"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "5–10 years (backyard); commercial layers shorter"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "1.5–3 kg (3.3–6.6 lb); breeds vary widely"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 15 km/h (9 mph); brief fluttering flight"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Domesticated (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Domesticated worldwide; wild ancestor red junglefowl native to Southeast Asian forest edges.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa",
      "Asia",
      "Europe",
      "North America",
      "Oceania",
      "South America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Gallus gallus domesticus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Gallus%20gallus%20domesticus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Gallus gallus domesticus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Gallus_gallus/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/chicken/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/chicken/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}