Questions kids ask about chickens

Children ask some amazing things as they grow and learn. As a parent you scratch your head sometimes wondering where did such a random question come from. Other times you wonder how on earth you can answer that one. Undoubtedly, if you and your kids have started your journey as backyard chicken keepers, we are sure they will have plenty of curiosities waiting to be answered.

We have put together a list of Top questions kids ask about chickens. Take the time and enjoy helping your child or children better understand the new additions to the family.

Top Questions kids ask about chickens

How long have people been raising chickens?

The earliest evidence of people raising domestic chickens over 7,000 years ago in China and India.

Is a chicken a boy or a girl?

Roosters are boys and chickens (hens) are girls.

How many eggs does a healthy chicken lay?

The average chicken lays one egg every one or two days. A very happy chicken can lay one egg every day. What's more, healthy chickens can lay up to 260 eggs per year. 

Where did chickens come from?

Recent research has confirmed suspicions that chickens are close relatives of the T-Rex. While the certainly don't share the same menacing teeth, T-Rex DNA is closest to chickens and ostriches

How many chickens are in the world?

While there is no exact figure, it is estimated that their could be over 24 billion chickens in the world. It is also estimated that 65 billion chickens are eaten each year.

How old are chickens when they first start laying eggs?

This varies depending on what type of chicken you have but they generally start producing eggs at around 5-6 months old

Do you need a rooster for a hen to lay an egg?

Nope. Chickens are perfectly happy to lay eggs without a rooster. However, if you want more baby chicks you will need a daddy bird.

What do chickens eat?

If your chickens are in a coop they should be eating a complete pellet or mash feed. Chickens benefit the most from this type of feed as it has high nutrition for them. If you want to give them a treat every now and then, they love fruits, vegetables and berries.

Chickens also love eating weeds, corn, bugs, worms and beetles. Their favourite insect snack are flies and maggots. They find them irresistible!. Chickens which live in a chicken coop can't go outside in the bush to find lovely insects. So you can feed them dried mealworms as a treat. 

Image: Chickens love to eat insects, fruits, vegetables as well as flies!

How do chickens clean themselves?

Chickens scratch a nice hole in the ground with their feet. They then clean themselves by sitting in the hole and using their tiny wings to dust themselves with dirt. They will also roll around in the dirt before shaking themselves off nice and clean. To make their feathers nice and shiny again, they will preen themselves. A gland above their tail secrets oil which the hen will spread over their feathers, giving them a nice sheen.

Can chickens remember things?

They may not look it, but chickens are quite smart, and have an amazing memory. So if you take the time to teach your chicken little tricks (with a food reward) you'll be surprised how fast they understand what you want them to do as well as how they remember what you taught them.

How many different types of chickens are there?

Around the world there are more than 300 different types of chickens

What is the name of a young chicken?

A new baby chicken is called a chick. Then it grows into a pullet before becoming an egg laying chicken.

When a pullet starts to lay eggs it is called a chicken.

Image: A really young chicken is called a pullet. 

How long do chickens live?

If you chicken is well looked after, taking care of both their diet and their habitat you can expect your chicken to live for around 7 years

Can chickens fly?

Yes they can, but not for very long. Chickens can fly up in the air for about 10 seconds, this is just enough time to help them to get away from a perceived predator such as a dog or fox. A chicken can travel about 15 metres in the air before making an awkward landing back on the ground.

Some birds like chickens can't fly up in the sky like other birds. No matter how hard they flap their wings they just can't reach the sky.

Why do some chickens hide their eggs?

Chickens like to lay eggs in a place where they feel safe and comfortable. That's why you should have a nice nesting box for them in the chicken coop. Another reason a chicken might like to hide their egg is because they are brooding. When a chicken is broody they find a special place to lay their egg and then they sit on it to see if the egg will hatch.

What's a chickens favourite movie?

Chicken Run of course!

Can chickens talk to each other?

Chickens make different sounds called clucking. A chicken can make up to 30 different clucking sounds. When they make these noises they are communicating (talking) to the other chickens in the flock. And boy do they love to have a chat to one another.

Their clucks can also tell the other chickens when there is danger around. You will also notice that chickens will always cluck with excitement when there are treats around

Can a chicken recognise who you are?

Yes. Chickens have amazing memories and once they get to know you they recognise you when you come to see them. Chickens can remember up to 100 different human faces.

What is the Red thing on a chickens head called?

That's called the comb. You should always take notice of your chicken's comb. If the comb looks pale or have less colour than normal it could mean they are sick. See our chicken health section

Image: The red thing on the top of the chicken is the comb.

Do chickens dream?

Chickens experience rapid eye movement like people when they sleep. When humans go through (REM) rapid eye movement in their sleep they can also dream. So maybe chickens do dream. But what would a chicken possibly dream about? We think they are dreaming about you getting them an awesome Dine A Chook Chicken Feeder to keep them well-fed.

Can you teach a chicken tricks?

Yes. There are lots of tricks you can teach a chicken. Some take a little longer than others to teach them. You can teach (train) your chicken to come when you call its name. You can also teach a chicken to jump for its food. Some chickens can even be taught how to swing on a swing seat. How cool is that. Also, if you put a toy piano in the coop you might find they learn to tap it with their beaks to play you a song.

Do chickens like playing?

Yes chickens love to play with one another. An they will love you to come out and visit them. Be nice to your chickens and they will be lovely, fun pets.

They are some of the fun questions kids ask about chickens. If your child has come up with a few we'd love to hear about them so we can maybe add the question to our list.

Remember hygiene is really important for children playing with chickens so always teach your children to wash their hands after playing with the chickens or touching things in the coop like the feeder or drinker.