Editing Chicken (section)

{{Short description|Domesticated subpecies of Red Junglefowl}}
{{About||the culinary use of chickens|Chicken as food|other uses|Chicken (disambiguation)}}
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{{Redirect|Cockerel|the Fabergé egg|Cockerel (Fabergé egg)}}
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{{Subspeciesbox
| image             = Male and female chicken sitting together.jpg
| image_caption     = Male (left) and female (right)
| status            = DOM
| genus             = Gallus
| species           = gallus
| species_link.     = Red junglefowl
| subspecies        = domesticus
| synonyms          = ''Gallus domesticus'' <small>[[L.]]</small>
| authority         = ([[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]])
| range_map         = GLW 2 global distributions of c) chickens.tif
| range_map_caption = Chicken distribution
}}
The '''chicken''' ('''''Gallus gallus domesticus''''') is a domesticated subspecies of the [[red junglefowl]] (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to [[Southeast Asia]]. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and widespread [[domesticated animals]] in the world. Chickens are primarily kept for [[chicken as food|their meat]] and [[egg as food|eggs]], though they are also kept as [[pet]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Joshua |date=July 27, 2020 |title=Chickens and Roosters…As Pets? |url=https://journal.iaabcfoundation.org/roosters-as-pets/ |access-date=December 5, 2024 |website=IAABC Foundation Journal}}</ref>

As of 2023, the global chicken population exceeds 26.5 billion, with more than 50 billion birds produced annually for consumption. Specialized breeds such as [[broiler]]s and [[laying hen]]s have been developed for meat and egg production, respectively. A hen bred for laying can produce over 300 eggs per year. Chickens are social animals with complex vocalizations and behaviors, and [[cultural references to chickens|feature prominently]] in folklore, religion, and literature across many societies. Their economic importance makes them a central component of global [[animal husbandry]] and [[agriculture]].