Feral chickens are derived from domestic chickens (Gallus domesticus) who have returned to the wild. Like the red junglefowl (the closest wild relative of domestic chickens), feral chickens will roost in bushes in order to avoid predators at night.
Feral chickens typically form social groups composed of a dominant cockerel, several hens, and subordinate cocks. Sometimes the dominant cockerel is designated by a fight between cocks. They lay anywhere from 24 to 60 eggs per year being considerably lower from domestically living hens, which produce 300+ eggs per year and closer to their wild ancestors, the red jungle fowl which lays 8 to 18 eggs per year
Locations famous for feral chickens
America
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Fitzgerald, Georgia, United States
- George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
- Gotha, Florida, United States
- Houston, Texas, United States
- Kauai, Hawaii, United States
- Key West, Florida, United States
- Los Angeles, California, United States
- Maui, Hawaii, United States
- Miami, Florida, United States
- New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
- Oviedo, Florida, United States
- St. Augustine, Florida, United States
- San Juan Bautista, California, United States
- Vieques, Puerto Rico, United States
- Virgin Islands, U.S.
- Yuba City, California, United States
- Ybor City, Florida, United States
Asia
Australasia
Europe
Oceania
- Forests of Guam, although not significantly integrated into the trophic levels in this location
See also
References
External links