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From Cecil's Mailbag by the Straight Dope Science Advisory Board
Dear Straight Dope:
not to contradict drmat or
sdstaff dex, but, i was visiting my sister who just happens to live on a chicken farm
and with my very own eyes saw the chickens in her pine trees, leaving me to draw the
conclusion that chickens are either really good tree climbers (doubtful) or though not as
graceful as an eagle perhaps, they can fly (more likely). perhaps the sdstaff could
conduct one of their entirely scientific experiments this time instead of just taking
someones word for it? --defender of lowly poultry
DrMat, brevet member of the Straight Dope Science Advisory Board, replies:
So am I to just take your word for it too? The original question was "why can't
chickens fly?" and my original answer (minus the witticisms) was "they could if
we didn't breed them so that they can't." I once lived on a chicken farm as well, and
mine never flew. But as long as we're taking words, we'll leave mine and yours alone and
go to a less impeachable source. I'm fresh out of "entirely scientific
experiments" to determine flying behavior. Research, however, is a different subject.
Enter one Kathy Rogers, wildlife rehabilitator at Samuell Farm, in Dallas. Ms. Rogers
handles all types of birds and maintains a large flock of every kind of chicken, turkey,
duck, swan, pheasant, quail, dove and you-name-it you can imagine. According to her,
chickens are "spurt flyers," that is, they will flap up to a low tree or fence
post to roost for the night or when they feel in danger. The larger the bird, the less
likely this is to happen, so it would be bantam chickens and some free-range birds that
you would see doing this. The typical laying hen or bird bred for consumption is too
ungainly to fly much at all. Chickens of any type would never fly for any distance and as
she put it, don't expect to see soaring chickens.
Hope this clears it all up for you.
--DrMat
Straight Dope Science Advisory Board
Cecil's Mailbag is researched and written by members of the Straight Dope Science Advisory Board, Cecil's online auxiliary. Although the SDSAB does its best, these articles are edited by Ed Zotti, not Cecil, so accuracywise you'd better keep your fingers crossed.
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