What is Fowl Chicken? A Clear Explanation

Many people use “fowl” and “chicken” to mean the same thing, which makes the term “fowl chicken” hard to understand. But not all fowl are chickens, even though all chickens are fowl. What is the difference, and what does it mean to say “fowl chicken”?

Defining Fowl

Any bird that is kept as a pet for its meat, eggs, or feathers is called fowl. The term encompasses several bird species, including .

• Chickens
• Ducks
• Geese
• Turkeys
• Guinea fowl
• Pheasants

So fowl is a broad category that includes both landfowl (like chickens) and waterfowl (like ducks). It can refer to the species as a whole or the meat derived from that species. For example, you may see “chicken fowl” on a restaurant menu, indicating the meat comes from a chicken.

Characteristics of Fowl

While fowl species have distinct characteristics they share some common traits that differentiate them from other birds

• Domesticated – All fowl are domesticated, having been bred specifically for human use over hundreds or thousands of years. Wild relatives still exist for some fowl, like junglefowl for chickens.

• Flightless – Selective breeding has made many fowl species flightless or weak flyers compared to their wild ancestors. This includes chickens, turkeys, and some ducks and geese.

• People who raise chickens for meat and eggs: The main reason people kept chickens as pets was to get meat and eggs for themselves. They are efficient prolific producers.

• Precocial Young – Fowl chicks can move around and feed themselves soon after hatching, unlike songbirds or doves. This quality makes them easy to raise in captivity.

So while fowl have key similarities, they also display distinct traits depending on the species, like the web-footed duck versus the chicken.

Defining Chicken

Chicken refers specifically to the domesticated Red Junglefowl species, scientific name Gallus gallus domesticus. Chickens are a type of poultry and a subcategory of landfowl.

Some key identifying traits of chickens include:

• Originated in Southeast Asia from wild junglefowl ancestors

• Weigh 2-10 pounds depending on breed

• Have feathers, wings, wattles, and a comb

• Lay eggs prolifically

• Have a high-arched tail

• Come in varied plumage colors and patterns

• Are the most common fowl species raised worldwide

So chickens are just one of many species encompassed under the broad term “fowl.” Their domestication history sets them apart from wild junglefowl despite their shared lineage.

What is Fowl Chicken?

Now we can clearly define what is meant by “fowl chicken.”

• Fowl chicken refers specifically to the domesticated chicken, Gallus gallus domesticus.

• It differentiates chickens from other fowl like ducks, geese, and turkeys.

• Calling a chicken “fowl” emphasizes its relationship to other domesticated bird species raised for meat and eggs.

Differentiating Terms

To recap the key terminology:

• Fowl – General term for all domesticated birds like chickens, ducks, turkeys

• Chicken – Specific domesticated Red Junglefowl species (Gallus gallus domesticus)

• Fowl Chicken – Refers exclusively to domesticated chickens

While fowl is a much broader category, chicken narrowly defines one particular species. Calling a chicken “fowl” acknowledges their similarities while still distinguishing chickens as unique.

The terminology may seem subtle, but there are clear scientific differences between calling a bird a fowl versus a chicken. Fowl encompasses all poultry species, whereas chicken refers to just one, the ubiquitous Gallus gallus domesticus raised globally. The term fowl chicken eliminates any ambiguity by specifying the domesticated chicken. So the next time you see “fowl chicken” on a menu or recipe, you can confidently know it means the same birds roosting in coops across the world!