The age-old argument about where Gallus gallus domesticus (or chickens) came from has been going on for decades among bar-stool scholars and coffee house philosophers. But Neil Degrasse Tyson was the first person to fully look into it, quantify it, and come up with a possible solution. Did he know where chickens came from, do we know what they are? Are chickens mammals or reptiles?.
His idea that the egg showed up first but was laid by a different bird didn’t really help settle the argument as much as we had hoped, and it got around the need to give a real answer. Unfortunately, since there wasn’t a clear winner, we’re still not sure which came first: the chicken or the egg.
A popular theory among evolutionary biologists and paleontologists is that, unbeknownst to us, dinosaurs still roam the Earth. Or more accurately, their ancestors do.
The idea that birds are the direct descendants of dinosaurs initially began to gain momentum when Thomas Henry Huxley, often referred to as “Darwins Bulldog” due to his strict adherence to and defense of the Theory of Evolution, discovered a fossilized feather and suggested that there might be a direct genetic link between birds and dinosaurs, albeit one separated by millions of years of development.
It was a theory that was seized upon at the time and despite being more than one hundred and fifty years old, is still the cause of fervent discussion and discourse in the scientific community.
Still lacking the rosetta stone that would either prove or disprove Huxleys hypothesis, the idea slowly crept into and became part of, the mainstream consciousness, which in turn gave rise to the idea that birds were more closely related to lizards than they are to mammals.
Which, no doubt, originally led to the question in hand, namely “Are chickens mammals or reptiles?”
Are Chickens Reptiles? The Surprising Answer Explained
Everyday people see chickens on farms and in their own yards, clucking and pecking their way through the day. But where do these strange birds fit in the animal kingdom? Are chickens reptiles or are they some other kind of animal?
The quick answer is no, chickens are not reptiles. But their classification can be a bit confusing at first glance. Chickens share some traits with reptiles, which leads some people to mistakenly group them together. However, chickens are scientifically categorized as avian dinosaurs, making them a type of bird rather than reptile.
So what exactly makes a chicken a chicken, and not a reptile? Let’s take a closer look at some of their key features.
Eggs vs Live Birth
One of the main things chickens have in common with reptiles is that they lay eggs. However, the way chickens reproduce via eggs is different from reptiles. Chickens lay eggs that contain an undeveloped embryo, which is then incubated for 21 days before hatching. Reptiles tend to retain eggs inside their bodies longer, resulting in a more developed embryo at laying time. The eggs then hatch more quickly.
On the other hand, mammals give birth to live babies that are fully grown in the womb. Even though chickens and reptiles lay eggs together, that doesn’t mean they are the same thing.
Feathers vs ScalesBirds have feathers while reptiles are covered in scales Feathers provide insulation and – in the case of flighted birds – allow for flight. Scales act as a protective barrier and help reptiles thrive both on land and in water The feathered coating of chickens clearly aligns them with other birds.
Warm-Blooded vs Cold-BloodedHere is another differentiator between chickens and reptiles. Chickens are warm-blooded, meaning they can maintain a consistent internal body temperature Reptiles are cold-blooded, taking on the temperature of their external environment
A chicken’s feathers keep it warm, but a lizard might need to lay out in the sun to warm up. This difference in metabolism is the only reason chickens are not considered reptiles.
Hollow BonesBirds have hollow, lightweight bones that aid in flight. Even though chickens kept as pets don’t fly very often, this bone structure is still an important part of their bodies. Reptiles, on the other hand, don’t have this change in their bones.
Social Behavior
When it comes to behavior, chickens again differ from typical reptiles. Chickens live in social groups known as flocks and communicate in a variety of ways. Many even demonstrate self-control and problem-solving abilities during experiments. Reptiles tend to be more solitary and have less complex social connections.
Why Chickens Aren’t Mammals
Lets start with the most glaringly obvious reason on the list. Chickens dont have hair or fur. They, like every other member of the bird family, are covered in feathers.
And even though urban legends and poorly researched common myths say they can’t, chickens and most other birds can actually fly.
They choose not to for some reason, most likely because they aren’t very good at it and haven’t mastered it as much as the others in their genus have. Even though chickens can fly, they rarely get higher than ten feet and can’t really go very far when they’re in the air.
They just choose not to.
Dont ask us why, we dont know either.
You could ask a chicken, but they wont be able to tell you why either. Because theyre chickens and they cant talk.
Which, rather conveniently leads us to the next reason why when you ask “Are chickens mammals or reptiles?” we answer – chickens arent mammals. They, like every other member of the bird family, dont have a neocortex, the part of the brain that governs, and controls, language. Even if they wanted to tell you why they choose not to fly, they wouldnt be able to.
Then theres the whole issue of nursing their young. Chicks, almost as soon as theyre hatched, know how to feed themselves, its a biological imperative that drives their survival instinct. While they look after and help their young to fend for themselves, chickens dont nurse their young.
What Is A Reptile?
Reptiles are air-breathing vertebrates that are usually covered in scales, bone-like plates or a combination of both.
They lay soft eggs from which their young hatch and because of their incredibly slow metabolisms, they are cold-blooded and tend to hibernate during Winter and colder seasons.
Are Chickens Actually Reptiles or Mammals? The Surprising Truth.
FAQ
Are chickens considered reptiles?
No, chickens are not considered reptiles. Chickens are birds, which are a separate class from reptiles within the animal kingdom. While birds and reptiles share a common ancestor and are both Amniotes, they have evolved along different paths.
Are birds considered reptiles?
Yes, birds are considered reptiles from a phylogenetic (evolutionary) standpoint. While the traditional Linnaean classification system separates birds and reptiles, the more modern phylogenetic classification system, which focuses on ancestry, groups birds within the reptile lineage.
Are chickens technically dinosaurs?
Yes, chickens are considered dinosaurs in the scientific classification of living things. While the term “dinosaur” is often associated with large, extinct reptiles, all birds, including chickens, evolved from a group of theropod dinosaurs.
Are chickens mammals or reptiles?
Here is the correct answer: From a technical point of view, chickens are neither reptiles nor mammals. They are birds that can be further classified as fowl. Fowls are birds that are raised for meat and eggs. Given below are some of the physical and anatomical traits of chickens that show they are not mammals or reptiles.
Are birds reptiles or mammals?
Birds are neither reptiles nor mammals. However, they share some characteristics with the two classes. Birds belong to their own order, with chickens classified as fowls. There are five classes of animals under the phylum Chordata. They include mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and amphibians.
Are chickens related to mammals?
Chickens are very remotely related to mammals, as mammals are descended from creatures that went down a separate evolutionary pathway from the ancestors of birds starting about 320 million years ago. Based on fossil evidence, chickens and other birds belong to a group of ancient reptiles called the maniraptors.
What do chickens and reptiles have in common?
A thing that both snakes and chickens have in common is something called an egg tooth. Typically, any animal that develops in an eggshell will need a way to get out. Baby chickens and reptiles that break out of their shells have an egg tooth. Chicks have a hard tooth-like growth on the tip of the beak.
Are chickens a dinosaur or a reptile?
Based on fossil evidence, chickens and other birds belong to a group of ancient reptiles called the maniraptors. Maniraptors were two-legged, feathery dinosaurs that had evolved a special wrist bone that allowed for powerful movement of the front limbs. In birds, this movement powers flight.
What is the difference between a chicken and a reptile?
One of the main differences in the way chickens and reptiles lay their eggs is that egg-laying reptiles carry eggs a little longer than chickens. Reptiles lay their eggs when the embryo is at least one-third developed. After laying eggs, the eggs of reptiles usually hatch after a few days.