I kneed to know of website that have information about factors that effect a birds flight. I want to know the factors of why chickens can't fly.
I don't have a website, but just look at a chicken. They're too round and fat, not streamlined like all other birds. And their wings are kind of too small for their bodies.
Yes I reaize that but what i want to know is their wing loading compared to other birds and their wing beats per minute compared to other birds.
YoYo, You mean fly like a "wild bird"? Well, they are NOT "wild birds", but are domestic fowl. Has nothing to do with number of wing beats per minute. Has everything to do with fowl like the Kiwi, Emu, and other extinct flightless birds, they have a different weight/wing area ratio. And they have a totally different feather quality. A study of feathers, their shape, placement and shafts and barbs, hardness, will show that chicken wing feathers cannot sustain flight. Large, heavy birds like Swan (& geese)have wonderfully shaped wings and the feathers are "hard" and shaped to lift off(altho the feet give some impulsion, as well) and to flap and glide. And Tail feathers of chickens are not mobile like "wild birds", whose tail and wing feathers are more akin to an airplane's flaps and rudders than a domestic chicken's. Bones of "wild birds" are either hollow or very light compared to the body weight. The bone density of domestic fowl is so great that sustained flight is not possible.And those heavy bones can carry meat (to eat). No one wanted their domestic fowl to fly away. But those chicken breeds most closely related to the Jungle Fowl--one of the early chickens-- can do quite a long sustained flight, up to a rooftop-- more closely allied to Game Birds, that do rely on some flight for safety and limited movement to feeding areas.
CJR, it just is a question. I know the tail creates drag and thay are different animals. A cow cant run like a cheata because its stride isn't as long. Areodynamics is part of it and domestic fowl also have hollow bones. Also, a sheep cant jump as higgh as a horse because a sheeps legs arent as long. I'm looking for the scientific reasons.
Hullo...people! Haven't you seen the "jungle fowl" down here in hawaii? They fly...and they're chickens! You ought to see them, surprise them and bam! They're off into the sky.
Same thing as wild turkeys vs. domestic ones. Most domestic fowl are bred to yield more meat and be fatter than the wild ones. Wild turkeys can fly quite well but domestic ones just tend to be too fat and heavy because we feed them so well. A skinny domestic turkey or a light hen / pullet can fly well enough to get up into trees or over the fence.
LOOK! I aint looking for agruemnet and if you need calification i will reword the question. Why don't non batam domestic chickens not fly well. Jungle fowl ain't chickens anyway. They are phesants. And I know light chickens fly better and that can be contributed to wing loading.
Jungle fowl certainly arent pheasnants!
There are several scientific answers are up there in CJR's reply.
Yes, jungle fowl are technicaly phesants because a chickene are domesticated animals that were created from a phesant, the red jungle fowl. There is only one source I got this information from, but it is the only source with information on the subject. It's a video called "Poultry at Home" from the U.K. It specificly pictures red jungle fowl and it says something to the effect of "they are technicaly phesants". Anyway, please give replies other than "because"
Keeping the Critters from the Hen House
Wingdo, I hope you have had an answer to your questions before now, but in case you haven't . . . I would recommend putting something, perhaps the two foot square grid, over your runs. I really think chicken wire would be better, as we've had an owl get into our indoor hen house through a small gap between the fence and top wire of the run. The chickens used to get out through the same gap -- most chickens, especially young ones, can fly well enough to go over a six foot fence if they want to badly enough. Also, the 2x4 wire you mentioned may keep large predators such as dogs out but will be no obstacle at all to smaller ones such as weasels. I doubt that it would prove very daunting to possums or coons, either, and both can decimate a flock in short order. I would suggest using chicken wire, if you have dogs to keep the coons away, or hardware cloth securely fastened if you don't. Coons can easily tear chicken wire apart. A weasel can actually get through the chicken wire with no trouble, so if you have them there you'll need to make sure your poultry are very securely locked up at night. A weasel can go through any hole a mouse could get through, and a mouse can go through a VERY small hole.
YoYo
By Sunni (Sunniten) on Monday, January 8, 2001 - 07:58 pm:
By YoYo on Tuesday, January 9, 2001 - 06:03 pm:
YoYo
By Cjeanr on Tuesday, January 9, 2001 - 07:19 pm:
Your question becomes one that would ask why cannot a cow run as fast as a cheetah?? Or a sheep jump as high as a horse? They are different fowl, different animals. So I don't wish to burst your bubble, but there you are!
Todays poultry, in addition to loss of sustained flight, could not survive in the wild very long. Their need for our feeding and protection, even hatching and rearing of their young is unique in our use of these creatures. I love them all, domestic and wild! CJR
By YoYo on Tuesday, January 9, 2001 - 08:00 pm:
YoYo
By Anonymous on Wednesday, January 10, 2001 - 12:29 am:
I completely dissagree with whoever beleives chickens can't fly. Come on down to the islands if you don't believe me!
By Lisa Hart (Farm_mom) on Wednesday, January 10, 2001 - 10:50 am:
Same thing with geese....
By YoYo on Wednesday, January 10, 2001 - 03:30 pm:
YoYo
By Anonymous on Thursday, January 11, 2001 - 03:38 am:
By Anonymous on Thursday, January 11, 2001 - 09:56 am:
By YoYo on Thursday, January 11, 2001 - 03:32 pm:
YoYo
By Wingdo on Monday, April 9, 2001 - 12:11 am:
I live in the heart of the Kentucky hills and we have (thanks to government intervention) coyotes, eagles, hawks, foxes, racoons from uptown, mink, weasils, bobcats and the rumered black panther running around here.
I intend to raise and breed Light and Dark Brahmas for fun and occasional profit. There are a number of local farmers that run small family flocks and I've noticed they do not go to great lengths to protect thier chickens but manage to keep the birds alive by keeping the barn door cracked wide enough for the birds to roost in the second, third or forth tier. This saves most of them by altitude alone.
I have a converted mower shed with 2X4 heavy duty galv. fence around the perimeter of the shed and a 6 foot high run (2X4" also)extending 16 X 8 feet on either side.
Do I need to put a full blown cover over the 2 runs? Consulting a couple of books, they recomended stretching wire in a 2 foot square grid over the tops of the runs to discourage hawks and owls.
I know by reading the information in here that there are some experienced rural bird owners out there that could offer some alternative methods to the preditor problems. I am fully aware that I can't save them all but I do want them to have a fighting chance at a good life.
One other thing...One of my local farmers told me that his 4 year old Light Brahma, that weighs in at 13 pounds, protects his flock from the dropped off dogs and the occasional racoon. He told me "it's the meanist damn bird I ever saw" and "I wouldn't take a 100 dollars for him". He also said "it was a very reliable, day time, watch dog".
The fellow is a wonderful old guy and I don't think he would intentionally steer me wrong but I'd still like to hear another verse of this song from another source.
This is a little drawn out and I get a little long winded at times but bare with me...I'm old.
Thanks Wingdo
By KathleenS on Saturday, June 16, 2001 - 06:19 pm:
As far as the Brahma rooster, the fellow you mentioned may have a good watchdog -- until a meaner and more determined dog gets ahold of him. I have seen a pair of geese keeping a fox at bay, though. (Large geese and a small fox.) I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you need a watchdog, either get a couple of large geese, or get a good dog. A Border Collie/Standard Collie cross makes a wonderful farm dog, or look for an American Working Farmcollie (there's a web-site).