Chickens originated in Asia and are related to a subspecies of the pheasant!

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Chickens are omnivores, meaning they eat foods of both plant and animal origin. They love nothing more than pecking away at seeds and insects but, in some places, have even been known to eat small mammals and reptiles!

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There are more chickens in the world (25 billion!) than any other species of bird. Unfortunately, almost all of these live in factory farms as part of the egg and meat industries.

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Chickens see in color even better than we can, because they can also see in the UV spectrum.

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Chickens dig and scratch out bowl-shaped depressions in the dirt to take "dust baths," which help them keep their feathers clean and free from parasites.

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While wild chickens lay only 12-15 eggs per year, hens in the egg industry are bred to lay one egg every single day.

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Roosters don't just crow when the sun comes up! Crowing  helps roosters establish their territories, as well as communicate and react to the world around them.

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Chickens aren't completely flightless--who knew!? They can get airborne just high enough to get over a fence or away from a small predator.

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Chickens love to spend time with... other chickens! They are quite social, like to play, have great memories, and are pretty smart!

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When well-cared for, chickens can live to be 12-15 years old! While Unity is a young sanctuary, we hope that our many chickens will grow old with us and will feel safe and loved as they live out their golden years in their forever home.

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