chicken combs

Imagine a 36-foot-long duck billed dinosaur with a bright comb on its head strutting around the yard Those enormous beasts roamed North America between 65 and 75 million years ago and shared a feature with modern chickens Both sported fleshy combs!

“No one ever suspected dinosaurs may have combs like roosters because the evidence of soft tissue usually decays before fossilization,” said Dr Phil Bell of Australia’s University of New England Fortunately, skin impressions found on a dinosaur skull in Alberta, Canada, revealed that this huge animal did have a fleshy comb somewhat like a chickens Other dinosaur species may

Chicken Combs

Why do chickens have combs?

Despite being iconic to the look of a chicken, combs actually serve a very important purpose Besides being attractive to the opposite sex, combs are important heat regulators Chickens are unable to sweat Heat radiates out of their combs and wattles, thus keeping them cool

As we know, roosters are the showmen of the poultry world Long shiny feathers, huge combs, a sharp spurs, they are certainly lookers!

A rooster will have a larger, redder comb due his influx of hormones This helps him look impressive to his ladies In addition, studies has shown that wild game

Chicken Combs Aren’t for Grooming

Chickadees, sparrows, and most other birds go through life with just feathers on the top of their head Some, like cardinals, have gaudy crests Chickens are different They have fleshy combs on their heads with wattles dangling below

What good are combs? No one is completely sure, but they are impressive Combs may play a reproductive role A rooster might prefer cozying up with a hen sporting a tall single comb Or he might prefer one with a more subtle pea comb

Combs help chickens regulate their body temperature Warm blood circulating in a comb releases body heat into the air