What is the scientific name for the chicken?

The scientific name for the chicken is Gallus gallus domesticus. It is a subspecies of the red jungle fowl, a member of the pheasant family that lives in South Asia. However, scientists speculate that the gray jungle fowl was also involved in the chicken's evolution.

One of the most populous bird species on the planet, chickens have been around since the B.C. era, with the earliest fossils dating back to 5400 B.C. However, archaeologists believe that chickens were first domesticated for the purpose of cockfighting rather than for eating. It was not until industrial production of the 20th century that the chicken became a mass food commodity.