Fun Rooster Facts For Kids

Roosters are natural alarm clocks as they wake up at dawn and with their loud roosting they wake us up too. Domesticated in both the rural and urban areas, roosters hold a special place in our daily lives.

They are a very important part of livestock and are reared for meat across each and every one of the global locations.

A rooster (order Galliformes) is a male bird and looks after its hen and guards the territories keeping the threats away, without fail every day. They are very important for increasing the size of the flock and hence are of economic importance.

Besides they are frequently mentioned in myths, in folklore, in religions in various languages and literature.

Roosters are scientifically known as Gallus gallus and their subspecies are referred to as G. gallus domesticus. These birds are a part of Phasianidae family, the family of heavy bodied birds like turkey, Old World quail, peafowl, junglefowl, that feed on the ground.

Here are some of the most special facts about roosters that you can enjoy every day. For more relatable content, check out these nuthatch facts and black vulture facts for kids.

Rooster Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a rooster?

A rooster is a male bird, a ground feeding heavy bodied fowl like turkey, and perhaps the only bird (chicken) that holds a lot of importance in the human food chain. These birds diverged from their ancestors around six million years ago and are native to South Asia.

What class of animal does a rooster belong to?

A rooster is a bird that belongs to the class Aves of the phylum Chordata of kingdom Animalia. More specifically they belong to the order Galliformes of family Phasianidae. Birds of this order are mostly ground dwelling birds also known as gamebirds for example, chicken.

How many roosters are there in the world?

Roosters are poultry birds and are bred in good numbers around the globe. The estimated rooster's population around the globe is more than 25 billion. Rooster's population was around 14 billion in 2000 and it has increased in two decades due to their demand for meat and breeding for eggs.

Where does a rooster live?

These fowls are mostly domesticated by humans for economic purposes and hence are seen in flocks in good numbers in farms. Some subspecies of these roosters are junglefowl and hence are also found in the wild.

These rooster birds are native to South Asia and more specifically the Indian subcontinent and from here rooster's habitat has spread across various parts of the world such as Africa, America, Europe, and the Middle East.

What is a rooster's habitat?

Roosters are reared in the backyards and the farms where the conditions are suitable for their survival. An ideal habitat for rearing roosters is a large space with small size flocks and a lot of herbs, grasses, and plants because these birds feed on a variety of plants and seeds for proper nutrition and growth.

Who do roosters live with?

Roosters breed in small packs of their own species. But in larger farms where a lot of animals are domesticated, these birds are also seen breeding alongside other poultry birds and animals such as cows, ducks, and goats.  

How long does a rooster live?

Hybrid roosters live for longer years than normal roosters. Rooster's lifespan on average can be somewhere between 3-6 years. According to the standard Guinness Book of World Records, the oldest rooster's age was somewhere around 12 years when it died of heart failure.

How do they reproduce?

After mating the hen lays around 10-12 eggs in a clutch. These eggs can be fertilized or unfertilized depending upon the conditions. The hormones involved in maintaining the overall reproductive cycle in a hen are estrogen, progesterone, and gonadotropin similar to the hormones in humans. Hence these birds hold a lot of importance in embryology as well.

What is their conservation status?

Roosters (order Galliformes) fall in the Least Concern category of species. They are reared in good numbers across the globe and hence there is an increase in their numbers globally. Rooster's population is in the billions and a rise is seen in their breeding count in the span of two decades due to increasing demand.

Rooster Fun Facts

What do roosters look like?

A rooster is a male chicken and is larger in size than a female hen. The plumage of a rooster is red brown in color and makes up the entire exoskeleton of these birds.

There's a crown on the head of both male and female chickens but the male has a broader and darker tail in comparison to the female. They have thick legs which are yellow in colour and a long wingspan ladened in dark feathers.

How cute are they?

Adult roosters are generally docile and non-aggressive in nature which makes them cute to humans, but the baby chick are cuter in comparison to the adult. Roosters in general are very social animals and friendly too. But baby chick has a very soft yellow plumage, a small beak and cute eyes that are appealing in appearance.

How do they communicate?

Roosters communicate via a sound heard as coock-a-doodle-doo. Besides during mating, a male rooster performs a ritual dance as a way of courtship display to attract the female for mating and breeding.  

How big is a rooster?

Rooster's size measures around 24-32 in (61-81.3 cm). Unhybridized roosters are larger and darker in size than the hybridized ones.

How fast can a rooster fly?

Unlike other birds, roosters cannot fly for a longer period of time. They can take off for a shorter span of time but not fly for longer. But these birds do use their wingspan for propelling themselves faster while running.

How much does a rooster weigh?

Even though roosters appear large in size, they are very lightweight owing to the aerodynamic structure of their body. The light plumage and hollow bones add to their lightweight. An average adult rooster weighs around 9 lb (4.1 kg) same as peahen.

What are the male and female names of the species?

An adult male chicken is referred to as a rooster or a cock while a female is referred to as a hen.

What would you call a baby rooster?

More commonly a baby rooster is referred to as a chick globally. While a young rooster is referred to as a cockerel. The difference in plumage and absence of the crown are a few distinguishing features of a baby rooster.

What do they eat?

A rooster is an omnivorous bird in terms of food habits. Its food intake comprises seeds, plants, herbs, and worms for getting proper nutrients and growth.

Are they aggressive?

These birds are not really aggressive in general but they get aggressive during mating. This was the reason behind some people conducting chicken fights across the world. But animal rights activities created awareness regarding the rights of these fowls and as a result, these fights were declared to be illegal.  

Would they make a good pet?

It is a very common practice to pet roosters across the globe. The special reason for their domestication is for meat and rearing eggs. Some people pet them just for their friendly, social, and docile nature.  

Did you know...

Roosters were amongst the few fowls used for crowing or bird games traditionally across Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, the USA, and other countries.  

We do not eat roosters, not because their is some problem with their meat but because it is economical for farms to produce and sell female chickens for the purpose of their meat.

There are various ways to stop the roosters from crowing; ensuring adequate supply of food and water at night, reducing the size of the flock to stop crowing for dominance. In order to avoid crowing contests, try and keep only one rooster in a flock.

How to tell if a chicken is a rooster?

The difference is in the size of their bodies. A male is larger in size and darker in color than the female chicken. Male roosters wattle is darker and prominent than a female rooster.

How does a rooster fertilize eggs?

Female hen never fertilizes her eggs. Roosters’ job is to fertilize eggs as well as offer protection to the hens and chicks.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these yellow warbler facts and rufous hummingbird facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our rooster coloring pages.

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