Given that chickens have wings, why can they only fly short distances?

Answer 1

Their wings have lost most of their function though evolution and breeding.

Same reason penguins can't fly at all.

Answer 2

The chickens that we commonly see are the result of selective breeding to get larger breast meat, and more meat in general, with the ultimate result that the wings are not strong enough to lift the bird well, or sustain flight for any distance.

Turkeys that are bred for meat have been so disfigured by breeding to satisfy the increased consumer desire for white meat, that they cannot breed naturally.

Answer 3

Domestic chickens are indeed bred to have more meat on their bodies (as other answers have stated), so they are too heavy to fly for long. But chickens are most likely descendants of ground nesting birds, who didn't need to fly very far to get away from predators.

Answer 4

Chickens have been nred selectively for heavy bodies and large breasts for more meat. They can fly just fine but the meat birds and some of the heavy layers do not fly well.
The smaller Bantams and Araucanas fly just fine.

Answer 5

Hi Wilbur, One thing,Their wings are not long enough and the chickens are to fat and heavy to fly.Their only set up for short stops.

Clowmy

Answer 6

they do have wings, but not the same structure as eagles, for instance or owls. the longer the wingspan, the more power to fly and move a large body...their wings are too short to move long distances

Answer 7

I used to watch the neighbors Chickens fly they could go twenty thirty feet but stayed pretty close to the ground while they were in flight

Answer 8

because they have been bred to have more meat on their bodies
than normal and therefore can't manage to fly anymore

Answer 9

because thats the way God made them. just like penguins and ostriches cannot fly either.

Answer 10

their too heavy to fly