why have wings???
2006-11-13 05:35:16 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
they can!!!!!! just short distances. ever try to catch one:) it will fly!!!!
2006-11-13 05:37:21 · answer #1 · answered by T C 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Chickens can fly, as has been pointed out.
They have wings because they are birds, and evolved wings millions of years ago. Over the last few hundred years, though, man has deliberately altered the physiology of chickens to make them plumper and meatier. They did this by breeding them for those charisteristics until we got to where we are today - a bird that is shaped more like a bowling ball, tastes great when grilled with bbq sauce, but doesn't earn the bird many frequent flyer miles.
2006-11-13 13:51:26 · answer #2 · answered by Ralfcoder 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually, chickens can fly a short distance. The reason they're not better at it has to do with their weight/lift ratio. They are simply too heavy!
There are other birds with wings that cannot fly at all. For example, Ostrich, Emu, and Kiwi. In these cases, their wings are referred to as vestiges, that is, they no longer provide the animal with any function. Our human appendix (vermiform appendix) is another example of a vestige.
The reason why these birds evolved to no longer fly probably has to do with the lack of predators which would cause the birds to fly away. Flying also requires significant energy which increases with size. In some cases, the flightless birds have evolved other features such as size, weight, fighting legs, etc., making flight difficult and un-necessary.
Hope this helps!
2006-11-13 13:44:28 · answer #3 · answered by cfpops 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the lift generated by their wings is not enough to overcome the pull of gravity on their body mass. They can as it were, generate enough lift some times to hop off the ground, or, if picked up and 'launched', not to come down to earth too rapidly. But unlike, for example, ducks, they can not sustain flight. They have wings as a result of a long ago evolutionary process - a bit like humans have a vestigial tail!
2006-11-13 13:45:10 · answer #4 · answered by avian 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What he said!!!
Why do seals have whiskers?
The world evolves and we are just in the middle of it.
Do you realy thing a few hundred years of asking why a chicken can't fly will evolve them. Some random prolly asked the same question a few thousand years ago.
Give it time.
2006-11-13 13:45:56 · answer #5 · answered by Jay 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
as previously mentioned chickens can fly short distances. But farmed chickens often have there wings clipped which prevents this.
2006-11-13 14:54:07 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They have wings bcos the belong to the Birds subspecies. They can't fly because they have not got the right bone structure (light and hollow bones). And they are not mean to fly bcos it would be such a hard job catching one for dinner!!!
2006-11-13 13:38:29 · answer #7 · answered by Yahia M 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Why exactly do some people never use the spell checker?
Oh...and in answer to your question: Perhaps chickens are still evolving and will eventually have fully-developed wings.
2006-11-13 13:41:06 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Chickens CAN fly, though not for long distances. I've seen chickens roosting in trees,and they certainly didn't take a chicken ladder to get up there....
2006-11-13 13:38:18 · answer #9 · answered by xraytech 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Same thing for penguins. .they have wings and can't fly. neither can emus or ostriches. they have wings and can't fly. BUT, penguins are very awesome swimmers, ostriches and emus are great runners, and chickens are AWESOME dinner. So there you go. LOL!
2006-11-13 13:37:47 · answer #10 · answered by Cold Fart 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cos they are too heavy to lift themselves off the ground. Why you think they do the same with Duck? to fatten em up for crimbo and Sunday roasts.
2006-11-13 13:37:29 · answer #11 · answered by Scatty 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋