Why are chickens not considered mammals???

Question

I've looked it up and can not seem to find an answer! If you know just explain to me please.

Answer 1

The ones saying "suckling their young" have it right.

Mammals and "mamory glands" (i.e. breasts) are related.

Egg laying does not rule out an animal being a mammal (think platypus), and neither would feathers neccasarily.

The primary charactoristics of mammals:
warm-blooded, vertebrate, sweat glands, milk producing sweat glands, hair, three ear bones, and a neocortex region of the brain.

So you can see that egg laying and feathers do not rule out an animal from being a mammal (how ever I find it unlikely to find an animal with feathers AND hair). But lack of mammory glands does.

Answer 2

Are Chickens Mammals

Answer 3

Genomic researchers determined that chickens have an expanded gene family coding for a type of keratin protein used to produce scales, claws and feathers, while mammalian genomes possess more genes coding for another type of keratin involved in hair formation.

Likewise, chickens are missing the genes involved in the production of milk proteins, tooth enamel and the detection of hormonal substances called pheromones, which researchers say may mirror the evolution of the mammary glands and the nose in mammals and the loss of teeth in birds.

Oddly enough, chicken genes mimic human genes quite a bit actually. But they are missing key mammal characteristics, probably because the chickens are so highly inbred. .

Answer 4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammal

Mammals (class Mammalia) are warm-blooded, vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of sweat glands, including milk producing sweat glands, and by the presence of: hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex region in the brain. Most mammals also possess specialized teeth and utilize a placenta in the ontogeny. The mammalian brain regulates endothermic and circulatory systems, including a four-chambered heart. Mammals encompass approximately 5,400 species (including humans), distributed in about 1,200 genera, 153 families, and 29 orders,[1] though this varies by classification scheme.

Most mammals belong to the placental group. The four largest orders within the placental mammals are Rodentia (mice, rats, and other small, gnawing mammals), Chiroptera (bats), Carnivora (dogs, cats, bears, and other mammals that primarily eat meat), and Cetartiodactyla (including numerous herbivore species, such as deer, sheep, goats, and buffalos, plus whales).

Answer 5

Because they're birds. Only two species of animals lay eggs - the duck billed platypus and the echidna. Mammals produce milk to suckle their young and generally they have hair. No mammal has feathers.

Answer 6

Because they are birds which have a distinct evolutionary history fromthat of mammals. They have many features that mutually exclusive to those found in mammals including feathers instead of hair (you can only have one or the other) wings instead of arms (same thing) and they lay eggs instead of instead of having internal gestation.

Answer 7

Because they are birds!!! Lord, what is wrong with the world today? Mammals have hair on their bodies at some point in their lives. They nurse their young with milk from their mammary glands. Most do not lay eggs except for the spiny anteater and the platypus. They don't have feathers.

Birds, on the other hand, do have feathers. They don't nurse their young with milk...they don't have mammary glands. All lay eggs. If you want to find an answer, look up what makes chickens birds.

Answer 8

The term 'Mammal' is derived from the biological imperative of the mother suckling its young, ie feeding it with its mammary glands.

Mammals also, generally, give birth to 'live' young, as opposed to laying eggs, from which the young are supposed to hatch.

Answer 9

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Why are chickens not considered mammals???
I've looked it up and can not seem to find an answer! If you know just explain to me please.

Answer 10

mammals are animals that give birth to live young. (like humans, cats, dogs etc.) reptiles are cold blooded (aligators, snakes etc.) and birds are animals that lay eggs to hatch their young. chickens lay eggs so they are a bird not mammals.