Giant Chickens (SC)

As Zephyr stepped off the gangplank of her sister's merchant ship and onto the docks, she couldn't help but marvel at the myriad of bright, intense colours, scents, and sounds around her. While she stared, a sailor approached her, the lead rope of a strange pack animal held firmly between his hands. "Is--is that a chicken?!" The sailor only laughed at her bewilderment and pulled the creature closer. "Indeed it is, my young friend! A giant chicken! They're extremely common here, so this won't be the last you see of them!" The chicken, entirely unbothered by the sudden noise erupting beside her, clucked quietly and tried to tug her head over to peck at the contents of some nearby crates, before the sailor directed her head elsewhere. She then shook herself, causing the dozen or so small golden bells attached to her halter to jingle, and the large leather packs on her back to quake. "Ah, Nessie's getting impatient now, I'd best take her up on the ship so the captain can help me load her," said the sailor. "If the captain doesn't mind, maybe later you can pet her. I'm sure Nessie wouldn't mind the attention, especially if you bring corn!" And with that, the sailor and the chicken strutted up the gangplank, leaving Zephyr all alone. "What a place," Zephyr whispered, "what a place..." -This snippet is a partial reconstruction of events that occurred after the docking of the Genasi merchant vessel Tideflier, nicknamed "The Skyfish" by its crew, at Goldcrest Harbour. The record was compiled from the diary and memories of the vessel's youngest passenger, an Air Genasi named Zephyr, after she expressed a wish to copy her memories of Nellie, a giant chicken, into a remembrance crystal.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Giant chickens have four limbs. Two are their wings, which are too small to allow them to fly, and two are their legs, which are thick, sturdy, and built for endurance, be it carrying heavy loads or walking across long distances. Most, if not all, of their bones are solid, not hollow.

Genetics and Reproduction

Giant chickens reproduce quite similarly to their smaller, barnyard-dwelling cousins, although they lay eggs far less frequently. They have a set breeding season, consisting of three of the summer months, where they will lay one egg every week until they reach approximately half a dozen eggs, although some individuals may choose to incubate more. Their eggs take five weeks to hatch, and they reach sexual maturity at two years of age.

Growth Rate & Stages

Giant chickens take approximately one year to go from a newly-laid egg to being young adults. In between those two stages, they spend time as both chicks (1-2 months) and juveniles.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Giant chickens are omnivorous. While they primarily consume plant matter, such as leaves, fruits, and various types of seeds, they also eat insects, rodents, and small reptiles.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Due to their great strength, giant chickens are used for all tasks that horses might otherwise perform, such as carrying loads, pulling wagons, plowing fields, bearing riders, and providing food, although unlike horses, giant chickens are incapable of producing milk. Instead, when they are not being bred, their eggs are collected as a versatile and highly sought-after food source. Giant chickens are often raced, with or without riders, across either controlled tracks or large courses containing varying terrain types. The large birds are also used for chicken jumping, where either ridden or riderless birds are encouraged to run off cliffs or other places at high altitudes, then flutter safely to the ground as far from the cliff as possible. The distance at which each bird lands is recorded, with the one who drifted the furthest being dubbed the winner.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Giant chickens have nearly no sense of smell, and their sense of taste is also quite limited. To compensate for this, they have very good eyesight, even if they would likely be considered somewhat nearsighted by human standards. As they were a prey species prior to their domestication, their hearing is also quite good. Despite being completely flightless, or perhaps because of this, all giant chickens have the magical ability to slowly drift downwards instead of falling, allowing them to land safely no matter what height they started at. Carrying cargo or riders does not automatically negate their magical ability, although if a chicken is overburdened their downwards velocity may increase to unsafe levels. The amount of weight that causes this effect varies greatly between individuals.

Scientific Name

Pullus gigantea

Conservation Status

The Giant Chicken is currently classified as a species of least concern within its native range, due to its widespread usage as a domestic beast of burden and method of transport.

Average Height

1.4 to 2.5 m, or 4'7" to 8'2"

Average Weight

120-150 kg, or 265-331lbs