Chicken with bag

Bagged chicken Tympanuchus cupido is a type of chicken that lives on the North American steppe. They are monstrous, can be said to be unique in the chicken family.

The upper part of the body is on black stripes and white stripes, the lower body is slightly white and has black stripes, the border is bright yellow. In particular, they have two tufts of fur on the sides of their heads and have two orange-yellow leather bags on either side of their necks. The tail is short and round; Short and strong legs help them to run fast. This type of chicken is an average of 43cm long, averaging about 0.9kg.

The roosters and hens look the same, but the tail of the hairless hens and leather pouches in the hen's neck is smaller than the skin of the rooster neck.

They eat seeds, shoots, berries, leaves and some insects - mainly grasshoppers. In winter, they mainly eat grass, they eat more insects in the summer. Although they are cold country birds, they don't fly for a lifetime. If necessary, they can fly many miles of food and return to their old place.

Chicken Tympanuchus cupido usually only earns food in the morning and late afternoon. In the afternoon they become lazy. They use noon time to heat in cold days, and rest in the shade on hot days. They fall asleep at dusk and start a new day at dawn.

The breeding season of bagged chickens starts from early spring to June . In March, at dawn or dusk, the roosters gather to certain areas, often on high hills, to "compete" with each other. Roosters dance, nape and kick each other to divide seats. Their hairs puffed out, leather bags on the neck and wings and tail bulged out, the edges on the eyes were wide open, they stamped their feet and the neck of the wine. Stronger roosters will occupy larger areas and closer to the center. Later the hens gathered there and mating took place.

Hens Tympanuchus cupido nest on the ground in places with lots of grass, it digs the soil into a hole, then lined the nest with leaves, grass and fluff. The nest is disc-shaped, simple looking, about 18cm in diameter and about 5-8cm deep. Laying eggs from 7-17 eggs and incubating eggs for 23-24 days.

Chicks can leave the nest briefly after hatching. Chicks are cared for by chickens after 1-2 weeks they can fly. At this time, little chickens eat less plants, their food is mainly insects.

This type of steppe chicken only likes to live in a large area with many high grass species, they are mainly distributed in North America. However, now this kind of bizarre chicken shape is becoming increasingly rare. The number of these species decreases rapidly because their habitats are gradually encroached by humans. Cattle scramble for food with them, authorities are worried that one day this beautiful and fancy chicken will no longer exist.

In nature, wolves, foxes, badgers, grass cats often catch this chicken to eat meat. Chicken nests are often weaseled, ground squirrels, wild boars attack, sabotage.

Worldwide, currently cupido Tympanuchus is being protected as endangered animals. They are much nurtured as much as in Texas zoo. The US Department of Agriculture's Reserve Conservation Program is trying to preserve this particular type of chicken. Farmers who agreed to participate in the conservation program voluntarily planted suitable plants for chickens Tympanuchus cupido in their fields, or participated in growing grasses on the edge of fields or edges by canals. to create a natural place for them.