Chicken

Chickens are small flightless domesticated fowl of the order ''Galliformes. ''Chickens, also known as roosters (or as cocks in Jamaican English, though rarely in other dialects due to the somewhat rude connotations of this term) in the masculine and hens in the feminine, are usually domesticated and bred as livestock or as pets. The word 'chicken' can also be used to describe someone who is overly frightened or cowardly.

Chickens can be kept as pets by both the wizarding and Muggle community, but as chickens do not harness any magical ability, they are more likely to be kept by the latter. The Weasley family kept chickens in a large chicken coop at the Burrow. Fleur Delacour once stated that there isn't much to do at the Burrow, "unless you like cooking and chickens". Rubeus Hagrid kept chickens and roosters beside his hut, some of which were killed during 1992 by Ginny Weasley while she was under the control of Tom Riddle.

Although chickens do not harness any magical ability, they can be altered by magic to become magical creatures, for instance, Bob confiscated a fire-breathing chicken due to breaches of the Ban on Experimental Breeding, and Babayaga, a Russian hag, lived in a house standing on giant chicken legs. A chicken egg hatched under a toad will produce a Basilisk, King of the Serpents, however, the cry of a rooster is fatal to the Basilisk. This is why Tom Riddle ordered Ginny Weasley to kill all the roosters surrounding Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as to ensure the welfare of his Basilisk. A baby dragon must be fed a bucket of brandy mixed with chicken blood every half an hour.

Chicken is also a common ingredient in both wizarding and Muggle cuisine. A particular Hogwarts student enjoyed the dishes chicken fricassee, chicken noodle soup, chicken salad and chicken pot pie. In 1995, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger sent Sirius Black chicken to supplement his diet when he was hiding out in the mountains near Hogsmeade.

The Weasley twins created two products with a chicken theme, Rubby O' Chicken, a rubber chicken bewitched to perform an Irish stepdance, and trick wands, some of which were bewitched to transform into a rubber chicken whenever touched. The spell Pullus turns Erklings into either chickens or geese. The Cockatrice is extremely similar to a rooster, however, instead of a feathered tail it has the tail of a lizard.

Known Chickens

 * Weasley family chickens
 * Rubeus Hagrid's chickens

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) 
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them
 * Pottermore