Pioneering Poultry: A Morphometric Investigation of Seventeenth- to Early Twentieth-Century Domestic Chickens (Gallus gallus) in Eastern North America

Chickens were among the first domesticates introduced by Europeans to North America, where they quickly became established. Morphometric analyses of chicken remains from sites in eastern Canada and Northeastern USA demonstrate that founding populations likely came several different types chicken. Comparison these data with English medieval post-medieval assemblages reveals continued selection for larger body size both resulted chickens. However, physical proportions birds remained consistent across time space until nineteenth century, when breeders began producing specialized laying, broiler, show exaggerated characteristics.