Chicken (Franchise)

Chickens are domesticated birds first introduced in the TV episode "Animal House" and seen extensively throughout the How to Train Your Dragon Franchise thereafter.

Description
Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) are essentially flightless birds, capable only of short gliding flights, though the smaller the breed the more "flighty" they can be. They have a fleshy red comb atop their heads and two wattles at their throats. They have a wide palate of foods, though typically are feed grains such as corn. They relish protein as well, such as insects and other arthropods. The males, or Roosters, and generally larger, with larger crowns, and more colorful and decorative tails. Hens a relatively sport more subdued colors, shorter tails, and smaller combs. Hens lay, incubate, and hatch eggs. Many breeds can be very "broody", meaning they have a strong instinct to incubate eggs, even if it is not a chicken egg or even an egg-like object. There are some breeds that aren't broody at all. A chicken's earlobes can vary in color, and can roughly indicate what color eggs they lay. For instance, chicken breeds with white earlobes often lay white eggs, and chicken breeds with red earlobes often lay brown or tinted eggs.

Diet
Chickens can eat quite a wide array of foods. In captivity they are primarily fed grains. However, they do require protein in their diets and much of this comes from insects that the chickens catch. Chickens will also readily eat plant material like clover, berries, and vegetables. They will even scratch through refuse and readily eat meat, even if it is chicken. To conserve resources, chickens may even cannibalize eggs if they are cracked.

Function
Chickens are widely used for meat for both humans and dragons. In some cases, adding chicken to the diet of dragons (especially the Deadly Nadder) will increase speed and stamina.

The other major use of chickens is egg production for eating. Humans eat eggs, as well as dragons. This is most notably seen in the game, School of Dragons, where eggs not only increase a player's dragon's energy, but also modestly increases the dragon's XP.

In the How to Train Your Dragon (Franchise), Vikings can also keep livestock - chickens included - as pets, most famously seen by Tuffnut's chicken, simply named Chicken.

One Farm Job in School of Dragons indicates that chicken eggs, along with bearberries and peppermint, can be used medicinally.

"Heather invented a skin ointment that cures most dragon rashes."

- School of Dragons

Appearances
Chickens are seen throughout the Franchise, including, but not limited to, the media below.

Dragons: Riders of Berk
Chickens as livestock and characters were introduced in the episode, "Animal House", in which the Dragons saved various farm animals from a snowstorm. Since that time, the farm animals were not as afraid of the dragons as predators.

In episode 10, "Heather Report, Part 1", Stormfly was shown to have increased her speed, to the point that she was even able to compete with the speed of Toothless. Astrid explains that she has been experimenting with her diet, and apparently it was working. Astrid has been feeding her baskets full of chicken everyday. This indicates that chicken gives Deadly Nadders increased stamina and speed. Astrid still continues to give chicken to Stormfly, as it was shown in episode 13-"When Lightning Strikes".

Dragons: Defenders of Berk
In "The Flight Stuff", a dead chicken falls from the sky into the Arena in front ofSnotlout. He thinks it is the "Bird of Death" and one of the portents of his upcoming death.

Dragons: Race to the Edge, Season 1
Starting with her introduction in the episode, "When Darkness Falls", Tuffnut's pet Chicken has appeared in many episodes and in all Dragons: Race to the Edge Seasons thus far. Please visit Chicken (character) for more information.

Dragons: Race to the Edge, Season 3
Tuffnut's Chicken appears in a number of Season 3 episodes, including "A Grim Retreat". However, in this episode, two other chickens are seen. Stoick and Gobber are tasked with taking care of Dragon's Edge while the Dragon Riders are away, including Tuffnut's Chicken. However, Gobber thinks Skullcrusher has eaten Chicken, while Stoick thinks Gobber has eaten Chicken. Both men try to pass off other chickens as Tuffnut's Chicken, but Tuffnut is able to see immediately that neither is his Chicken.

Dragons: Rise of Berk
Like Sheep, several chickens can be seen walking around Berk in the game.

Chicken and Thawfest Hen were introduced as functional "dragons" in the game. Neither character is able to participate in Battles, but can collect Wood and Iron Ore.

School of Dragons
The player can have a farm plot on which to raise crops and livestock, including chickens. Eggs can be harvested from these chickens and fed to the player's dragons to increase energy and XP.

Chickens, as well as Tuffnut's Chicken, appear in player Quests. One Quest geared strictly toward chickens is called "The Mysterious Chicken Caper", in which the player learns about chicken earlobes and finds out who is letting out the chickens on Berk.