Agricultural Reviews

  • Chief EditorPradeep K. Sharma

  • Print ISSN 0253-1496

  • Online ISSN 0976-0741

  • NAAS Rating 4.84

Frequency :
Quarterly (March, June, September & December)
Indexing Services :
AGRICOLA, Google Scholar, CrossRef, CAB Abstracting Journals, Chemical Abstracts, Indian Science Abstracts, EBSCO Indexing Services, Index Copernicus
Agricultural Reviews, volume 43 issue 2 (june 2022) : 170-177

China as a Center of Origin and Domestication of Chicken: A Review

A.M. Abdulwahid, J.B. Zhao
1College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, Yunnan Province, People’s Republic of China.
Cite article:- Abdulwahid A.M., Zhao J.B. (2022). China as a Center of Origin and Domestication of Chicken: A Review. Agricultural Reviews. 43(2): 170-177. doi: 10.18805/ag.R-206.

China has about 107 local chicken breeds and is considered one of the richest countries in terms of genetic resources. This diversity is a source of richness natural resources across the globe and is regarded as an excellent material for genetic improvement of breeds or breeding new breeds around the world. The present review highlights the recent evidence and studies of chicken origin and domestication in China and Southeast Asia. The evidence of molecular genetics and archeological results supported that multiple regions and event were contributed to the creation of chicken evolution from Red Jungle fowl and the findings proposed that one of events happened in domestication of chicken 8000 BP in Southeast of Asia. Several researchers confirmed that China was declared as most important of the world as a first centers for the chicken’s domestication and these chickens have remained in many archaeological sites in China.


  1. Aho, P. (2004). Challenges and opportunities for marketing poultry products in developed and developing countries. Presented on behalf of The American Soybean Association in Romania and Turkey. 

  2. Aho, P.W. (2002). The world’s commercial chicken meat and egg industries. In: Commercial Chicken Meat and Egg Production. Springer, pp 3-17.

  3. Al-Nasser, A., Al-Khalaifa, H., Al-Saffar, A., Khalil, F., Albahouh, M., Ragheb, G., Al-Haddad, A., Mashaly, M. (2007). Overview of chicken taxonomy and domestication. World’s Poultry Science Journal. 63: 285-300.

  4. Baker, C.A. (1968). Molecular genetics of avian proteins. IX. Interspecific and intraspecific variation of egg white proteins of the genus Gallus. Genetics. 58: 211.

  5. Barker, J. (1994). A Global Protocol for Determining Genetic Distances among Domestic Livestock Breeds. In: Proceedings of the 5th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production. Guelph and Ontario, Canada, pp 501-508.

  6. Besbes, B. (2009). Genotype evaluation and breeding of poultry for performance under sub-optimal village conditions. World’s Poultry Science Journal. 65: 260-271.

  7. Bhuiyan, A. (2011) Implementation of National Livestock Development Policy (2007) and National Poultry Development Policy (2008): Impact on Smallholder Livestock Rearers. In: Keynote paper presented at the South Asia Pro Poor Livestock Policy Programme (SAPPLP)-BRAC Workshop held at BRAC Centre Inn, Dhaka.

  8. Brooke, M., Birkhead, T.R. (1991). Cambridge Encyclopedia of Ornithology. Cambridge University Press.

  9. Burt, D.W. (2005). Chicken genome: Current status and future opportunities. Genome Research 15: 1692-1698.

  10. Chang, C.S., Chen, C., Berthouly-Salazar, C., Chazara, O., Lee, Y., Chang, C., Chang, K., Bed’Hom, B., Tixier-Boichard, M. (2012). A global analysis of molecular markers and phenotypic traits in local chicken breeds in Taiwan. Animal Genetics. 43: 172-182.

  11. Chen, (2012). Animal Genetics Resources in China. In:  China Agricultural Press.

  12. Chen, G.H, Wang, K.H., Wang, J.Y., Ding, C., Yang, N., Dai, G., Li, B., Zhang, X., Liu, H., Li, G. (2004). Poultry genetic resources in China. Shanghai Scientific and Technological Press, Shanghai, China. 

  13. Chen, G., Bao, W., Shu. J., Ji, C., Wang, M., Eding, H., Muchadeyi, F., Weigend, S. (2008). Assessment of population structure and genetic diversity of 15 Chinese indigenous chicken breeds using microsatellite markers. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences. 21: 331-339.

  14. Crawford, R.D. (1990). Poultry breeding and genetics. In:  Developments in Animal and Veterinary Science, 22. ed. by R.D. Crawford. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

  15. Darwin, C. (1894). The variation of animals and plants under domestication. D. Appleton.

  16. Decuypere, E., Bruggeman, V., Barbato, G., Buyse, J. (2003). Growth and reproduction problems associated with selection for increased broiler meat production. Poultry Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology. 68: 13-28.

  17. Deng, H., Yuan, J., Song, G., Wang, C., Eda, M. (2014). Reexamination of the domestic chicken in ancient China. Chinese Archaeology. 14: 189-193.

  18. Di Lorenzo, P., Ceccobelli, S., Panella, F., Attard, G., Lasagna, E. (2015). The role of mitochondrial DNA to determine the origin of domestic chicken. World’s Poultry Science Journal. 71: 311-318.

  19. Dorji, N., Duangjinda, M., Phasuk, Y. (2012). Genetic characterization of Bhutanese native chickens based on an analysis of Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus gallus and Gallus gallus spadecieus), domestic Southeast Asian and commercial chicken lines (Gallus gallus domesticus). Genetics and Molecular Biology. 35: 603-609.

  20. Eda, M., Lu, P., Kikuchi, H., Li, Z., Li, F., Yuan, J. (2016). Reevaluation of early Holocene chicken domestication in northern China. Journal of Archaeological Science. 67: 25-31

  21. Eriksson, J., Larson, G., Gunnarsson, U., Bed’Hom, B., Tixier-Boichard, M., Strömstedt, L., Wright, D., Jungerius, A., Vereijken, A., Randi, E. (2008). Identification of the yellow skin gene reveals a hybrid origin of the domestic chicken. PLoS Genet. 4: e1000010.

  22. Faostat, F. (2019) Food and Agriculture Data, 2019. In: Food and Agriculture Organization (2015) Coping with Climate Change: The Roles of Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. FAO

  23. Fulton, J. (2006). Avian genetic stock preservation: An industry perspective. Poultry Science. 85: 227-231.

  24. Gordy, J.F., Skinner, J.L. (1974). American Poultry History 1823-1973. American Printing and Publishing, Madison, WI. 

  25. Hanke, O., Skinner, J., Floria, J. (1973). American Poultry History 1823-1973. American Printing and Publishing. Inc, Madison, WI 

  26. Hedges, S.B. (2002). The origin and evolution of model organisms. Nature Reviews Genetics. 3: 838-849.

  27. Hodges, J. (2006). Conservation of genes and culture: historical and contemporary issues. Poultry Science. 85: 200-209

  28. Hoffmann, I. (2009). The global plan of action for animal genetic resources and the conservation of poultry genetic resources. World’s Poultry Science Journal. 65: 286-297.

  29. Huang, P., Zhang, Y., Xiao, K., Jiang, F., Wang, H., Tang, D., Liu, D., Liu, B., Liu, Y., He, X. (2018). The chicken gut metagenome and the modulatory effects of plant-derived benzylisoquinoline alkaloids. Microbiome. 6: 1-17.

  30. Julian, R. (1998). Rapid growth problems: Ascites and skeletal deformities in broilers. Poultry Science. 77: 1773-1780.

  31. Kanginakudru, S., Metta, M., Jakati, R., Nagaraju, J. (2008). Genetic evidence from Indian red jungle fowl corroborates multiple domestication of modern day chicken. BMC Evolutionary Biology. 8: 174.

  32. Kryger, K.N., Thomsen, K., Whyte, M., Dissing, M. (2010). Smallholder poultry production: Livelihoods, Food Security and Sociocultural Significance. 

  33. Lawal, R.A., Martin, S.H., Vanmechelen, K., Vereijken, A., Silva, P., Al-Atiyat, R.M., Aljumaah, R.S., Mwacharo, J.M., Wu, D.D., Zhang, Y.P. (2020). The wild species genome ancestry of domestic chickens. BMC Biology 18: 1-18.

  34. Lecointre, G., Le Guyader, H. (2001). Classification phylogénétique du vivant. Belin.

  35. Li, F., Lu, P., Eda, M., Yuan, J., Zhu, Y. (2015). Bird remains of Tengjiagang site-the review and prospect of zooarchaeological researches on bird remains of China. Huaxia Archaeology. 1: 34-40.

  36. Liu, Y.P., Wu, G.S., Yao, Y.G., Miao, Y.W., Luikart, G., Baig, M., Beja-Pereira, A., Ding, Z.L, Palanichamy, M.G., Zhang, Y.P. (2006). Multiple maternal origins of chickens: Out of the Asian jungles. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 38: 12-19

  37. Mason, I.L., Mason, I.L. (1984). Evolution of domesticated animals. 

  38. Miao, Y., Peng, M.S., Wu, G.S., Ouyang, Y., Yang, Z., Yu, N., Liang, J., Pianchou, G., Beja-Pereira, A., Mitra, B. (2013). Chicken domestication: an updated perspective based on mitochondrial genomes. Heredity. 110: 277-282.

  39. Moiseyeva, I.G., Romanov, M.N., Nikiforov, A.A., Sevastyanova, A.A., Semyenova, S.K. (2003). Evolutionary relationships of Red Jungle Fowl and chicken breeds. Genetics Selection Evolution. 35: 403-423.

  40. Muchadeyi, F., Wollny, C., Eding, H., Weigend, S., Simianer, H. (2009). Choice of breeding stock, preference of production traits and culling criteria of village chickens among Zimbabwe agro-ecological zones. Tropical Animal Health and Production. 41: 403-412.

  41. Muir, W.M., Wong, G.K.S, Zhang, Y., Wang, J., Groenen, M.A., Crooijmans, R.P., Megens, H.J., Zhang, H., Okimoto, R., Vereijken, A. (2008). Genome-wide assessment of worldwide chicken SNP genetic diversity indicates significant absence of rare alleles in commercial breeds. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 105: 17312-17317.

  42. Padhi, M.K. (2016). Importance of indigenous breeds of chicken for rural economy and their improvements for higher production performance. Scientifica. 2016:

  43. Piégu, B., Arensburger, P., Beauclair, L., Chabault, M., Raynaud, E., Coustham, V., Brard, S., Guizard, S., Burlot, T., Le Bihan-Duval, E. (2020). Variations in genome size between wild and domesticated lineages of fowls belonging to the Gallus gallus species. Genomics. 112: 1660-1673.

  44. Rischkowsky, B., Pilling, D. (2007). The state of the world’s animal genetic resources for food and agriculture. Food and Agriculture Org.

  45. Roenigk, W.P. (1999). Muscle growth and development. Keynote address: World poultry consumption. Poultry Science. 78: 722-728.

  46. Ruane, J. (1999). A critical review of the value of genetic distance studies in conservation of animal genetic resources. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics. 116: 317-323.

  47. Sawai, H., Kim, H.L., Kuno, K., Suzuki, S., Gotoh, H., Takada, M., Takahata, N., Satta, Y., Akishinonomiya, F. (2010). The origin and genetic variation of domestic chickens with special reference to junglefowls Gallus g. gallus and G. varius. PloS one. 5: e10639.

  48. Scherf, B.D., Pilling, D. (2015). The second report on the state of the world’s animal genetic resources for Food and Agriculture. 

  49. Serjeantson, D. (2009). Birds. Cambridge manuals in archaeology. In. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

  50. Taberlet, P., Valentini, A., Rezaei, H., Naderi, S., Pompanon, F., Negrini, R., Ajmone-Marsan, P. (2008). Are cattle, sheep and goats endangered species? Molecular Ecology. 17: 275-284.

  51. Tang, H., Gong, Y., Wu, C., Jiang, J., Wang, Y., Li, K. (2009). Variation of meat quality traits among five genotypes of chicken. Poultry Science. 88: 2212-2218.

  52. Tixier-Boichard, M., Bed’hom, B., Rognon, X. (2011). Chicken domestication: from archeology to genomics. Comptes Rendus Biologies. 334: 197-204.

  53. Wattanachant, S., Benjakul, S., Ledward, D. (2004). Composition, color and texture of Thai indigenous and broiler chicken muscles. Poultry Science. 83: 123-128.

  54. Weigend, S., Romanov, M.N. (2001). Current strategies for the assessment and evaluation of genetic diversity in chicken resources. World’s Poultry Science Journal. 57: 275-288.

  55. Weigend, S., Vef, E., Wesch, G., Meckenstock, E., Seibold, R., Ellendorff, F. (1995). Conception for conserving genetic resources in poultry in Germany. Archiv fuer Gefluegelkunde (Germany). 

  56. West, B., Zhou, B.X. (1988). Did chickens go north? New evidence for domestication. Journal of Archaeological Science. 15: 515-533.

  57. Whitehead, C., Fleming, R. (2000). Osteoporosis in cage layers. Poultry Science. 79: 1033-1041.

  58. Wu, C. (1998). Animal genetic resources in China and Asia. In: The 8th World Conference on Animal Production Proceedings Symposium Series, pp 209-215.

  59. Wu, Y., Huo, J., Xie, J., Liu, L., Wei, Q., Xie, M., Kang, Z., Ji, H., Ma, Y. (2014). Phylogeography and origin of Chinese domestic chicken. Mitochondrial DNA. 25: 126-130.

  60. Xiang, H., Gao, J., Yu, B., Zhou, H., Cai, D., Zhang, Y., Chen, X., Wang, X., Hofreiter, M., Zhao, X. (2014). Early Holocene chicken domestication in northern China. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 111: 17564-17569.

  61. Zekarias, B., Ter Huurne, A.A., Landman, W.J., Rebel, J.M., Pol, J.M., Gruys, E. (2002). Immunological basis of differences in disease resistance in the chicken. Veterinary Research. 33: 109-125.

  62. Zhang, B. (2011). China National Commission of Animal Genetic Resources. Animal genetic resources in China: Horses, Donkeys, Camels China Agricultural Press, China 

  63. Zhou, B. (1981). Faunal remains at the Cishan site, Wu-an County, Hebei Province (Hebei Wu-an Cishan Yizhi de Dongwu Yicun). Kaogu Xuebao 339-346.

Editorial Board

View all (0)