The question of which came first, the chicken or the egg, is one of the oldest philosophical puzzles in history. At first glance, it appears to be a fun riddle. Evolution is the game. A chicken is descended from a wild red jungle fowl, which in turn descended from a group of other animals known as proto-chickens. A true chicken was thus created when two proto-chickens mated and a true red jungle fowl’s egg was produced. The answer is that the egg comes first.
Let’s unravel the mystery with a bit of explanation:
The Evolutionary Timeline of the Egg
We must go back—way back—to comprehend the beginnings. The earliest land animals, such as Tiktaalik, started laying eggs about 375 million years ago. These early eggs were jelly-like and laid in water; they lacked hard shells and resembled fish eggs.
Eggs with hard, protective shells were not introduced by evolution until 300 million years ago. Long before the first bird ever flew, ancient reptiles laid these eggs, which could survive on land.
Therefore, it is obvious that eggs—and not just any eggs, but hard-shelled, land-surviving eggs—came first.
The Origin of the Chicken
In contrast, the chicken of today is much younger. Early humans started growing rice and millet in Southeast Asian jungles around 1500 BCE. The untamed Red Junglefowl, which resembled modern chickens in appearance, was drawn to this.
Through selective breeding, people gradually domesticated this bird, eventually producing the modern chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus).
Therefore, the answer becomes clearer if we compare chickens to chicken eggs.
So… Chicken or Egg?
Let’s look at the puzzle again from a scientific perspective.
The DNA of two proto-chickens, or birds that were nearly chickens, changed slightly when they mated. These minor alterations were present in the fertilized egg they produced. The first real chicken hatched from that egg.
In other words, the egg arrived first.
However, something that was nearly but not quite a chicken laid it instead of a chicken.
Generation by generation, evolution occurs gradually. Nobody could point to a single day and declare, “Today, the chicken was born!” The change was gradual and ongoing.
This is how science addresses the age-old chicken or egg question—with the egg being the clear winner through evolutionary logic.
Are Eggs Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian?
Here’s another intriguing query: Are eggs considered vegetarian or not?
Fertilization is the solution.
Diploid fertilized eggs can develop into chicks.
We typically eat haploid, unfertilized eggs, but since they never come into contact with a rooster, they are unable to develop into life.
This indicates that the majority of eggs that are sold for human consumption are unfertilized and lifeless.
Brown Eggs vs. White Eggs — Which Is Better?
The idea that brown eggs are healthier than white ones is a prevalent misconception. However, that is untrue.
The chicken’s breed is the only factor causing the variation in shell color. Brown and white eggs are nearly identical in terms of nutrition.
Therefore, unless you enjoy the aesthetics, don’t spend more on color.
How Chickens Started Laying More Eggs
Fun fact: Only about 10 to 15 eggs are laid annually by the wild red junglefowl.
But the chickens for today? Each year, they lay between 200 and 300 eggs!
It wasn’t a natural change. It is the outcome of artificial selection, in which people bred chickens to produce more eggs over time. Similar to how we treat cows that yield more milk.
Therefore, in a sense, thousands of years of evolution under human guidance produced modern chickens.
Final Thoughts
At first glance, the chicken or egg dilemma may appear straightforward. However, it turns into a fascinating tale of change and science when you delve into biology, evolution, and human history.
First came eggs, which were laid by animals that weren’t quite chickens.
Indeed, they are vegetarians unless fertilized.
It’s amazing to consider how the chicken or egg debate hides millions of years of history inside something as simple as a breakfast ingredient.
