were the domestic animals of the Lapita culture, the first Neolithic culture of Oceania. The first pictures of chickens in Europe are found on Corinthian pottery of the 7th century BC. Chickens were spread by Polynesian seafarers and reached Easter Island in the 12th century AD, where they were the only domestic animal, with the possible exception of the Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans). They were housed in chicken coops built from stone, which was first reported as such to Linton Palmer in 1868, who also "expressed his doubts about this". Gallery Notes References External links Birds described in 1758 Bird common names Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Articles containing video clips Junglefowls Poultry Subspecies Cosmopolitan birds National symbols of Kenya Heraldic beasts