But I just saw one doing it.
It was in West L.A., and I was driving along Idaho Avenue just south of Santa Monica Boulevard and east of the branch Civic Cener, and a real live chicken just scooted out across the road. He (we’ll assume it hereinafter to have been a rooster) was darkish brown with a bright red comb, and he looked leaner and more “birdlike” than I normally expect chickens to look. But then what do I know? It’s so seldom one meets a live chicken. At first I thought it was a crow, but then realized that a crow wouldn’t bother to run, it would fly.
So actually, I think I do know why the chicken crossed the road. It couldn’t fly that far.