# Why are Cowards Chickens? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 16, 2009, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234 "2009-07-16T17:12:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SmashTheState](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@SmashTheState](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmashTheState)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/21 "2009-07-17T13:28:05Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > For that matter, why should a “yellow belly” connote cowardice? (Band name: Yellow-Bellied Chicken). A dog will crawl on its belly to show submissiveness to another dog. Presumably crawling in the dirt leaves a yellow stain on the belly. ---
**Author:** ![SmashTheState](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@SmashTheState](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmashTheState)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/22 "2009-07-17T13:33:14Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Now go change your armor! [http://www.dailyllama.com/spam/games/images/diamond\_select\_robin.jpg](http://www.dailyllama.com/spam/games/images/diamond_select_robin.jpg) My [coat of arms](http://www.fortklock.com/nellis%20family%20crest.JPG), resplendent with chickens. Note the motto: “Ne Lis,” latin for “no strife.” ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/23 "2009-07-17T15:18:09Z")
I had always assumed that yellow belly had something to do with urinating out of fear, but I don’t know that for sure. For what it’s worth, the Word Detective said this about [yellow](http://www.word-detective.com/020403.html#yellow). ---
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/24 "2009-07-17T15:34:11Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > In my experience, chickens are not particularly chicken. There seem to be a lot of better choices (e.g. groundhogs, those ultimate wimps). I agree. “Chicken” should mean _stupid_. Or mebbe that should be reserved for “cow”. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/25 "2009-07-17T16:52:28Z")
Sheep are more stupid than cows, though. And I’ve always found it greatly amusing that the University of Delaware has a literal yellow-bellied chicken as a mascot. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/26 "2009-07-17T20:00:11Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > For that matter, why should a “yellow belly” connote cowardice? (Band name: Yellow-Bellied Chicken). Staff Report by Dex: [What’s the origin of “yellow-bellied”?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/myellowbellied.html) ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/27 "2009-07-17T20:26:00Z")
> [@SmashTheState](#): > > My [coat of arms](http://www.fortklock.com/nellis%20family%20crest.JPG), resplendent with chickens. Note the motto: “Ne Lis,” latin for “no strife.” Those aren’t chickens. They’re cocks. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/28 "2009-07-17T23:30:16Z")
> [@SmashTheState](#): > > My [coat of arms](http://www.fortklock.com/nellis%20family%20crest.JPG), resplendent with chickens. Note the motto: “Ne Lis,” latin for “no strife.” Well probably one of your ancestors ran from a fight and that’s how the chicken got the bad name. (just kidding, but it may be something like that) ---
**Author:** ![Race\_Harley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Race\_Harley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Race_Harley)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/29 "2009-07-19T17:18:52Z")
> [@ricksummon](#): > > It definitely goes back to Roman times, since Biff Tannen’s distant Roman ancestor called Marty a chicken in _Back To The Future: The Animated Series._ It’s also a little-known fact that the phrase “Why don’t you make like a tree and leaf” was invented then, but no Tannen since then has ever been able to get the hang of it. Did you use a cartoon as a reference? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/30 "2009-07-19T17:26:52Z")
> [@Race\_Harley](#): > > Did you use a cartoon as a reference? 😕 This is an example of what these hu-mans call “humor”. It is a…difficult concept. ---
**Author:** ![Race\_Harley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Race\_Harley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Race_Harley)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/31 "2009-07-19T17:32:08Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > This is an example of what these hu-mans call “humor”. It is a…difficult concept. Oh OK. I couldn’t see the tongue in cheek. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/32 "2009-07-19T20:01:13Z")
I think it’s proof that Intelligent Design even reaches linguistics: The whole thing was to set up the Bluth family’s impressions. ---
**Author:** ![furubafan74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c5a1d2/32.png) [@furubafan74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furubafan74)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/33 "2009-07-19T20:32:19Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Sheep are more stupid than cows, though. Domestic turkeys are stupider than sheep. My father had some that drowned because instead of going inside of their coop when it rained, they stared up at the sky. Water ran down their noses and filled their lungs, drowning them. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/34 "2009-07-19T20:41:42Z")
> [@furubafan74](#): > > Domestic turkeys are stupider than sheep. My father had some that drowned because instead of going inside of their coop when it rained, they stared up at the sky. Water ran down their noses and filled their lungs, drowning them. [Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/critters/wild/turkey.asp)disagrees: > [@](#): > > Claim: Domesticated turkeys are so lacking in intelligence that they will look up at falling rain until they drown. > Status: FALSE > > … see Snopes page for full debunking. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/35 "2009-07-20T00:02:55Z")
I guess **furubafan74** ’s dad’s turkeys didn’t read Snopes. Imagine the tragedy that could have been prevented if only they knew where to verify the barnyard rumors they heard… ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/36 "2009-07-20T00:58:28Z")
Hey **furubafan74** , why don’t you make like a drum and take a hike! ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/37 "2009-07-20T01:46:48Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > Hey **furubafan74** , why don’t you make like a drum and take a hike! **MOIDAZIZE** We’re in General Questions. I’m not sure what you’re trying to do, but it doesn’t have a place in GQ. **samclem** Moderator, General Questions ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/38 "2009-07-20T06:00:34Z")
> [@](#): > > if it dates to the 1300s,then they wouldn’t be talking about farm chickens as we know them. Why not? People certainly had farms back then, and according to Wikipedia, chickens were first domesticated “over 10,000 years ago” (in Vietnam apparently), and were introduced into Europe in the 5th century BCE (and I think that is probably a latest possible date, not an earliest). For what it is worth, when growing up in England in the 60s and 70s I do not think I ever heard “chicken” used to mean “coward” except in American movies and TV shows. If it is used in Britain now, it is probably because it has been picked up from these American sources. It may well be that it goes back much further in English, but perhaps it was a rare or moribund idiom that somehow got revived in America some time in the 19th or 20th century. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/39 "2009-07-20T07:07:42Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > For what it is worth, when growing up in England in the 60s and 70s I do not think I ever heard “chicken” used to mean “coward” except in American movies and TV shows. If it is used in Britain now, it is probably because it has been picked up from these American sources. It’s just a flesh wound. (1975, by the way) ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234/40 "2009-07-20T07:11:23Z")
Ok so it made its way into British movies a bit earlier than I thought. That doesn’t prove it didn’t come in form America though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cowards-chickens/503234.md?page=3)