Chickens are a descendant from pheasants. Of their 240 different relatives, the turkey is probably the most familiar, although the closest in relation is the guinea hen. The point of view people have on chickens varies tremendously. In the old days most poor people, even rich people, or people of average means, kept a small backyard flock to supply the family with eggs and sometimes meat. Mesopotamians ,however, thought the chicken was holy. Greeks kept roosters for cock-fighting, a common ‘sport’ in those days. Also, some people keep a few chickens for showing.