Many people start keeping chickens for the freshly laid eggs and often create a kitchen garden for hand-picked produce too.

Scientists have successfully genetically modified chickens to make their feathers resemble those of dinosaurs. This study is part of a broader effort to understand how and why feathers evolved.

Archer said, more often than not, chickens with lighter earlobes also have white feathers and produce white eggs. Those with darker feathers and darker earlobes will likely produce more colorful eggs.