Fun fact: Chickens have short, stiff, whisker-like feathers found on their face, particularly around the eyes, beaks and nares, (or nostrils). Despite their hair-like appearance, these are specialized, often unbranched, stiff feathers known as “bristle” feathers. Bristle feathers have nerve endings at their base, making them sensitive to touch and vibrations and are thought to act like sensory tools. They have more of a tactile function, similar to mammalian whiskers which helps chickens navigat