Do chickens have teeth when they hatch?

Chickens do not have traditional teeth; instead, they hatch with a structure known as an egg tooth. This specialized tooth is not made of bone, but rather is a hard, keratinized structure that helps the chick to break free from the eggshell during hatching. The egg tooth typically falls off shortly after the chick hatches and is not replaced.

While some might think that chickens could develop teeth later or have other tooth-like structures, chickens are not naturally equipped with teeth in the way mammals are. The egg tooth serves its purpose for hatching and is an example of an adaptation that assists in the survival of the chick during its initial moments outside the egg.