Animals and underground growth

I have had animals spawn in biomes they are not marked to be spawned in, Mostly Chickens and one pig in a Taiga biome. Though this seems to be rare it does happen. The rate of eggs being laid seem to be alright to me, but when I breed the chickens with seeds they don't produce any chicks.

I heard/read you should be able to grow anywhere underground with glowstone, this doesn't seem to be working. Though all I have to test with is some Melon seeds and they grow rather slow to start with, but in about 3 days they haven't grown at all. Wanted to note this incase I did read right about the use of glowstone in underground farms.

Also wanted to note that Cocoa Beans and Neither Wart grow everywhere, and rather fast, as along as they have the needed block to grown on. I have had 4 or 5 harvests of cocoa beans in a taiga biome before I had 1 piece of wheat fully grow.