Do chickens know their breed?

Date sort Score sort
chickety china

chickety china

In the Brooder
6 Years
Feb 4, 2013
26
4
24
I have a mixed flock of 7 six week old chicks. All are pairs except my EE whose buddy didn't survive the trip via USPS. I have 2 RIRs, 2BRs, 2 Anconas and 1 EE. We've noticed that while they have always been together the like breeds stick together. My EE is the odd ball and the most skiddish and independent, so she seems okay with not having a buddy. The others though tend to stick really close together, sleeping and eating as pairs (for the most part). I find this rather fascinating, so I am wondering if they recognize their own breed and how that is. All of my girls are the same age and roughly the same size. Obviously they differ in color, but even my BRs and Anconas have similar coloring and they know who their partner is.
 
I have noticed this same thing with mine as well. But then I wonder if it is just our human nature to group things together and I am imagining it more than anything!?!
 
Almost always, when I look into my roost at night, the three barred rocks are together, the two Black Sex-linked are together, and the two Reds are together. It seems to be a law of nature that "birds of a feather flock together." Very interesting.
 
I notice it in my flock also. This is why I always try to have 2-3+ of each type so that they have a buddy. My reds stick together, my buff laced are the fab four, and my sizzles are the three muskateers. Always together, always eating/drinking/sleeping together. While they all mingle well, they definitely all hang out with their own kind. They were all raised together at the same time except my pair of white silkies that came after I purchased my initial flock.
 
Yes, and if you listen closely as they get older, you will notice that they have different languages. Their sounds are different in each breed. (I don't know about similar breeds, but in the very different breeds this is noticeable.)

My Fayoumis say "Ankh- ankh"

My Buff Orps say "Uh Uh Uh Uh"

as an example.
 
this is sorta the same with me but not with my silkies my roo stays away from his hen and the hen stays away from him ... i have 4 barred rocks and they all sound different i have one barred rock hen her name is mardy she was my first barred rock she is a loner but if her and the 3 other barred rocks are together i know her just by sound her sound is just different then the other ones ... i find all my birds are different then the others even if their the same breed they are all different in their own ways i love it
 
I figured I couldn't be the only one... I really find this interesting. I'm so curious to understand how they know who their kind is. I also wonder if a mixed flock that doesn't have more than one like breed how they might buddy up. I assume it's ultimately based on color and size once they are full grown.
 
I find it has more to do with color than breed. If you look in my pasture, the white birds are hanging with the white birds, the buffs with buffs, the reds with reds--regardless of breed.

I have some silver-penciled Rocks that are the only penciled birds, and they are almost always together.

I think they like birds that look like them.
 

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