which breeds are smarter?

[suenotto]

I have Campines and just got some young Australorps. The Australorps seem very dumb to me, nothing like my Campines at all. When I say "smart" I mean, interactive, curious, explorative, easily learned my call and that I bring treats.. When I say "dumb" I mean, they have not made an association between me and food, they just all sit under the tree next to the pen. I have to chase them into the pen at night. When I bring scratch the Campines come running, but the Australorps just sit. I have not had them for too long, but I don't recall it taking the Campines this long to figure things out here.

So my question is, can anyone attest to certain breeds being much more responsive, interactive and curious and other breeds being dopier?

 

[trunkman]

I have two barred rocks that are always the first to do something mischievous and all the others follow, they are very friendly and are the first to come running when I'm walking towards their enclosure. I've also read funny stories on here about them, I love mine!!

 

[flowerchicks]

I've read that Australorps are supposed to be friendly and outgoing but that is not my experience. I have a barred rock that is the "queen" of the flock. She is the most outgoing and first to come say hi (she even invites herself inside the house for goodies). I love her! My Rhode Island Red is also very outgoing and curious but doesnt have the personality my BR has. My Australorp, though the prettiest (I think) of my birds, is also the most shy, with exception of my EE. She does make the association between me and food, though. I guess it makes sense that the more curious and outgoing the bird the more it is going to learn. Maybe, because you have more than one Australorp and they all hang out together, they all think the same and aren't learning by association. I have 12 birds, and except for 3 silkies (2 are roo's), they are all different breeds, so maybe that keeps them from developing their "breed specific" personalities to the full degree. Or, maybe, because they are young and you haven't had them for very long, they are just unsure of their new home. I think that chickens get more outgoing as they mature.

 

[midget_farms]

I dont' know if any breed is smarter than the other - but Polish are far dumber than them all!

They are sweet - but man are they dumb!

 

[mulewagon]

I recall a point, with both the breeds I've had, where they seemed dumb as rocks - couldn't figure out where food came from, where the door was, etc. I think it's because they're human-raised. They started learning eventually, though, and are a terrible nuisance now!

 

[wood&feathers]

My one Australorp is hard to read. Maybe she is just super calm, but she hangs back and is very slow to try anything new. My 2 RIRs are very curious and pushy toward other birds and even the dog. My favorite is a cuckoo Marans who acts like what everyone attributes to BRs - very alert, mischievous, intelligent and quite fast on her feet. Some days I would even call her manipulative!

 

[michickenwrangler]

DH insists that the cochins are smarter than the hybrids and our EE. Whenever it rains or snows, the latter two are always out in it, wet and unhappy looking while the cochins are nice and dry in their coop or huddled under the hutch.

 

[Beekissed]

I find my Aussies to be quirky, sweet and inquisitive. For sheer street savvy I would count my RIRs as the most intelligent. In every flock I've ever had, I was most impressed with the RIR mentality for problem solving and for amped up personalities.

I currently have a little RIR pullet that started using my sheep as trampolines to gain access to the top of my hay in the shed. This started after I clipped one wing to prevent this very thing. She was also the first to start roosting on my black sheep's back during cold weather, presumably to benefit from the woolly warmth. Now I have a few Barred Rocks that have followed her example.

 

[Illia]

Considering the history of the two and their breeding over the years, I'd definitely consider Campines smarter.

Australorps are one of those really common, popular breeds that have been commercially bred to be egg layers, so they're kind of like any other barnyard hen. Campines on the other end have hardly any demand, making it that they have not been so heavily bred to production, and keeping them more on their naturally "wild" temperament, much like Araucanas and Gamefowl. Very curious, good foragers, good fliers, etc.

 

[Mahonri]

My son calls our polish dumb.

I think there is a difference between dumb and blind. Clip the feathers around their eyes and you'll notice a huge difference.