Are Chickens Smart ?

[Teila]

My chickens are pretty smart, and yes, it makes them highly suspicious creatures. I put a whole peach in their run one time, and they were so nervous about it they huddled on the opposite side of the run until they were positive it wasn't going to move. They never ate it either. Ha!

I placed a whole corn cob in the run one day .. you would have thought it was a grenade!

They were, however, quite happy to eat the corn out of my hand after I picked it off the cob!

 

[BirdLeaf]

Mine don’t panic when I’m dressed unusually but I believe it’s because I holler out before they can see me “Hey chickies!!” the same way every morning.

I recently got a very warm but ridiculous hat and none of them batted an eye. However, my horses wouldn’t come within 50ft of me

 

[ChickNanny13]

Yup, chickens are SMART!
Mine (4 BO) now know the sound of the patio door opening, they even know the sound of my car! They also know time, if I don't feed them by 7:30am, they'll remind me. They also remind me when it's close up time, they start pacing their door, climbing all over each other wanting their close up treat (some dry food scattered, their meals are fermented).

Rain gear & wide brim hat don't faze them, they're ok with Hubby IF he's with me, other people not so much, they alert the whole neighborhood whenever they see neighbors in their own yards but I get no egg song

 

[JaeG]

Yay, another Kiwi! Welcome aboard!

Chickens are birds and birds are smart creatures (we have the smartest - the beautiful Kea). Studies have shown chickens have self awareness, can be deceptive, show empathy towards other flock members, can reason and demonstrate self control. It just suits certain industries to view them as unthinking, unfeeling creatures.
http://cody.passle.net/post/102dx0a...have-emotions-we-cant-deny-the-wealth-of-data

 

[Maddison]

Hi, I have had a new flock of six pullets now for about three months (it's summer here in New Zealand). They have got used to me, very tame. This morning I went out to feed and water them and collect the eggs as I do every morning, and instead of running up to me as usual they all ran away and hid under the flax bushes in their paddock - very strange. I was worried they might have something wrong with them, until later on I realised that due our current heatwave I had, for the first time, put on a big old straw hat of my husbands on my way to their paddock. My question of course is - did they not recognise me in my hat ? And is that the reason they were spooked? Anyone else had similar experiences? And do chickens really recognise individual human beings by their faces? It's not as if I always wear the same clothes or footwear......

my chickens get spooked if I wear a stange clothing item, my birds too. they do that with most unfamiliar items.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Mine don't seem to react to most clothing, though like BirdLeaf I call out to them before I get to the run. The only thing they've reacted to are gloves... I have a lot of different gloves in different colors, and anytime I have new gloves on or ones they haven't seen in a while, they always peck at them a few times, trying to determine what it is.

 

[peckpeckpeck]

Chickens are super smart! They surprise me every day.

They respond to clicker training faster than a lot of dogs I've worked with.

A few folks recently posted some academic papers showing that chickens have complex personalities, emotions, & thought processes. Even as chicks, they can count, make choices for delayed gratification, & prepare for future events.

Mine have never freaked out about my clothes, but like another person, I usually call out "Ladies! Come my ladies!"

 

[Pandasbecats]

Have had similar experiences. Our 6-month old pullets free range in the fenceless backyard. After worried neighbors kept knocking on our door for a couple weeks we decided to put up a sign. As soon as I stepped outside though the whole flock started running to the other end of the property. Turns out they didn't like the hammer I was holding.

 

[Penapple]

That's a relief I thought my lot might have deep psychological issues - Psycho Chooks - but turns out they are just normally nutty for chickens.

 

[CCUK]

Because chickens are prey animals they have two main parts of the brain, one for looking for food and the other looking for danger. Have you ever tried sneaking up behind them? They always know where you are! The bit in the middle is their personality. Thats what makes them so quirky. My kids were goofing around with a horse mask and went outside, it totally freaked them out. I never knew a bluebell could move so quick!! Horsemask is now confined to the house. YES chickens are intelligent and make the best pets. I hope you have loads of fun with your girls!