Are fowl's ears incredibly resilient to loud noises?

[Henrik Petersson]

I have ducks and chickens, and have noticed that they don't mind loud noises much.

First off, we have the incessant crowing of the rooster. If he crowed a few inches from my ears, it would hurt and I would get reduced hearing if it happened a lot. But the hens never seem to mind in the slightest.

I've also noticed that they don't bat an eye in the proximity of loud human activities, such as hammering or working certain machinery. I also read a story once about a farmer who stood on his scap heap and shot rats, with his chickens happily foraging by his feet.

Has there been any research about this? Or maybe you have personal anecdotes to share?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

When I first got my bantam Rock cockerel a few weeks ago he was getting bullied incessantly by two of the other cockerels that I had at the time (they are now in the freezer and yes I know, I didn't quarantine). Anyway, he took to hanging out in the garage with my husband while he was working on the truck he was building. He finally got the motor all together and his friend came over to help troubleshoot a starting issue. Anyway, they finally started it and that sucker was LOUD given that it was in the garage and the exhaust was not hooked up (don't worry, doors and windows were all open). Well, I mean it was insanely loud and I really thought it would scare him but he didn't bat an eye so finally I ran him out of there so he wouldn't go deaf or die from fumes.

 

[Henrik Petersson]

See what I'm saying? And it's not like they generally don't get spooked easily.

 

[SueT]

And they get way too close to the lawn mower (since it stirs up bugs.) Completely unfazed by the chainsaw as well.

 

[drumstick diva]

My theory is Roosters crowing - must make the hens deaf at least. They still come when someone shakes the treat bucket, but they are reacting to sight of the bucket. Likewise when they see their humans they assume(or hope) something good & tasty will show up.

I also think Roosters make themselves deaf from crowing. That is why they crow so often, they don't realize they already crowed half a million times.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I also think Roosters make themselves deaf from crowing.  That is why they crow so often,  they don't realize  they already crowed half a million times.

 

[Henrik Petersson]

My theory is Roosters crowing - must make the hens deaf at least.   They still come when someone shakes the treat  bucket, but they are reacting to sight of the bucket. Likewise when they see their humans  they assume(or hope) something good & tasty will show up.

I also think Roosters make themselves deaf from crowing.  That is why they crow so often,  they don't realize  they already crowed half a million times.

Naah - ours can be completely out of sight, and yet come running from all directions when we call for them.

 

[SueT]

With the subject of this thread in mind, I decided that I could probably run the vacuum cleaner in the room where I have the brooder/cage w my 2 wk old chicks. All 6 were up on their roost where they could look out and watch me. I vacuumed closer and closer and none of them batted an eye. Then the vacuum picked up a coin or something and they all jumped down, and huddled together craning their necks. I soon finished and they all immediately flew back up on the roost as if it had been no big deal....

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

Now when my family and I moved to my Grandparents house(long story) we only had two girls.They lived in a shed.Wemoved to our own house, our grandfather was building us a coop, the to hens slept inside our house at night, happily free ranging during the day.athey didn't even flinch:Hammers banging like a nun-sense, drills banging away, Saws screeching and boards slamming, calling across the field all days, crashing in the kitchen, glass breaking, All in all, they never blinked a eye.
Altough, when they first heard the saw, it was a SIGHT! It was TO FUNNY

 

[Henrik Petersson]

Seems like my hypothesis is gaining traction!