Are temperament and intelligence hereditary in chickens?

[Fluffy1804]

With all this extra time I have now that I work from home (thanksCOVID?), I’m thinking about starting some breeding projects.

One idea I had was trying to create the friendliest and smartest line of birds I can. Good looks and egg/meat production would be a bonus.

But, before I start - is this even possible? Can you select for personality/brains like you can for size or color? I know it’s highly dependent on individual birds and their environment, but wasn’t sure if I could try to emphasize those traits in my flock.
If so - what breeds do you think would provide a good base to start with?
Thanks!!

 

[pennyJo1960]

There are Heritage breeds you might look at breeding lots of mixed breeds out there JMHO

 

[zooinmypocket]

I do believe temperament can be passed down in a sense. I breed seramas and I had a very beautiful and tame rooster who passed early, I got chicks from him and 2 hens. 1 hen was tamer than the other, and her chick came out very sweet. That chick turned into a beautiful hen that i bred to a gentleman of a rooster and their chicks are very friendly. But it does take some work as well. All chicks are raised either by me or by hens that have good relationships with me and know that i provide protection, food, and won't hurt them if I try to pick them up. The hens will bring the chicks over to me so I can give them food and I put my broody mamas and their chicks away by hand every night.

 

[JedJackson]

You could do that, but I personally would just choose a breed or two known for sweet tempers and go from there. Orpingtons, Faverolles, Sultans, Dorkings, Cochins etc. have all been sweet when I've raised them.

Personally, I think the most intelligent breeds are game breeds. They seem to have more residual instincts left over and adapt and survive better in nature. But it depends on what you want.

 

[Jennc-123]

I think so. I had a very aggressive rooster that I put down and his 6 week old son has put most of my flock (2 years, 22 weeks and 15 weeks) in order. He quite literally burst out of his see but don't touch cage while I was feeding him and he has no fear of the much larger birds.

 

[Amer]

Temperament and intelligence are definitely hereditary. Aggressive males tend to produce aggressive offspring while nonaggressive males tend to produce nonaggressive offspring. Since I breed only from nonaggressive males, the offspring are never aggressive. Of course this also has to do with how they are raised.
Another thing to think about are how male games tend to be unable to be housed together. Aggression towards other males is in their blood.
Intelligence and friendliness towards humans are both traits games are known for, more than other breeds. However, using them in a cross may cause the male offspring to also have fighting traits.
The friendliest birds, like Silkies and Faverolles, on the other hand, aren’t known for intelligence.
Personally, I would get breeder-raised dual-purpose type LF. Think the American or English breeds.
They have the intelligence needed for a free-ranging setting combined with friendliness.
Keep in mind that some breeds exhibit these more than others. Do your research.
Anyways, birds from breeders tend to exhibit more friendliness (and in some cases, intelligence) because breeders select for it.

 

[mandelyn]

There's a certain temperament I look for in my roosters, in addition to everything else, and it has proven genetic. I like a smart, savvy rooster with the skills of a gentleman, non aggressive towards people and not lacking in vigor.

There's some differences from one to another and each will have sons "just like him" on occasion. You have to hatch enough to find it again, in order to keep going with it. The hen matters too, I have a well built but snarky hen and sometimes her sons are awful.

I have a Black Silver Marans rooster who has the exact personality I'm after. He listens and understands, like when I say "Henry, get your girls!" and he'll go round them up. If a hen bolts out of the run door, he'll go get her. He's diligent, always keeping an eye out. He also raised up boys for me in rooster coop his first season, he ran a tight ship without being out of line. This past Summer he let me add a son in with him, he explained the rules and they've been peaceful. The son is coming up similar in temperament but better in type/size, so I'm pretty happy with him.

There's Henry sons all over right now, as I sort through them for breeding candidates. One is free range in the barn, he does what he wants because he's good about it. He even let's the barn cats glide up on him. His comb is awful and his saddle feathers are too gold... he's not going to be a breeder but he can hang out until "dual purpose day".

Of the 80 or so Henry sons I've hatched this season (from about 6 different hens), I've found 3 who are "just like him" but better in type/structure/growth.

The "trick" with breeding is to keep hatching/growing/culling until you find better than what you hatched from.

 

[Amer]

There's a certain temperament I look for in my roosters, in addition to everything else, and it has proven genetic. I like a smart, savvy rooster with the skills of a gentleman, non aggressive towards people and not lacking in vigor.

There's some differences from one to another and each will have sons "just like him" on occasion. You have to hatch enough to find it again, in order to keep going with it. The hen matters too, I have a well built but snarky hen and sometimes her sons are awful.

I have a Black Silver Marans rooster who has the exact personality I'm after. He listens and understands, like when I say "Henry, get your girls!" and he'll go round them up. If a hen bolts out of the run door, he'll go get her. He's diligent, always keeping an eye out. He also raised up boys for me in rooster coop his first season, he ran a tight ship without being out of line. This past Summer he let me add a son in with him, he explained the rules and they've been peaceful. The son is coming up similar in temperament but better in type/size, so I'm pretty happy with him.

There's Henry sons all over right now, as I sort through them for breeding candidates. One is free range in the barn, he does what he wants because he's good about it. He even let's the barn cats glide up on him. His comb is awful and his saddle feathers are too gold... he's not going to be a breeder but he can hang out until "dual purpose day".

Of the 80 or so Henry sons I've hatched this season (from about 6 different hens), I've found 3 who are "just like him" but better in type/structure/growth.

The "trick" with breeding is to keep hatching/growing/culling until you find better than what you hatched from.

Is that Henry in your picture? He seems really nice! I’ve never heard of a rooster trained to round up the hens before.
Good post! Your Marans sound like an example of a strain that a breeder has selected for temperament and intelligence.

 

[RainbowHen]

I do believe temperament is hereditary. I kept a large flock with lots of roos and was constantly hatching. Aggressive birds were not tolerated and were culled immediately. No exceptions. Eventually I had no more aggressive cockerels hatching out. I had a nice, peaceful flock. Made butchering a bit harder but day to day life was wonderful. No roos fighting. No hens or pullets being abused. Nobody attacked me.