Behaviors Inherited

[HomesteaderWife]

I was discussing with my husband the differences in personalities of our birds, and brought me to ask the question - do you think chickens inherit certain behaviors (whether good or bad qualities) from their parents?

We had a little mixed breed hen (feed store claimed they were pure Araucanas but I knew better) who had an extremely rude, bully-like personality and was always into trouble. Our other hen sat on a mixed nest of eggs and hatched one of the bully's babies. The dad was a Golden Polish with more of a shy personality. The chick grew up to be extremely smart, yet as a bantam-size amongst full grown Dominiques she is the biggest bully and exhibits almost identical traits as her mother.

I know in other animals, they selectively breed for character traits, but I wondered if any of you believed this to be true in chickens or if any of you selectively bred for certain personality traits.

 

[orloffer]

I am not experienced with how genetics works, but I believe character traits can definitely be inherited. Aggressive parent birds are likely to have chicks that grow up to be aggressive as well. For instance, chickens that are used for cockfighting will be selectively bred for their aggressiveness towards other chickens. Though of course there will still be variability depending on the individual.

 

[sourland]

'Personality' traits, in my experience, can definitely be inherited. Game fowl roosters, again in my experience, are the least human aggressive of any breed. For evident reasons human aggression was a trait stringently culled for.

 

[MysteryChicken]

My Rooster SnuggleBug has a son that looks, & a behaves exactly like him.

 

[Folly's place]

So true! Behavioral traits do pass on, not 100%, but definitely there's a trend.
I had a bantam EE hen who was very vocal her whole life, as was her daughter, and now a granddaughter. They shared coloring, so easy to distinguish.
Selecting breeding stock needs to include considering behavioral traits!
Mary

 

[EggSighted4Life]

believed this to be true in chickens or if any of you selectively bred for certain personality traits.

100% yes, it might even be my TOP deciding factor and require HARD selection of my hens just as much as my roosters. I don't care if a bird appears perfect according to the standard or lays eggs.. if their inner beauty doesn't match they won't be kept for breeding!

That being said.. how much of what people call aggression is actually just confidence? Confident chickens act much differently than nervous ones.

Also.. which traits are inherited from the opposite gender parent?

My very favorite hen an EE, confident with people and middle of the pecking order...crossed to FBCM put out some of the biggest jerks of sons but the gals were more shy.

 

[SueT]

I had an aggressive rooster who attacked us many times. He had to be culled. I hatched eggs fertilized by him, as I had no more of that breed, and his son is a perfect gentleman, polite to humans, good with the hens...
The good son was raised by a hen, the aggressive father by me. I think a big part is nurture, how they are raised.

 

[centrarchid]

There is a combination of inherited and experience effects on behavior. Genetics makes an individual more or less inclined to behave in a particular manner, but experience, within limits can override the genetics part. Just because your mommy and / or daddy was a butt munch does not mean you will be too. Just because you genes are providing a real strong path to not being a butt munch does not mean you will not be if not properly treated in the past.

There are lots of behaviors I see that have clear genetic components. Some of my roosters have strong inclination to become broody. One of my lines consistently tears up grass in their pens (trait dominant). One group is real good about making nest in easy to find locations while another is prone to nesting out in a field. Some hens bring in fibrous materials to construct nest while others do not. Many other things too.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

This hen that I am speaking of was raised in a positive manner to the point my husband says I spoiled her. I clicker trained her to do alot of little things thus why I say she is intelligent. But she was by herself for a period after a dog attack cost basically the entire flock and therefore raised by humans, not by other flock members who could've helped her behavior shape. An introduction period to the bigger hens and I thought to myself she would be the one getting picked on, but it turned out to be the opposite way and they let her do it. I catch her multiple times a day running up to bully them out of nowhere with no provocation, but it is never serious.

The only time she's been reprimanded has been by the ducks - she ran up to the female once and pecked her to try and make her move away from the food, and the squall of the duck caused her drake to run over and promptly grab the hen by the tuft on her head and teach her a lesson. Since then, he knows exactly who she is and will follow her around to make sure she doesn't start trouble. It's the ducks she cannot get away with bullying.

I attribute a small portion of her behavior to inheritance, but also I mainly believe it similar to a dog who was not raised around other dogs as a pup, and doesn't grow up with correction and teaching from fellow dogs. I think her lack of guidance and reprimand for ill behavior definitely altered the way she acts and how she treats the other birds.