BORED chickens?

[Davaroo]

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Here's an interesting observation, very astute. Wombat alluded to it as well. It is today in our affluent times that we have the leisure to ponder chicken boredom, which treat they might like or whether we should tolerate "mean" cockerels.

In times past we were more concerned with feeding ourselves. Our biggest thought might be be if that newfangled invention, electricity, might ever pan out.

The first requisite for a philosopher is a full belly, after all.

I think many are getting into chickens because they are concerned about feeding themselves in the future. Gun sales, ammo sales and feed & chick sales have sky rocketed since November. You do the math.

And if we ever lose electricity here, I only pray I have enough gasoline on hand to be able to drive to cooler climes.

This is another topic entirely, but it illustrates that you will have far more to worry about if things go south - than wondering if our chickens are bored.

While not real cool here, it beats AZ. C'mon, and bring your guns with you.

 

[Judy]

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Certainly agree with this. Hopefully, those who see them as their babies, and feel they could never eat them, will not actually be faced with that.

 

[undermywings]

Quote:
Certainly agree with this. Hopefully, those who see them as their babies, and feel they could never eat them, will not actually be faced with that.

Hear hear! Was wanting a break from farm animals until these times came along and bought a dozen layers....don't want to butcher for food but I can do it if I have to. Ammo sales are not only up in CA but shelves are empty even at huge sporting goods stores.
I digress.

 

[alycoop]

Hey, good discussion here.

I was wondering the same thing as I kept my chickens in their coop when it was so hot up here in the Portland OR area last week.

My chickens go nuts when we let them out for supvised "free time" every morning and evening in a fenced off area when we are at home. They explore and play "king of the mountain" if we have something for them to perch on.

I don't know about bored but I have observed our other animals; cats, dogs, and they do respond to having something to 'play' with or figure out. Mostly our dogs as the cats roam around where they please anyway. Perhaps we are so mammal-centric that we don't think stop about the intelligence of other creatures? Maybe somebody has...(BBC animal shows? "And now we return to Chicken Watch"...LOL)

I suspect any creature that has a brain with which to figure stuff out; how to escape the fenced area (I saw our roosters eyeballing around for any escape route), will benefit from external stimuli.

So many SAY there are health benefits to eggs from free range hens but is there data to support that? Isn't that why so many of us want eggs from free-range hens other than hens cooped up in a small area all day? LOL, can we extrapolate that non-bored hens who get to explore lay better quality of eggs?

Well anyway, I prefer to see my chickens be able to get out and about when it's safe for them to do so. Somewhere deep in my psyche I just feel it's better for them to have a taste of their natural habitat even if I have to give up some control of their environment.

"In times past we were more concerned with feeding ourselves."
Point taken. I have family in Ireland that raised dairy cows, others have chickens, and they have a very utilitarian approach to their livestock. And here I was yesterday worrying about the two roosters I took to a feedstore "critter corner" to be resold. Yep, I was worried about them being stuck in a pen with other roosters, ducks, and a peacock and how they would respond to that.

Aside from pondering boredom in chickens I've noticed that the henpecking order is just like the office; some are dominant, some are easily intimidated, some just need standing up to.

T'would make a great study if someone would finance it.
Thanks for getting my brain moving on this slow Sunday afternoon!

 

[fiberart57]

Great thread,

Makes me wonder. Perhaps we as humans are evolving as we become more and more concerned about life around us. We are becoming more aware of all lives not just our own. But, I agree with one person in that it's a sign of an afluent society that we can keep animals like chickens for pets rather than a necessity of food.

But all of here at BYC are concerned about the health and well-being of our birds and that includes their mental health. Boredom is just a word used to describe lack of stimuli and lacking some they'll make it up. Ever since my girls started roaming the backyard two weeks ago they pace the fence wanting out. They sometimes from standing still in the yard to a loud squawk and a race around the tree with one of their flock. Looks like kids at play to me.

Mary

 

[Judy]

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I have wondered about this, too. I'm such a pessimist and general grouch that I hate to even consider this, much less hold out some hope, though. It would obviously be great if your perspective is correct.

 

[Davaroo]

I wish I could spend more time with this thread in the week ahead. I thank you all for your involvement - makes me proud to be BYC'er.

 

[Judy]

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Yup. Maybe not the most scientific study, but really, pretty well carried out, by Mother Earth News. Here you go:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/eggs.aspx

Of course, even if they can be disproven (which I personally doubt,) there's still the knowledge that the chicken led a decent chicken-y life.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
I agree about BYC. You did a great thing, starting it.

Come visit us sometimes. Have a feeling this will go on for a while.

 

[monathequeen]

If they get bored, experts say they will start mutulating eachother. Pecking to the death. This will occur if they are confined in a small area 24 hrs. a day. How Rude would that be ?

I have never observed any form of boredom in my chicks although, They have 100X40 ft. of enclosed run all day that they share with the Ducks. I throw handfulls of scratch and grain all over the run once a week and they spend every minute scratching the earth in amazement. They have bales of straw to jump on and tear apart plus a large pit I fill with Peat Moss. They bury themselves in dirt quite often during the day.

I have three long telephone poles raised off the ground that they love to get on and countless tree branches to get lost on. I often see them napping under a shaded shelter I have constructed to keep them out of the rain. My experience is keep them busy and they will leave each other alone. Works for me......