BORED chickens?

[Judy]

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Me, too!

Not sure what you mean by me and the hippies, though. But that's OK.

 

[patandchickens]

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Can't speak for other people. But the reason I think that it is sensible to suppose that they get bored is that, to quote you, Experience teaches me they do

They act in ways directly analogous to bored people, and I am willing to believe it is *possible* they may share somewhat similar internal experiences to people (not the same, but in some ways similar), so for the same reason that I can look at my kid and infer that he's bored, I look at my chickens sometimes and infer that *they* are bored.

It's not EXPERIENCE at all, David -- it's INTERPRETATION. Which is another thing altogether. Two people can see the same behavior and interpret it different ways. You are *interpreting* them as not being bored; I'm interpreting them as being bored.

There is never going to be any possible way to know for sure, and in any case it largely comes down to the semantic minutiae of what you mean by the word bored <shrug>

I presume we would both agree that when chickens are put in a situation where they don't have many options of what to do, they often end up doing things that we don't want them to do and that are not healthy for them. Like picking out each others' (or their own) feathers, or worse.

So, call it bored, call it a mechanical response according to mysterious instinctual programming, call it whatever else you want, that's fine.But that's what people are *talking about* when they talk about bored chickens.

(Actually, having written the above, I think probably know another real common reason for people to refer to chickens as being bored... because it is convenient verbal shorthand. The same way you'd tell the mechanic that your car "doesn't want to start" or the garden "looks sad". It gets the point across. It is not necessarily meant to be a 100% literally accurate description of things that can be proven without a doubt to be precisely true.)

JMHO,

Pat

 

[Rebekah]

@Pat

Point taken. I have no doubt that chickens, cats, dogs, horses, bumblebees, etc. can get "bored". All living things require stimulation and the lack of stimulation will surely cause negative behaviors and irritation to the senses. I also have no doubt that many people exaggerate the level of stimulation that our pets need... like the suggestion made by my daughter to hang a picture of a handsome rooster in the coop for my hens.

Chickens need very little, goats need slightly more, cats couldn't care less, and humans require so much that when not properly entertained we craft fashion for our dogs.

... now excuse me while I go make my chickens' daily raw, organic, all-pulp, low-carb, seedless, veggie mash treat [for real].

 

[fargosmom]

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Have to agree with most of all these posts . . . all creatures evolved with a set of behaviors designed to help them survive in their environment, which is a rich surrounding of dangers and delights. Their brains are a set of tools to interact with their surroundings and experiences. When we remove all of those aspects which make their environment rich, they're left with a set of tools that want to be used, and no way to use them, in extreme cases leading to the misplaced behaviors, such as feather-picking, which are just an effort to use those brain cells that are itching for exercise.
So by offering alternative amendments to their environment (whatever we find that seems to stimulate them) we're engaging those brain cells in a positive, non-destructive way. It's the main reason I too got into chicken-keeping - the thought of chickens kept in completely sterile surroundings, so far removed from what their brain says is natural that they become aggressive and self-destructive, requiring de-beaking etc. For that matter, if I had the wherewithal to keep my own cattle and pigs I might do that too, but being a city kid this is the best compromise I can come up with.
As for why people look for signs of boredom in their animals, it might be because our gigantic humongous brains evolved with a set of tools designed to help us take care of our livestock, who are our source of nourishment. Poorly-cared-for animals won't take care of us, so those who want to see to all aspects of their animals' well-being are simply using our brains; I have to think that those who think animals don't think (hmmm . . . . hope that's clear) are themselves brain-damaged (in other words, not using all their tools).

 

[Judy]

Yup, there is almost nothing here I don't agree with, too, especially if you use "bored" as a shorthand way of describing certain situations, as Pat suggested.

Interesting how many of these comments on chicken brains/behavior/etal. also apply to ours.

 

[Uppity Peon]

Maybe they don't get bored, but the can get interested. If you put something into their environment they will be investigating it. It can keep them from pestering eachother.

 

[Davaroo]

SO it seems we can mostly agree, that they get what we may selectively call "bored." Pat implies they do, in her usually eloquent fashion. I'm not fully on board with that, although it is doubtless that they can benefit from stimulation. We agree to disagree, in the usual BYC fashion.

Okay. fair enough. So, that takes us to the next question.
I hinted at it with the two stoners, out following the chickens around in the pasture. In short, it is:

"When did we awaken to the fact that critters can experience boredom?"

If you recall a few posts ago, I noted a lack of such sentiment in the older literature. Somewhere in the 70's, Id guess, the idea that they could have feelings took root. Maybe it was a few hippies out wandering around behind the little animals, or maybe somewhere else. Any one want to hazard a guess as to just when and why that happened?

 

[chookchick]

I have to disagree with the idea of "bored" being a verbal shorthand, what would that be verbal shorthand for? Of course we cannot prove that chickens are bored, as we cannot discuss the situation with them, though they try very hard to express their feelings at times....
What else would you say describes a lack of mental stimulation or activity? If they exhibit quite a bit of curiosity, is it a stretch to say that they like something to be curious about?

I believe that for most of man's existence, life was hand to mouth, there was little time to ponder what animals might think about. A "pet" is a luxury that we can only afford with our amazingly rich lifestyles (as compared to the past). In the past, animals had to provide something--protection, food, transportation--or they weren't kept around. Only now, in our affluent society, do we have time to sit around and debate whether animals are bored.

ETA--My husband says we must be bored, if we have time to sit and debate chicken boredom.

 

[undermywings]

I was not a part of that 60's and 70's culture thing but I can tell you I enjoy watching the antics of my chickens with certain 'stimuli' such as free ranging, having haybales for them to hop on and hide behind (for their benefit as well), they fly into the tree in their yard, scratch and find seeds and bugs, run to me when I have treats. I get a kick watching them fly up on their roosts and fly down....continuously and standing in line to do it......it is so funny!

Maybe I am the one who is bored? LOL

It is for MY enjoyment. I can't pretend to know how, what or if a chicken is thinking of their own amusements and entertainments, I can only answer for myself.

Or I would choose another kind of pet, something more....boring....like guppies.

hmmmm, not knocking guppies, just making an observation in myself.

edited for spelling error

 

[wombat]

I don't know if they're capable of being "bored", but I have to agree with DDawn. Mine clearly prefer being allowed to free range all day to being penned in their run. It's clearly not just for the feeding opportunity; they're so spoiled on treats that I can't imagine they're all fired up to get out just to eat bugs. Half the time they're content just to dust bathe under their favorite shrubs.