Can hens see colors....

[Lacrystol]

I have 4 hens that were sitting on eggs, they have paired up. First group is two hens a mottled Cochin with a bantam, the second group is a molted Cochin with a bantam. Now for group one, in this group these two girls are proud mommies of 4 little black feathered chicks. In group two these two mommies had 5 baby chicks but are now down to 2 yellow feathered chicks. Over the weekend I hatched out 10 Phoenix chicks, 1 is all brown, 2 are black and the other 7 look like chipmunks.

Well I decided it would be a good idea to give the two mommies that are down to 2 chicks all 10 Phoenixs. Well things were going great the two mommies adopting them and everyone one was a happy camper until the black chicks in group one decided to come over to group twos place and visit all the chicks, kind of hang out. For some reason or another they started chirping really loud, I was working so I couldnt say for sure what was going on, I go to lock them all up at night and in group two I noticed all the chipmunk chicks plus the two yellow chicks were by there mommy and on the other side of the coop was 4 little black chicks. The mommies in group two kept pecking at the little chicks head if they came near or by them. Now I thought this is really odd because out of the 10 chicks that I gave this group there was 1 brown and 2 black chicks. So I went into group ones coop I couldn't see the chicks in there because they were already under neath the two mommies, so what I did was take the 4 black chicks that group two were pecking at and gave them to the mommies in group one. There was no pecking going except pecking at me. The two mommies took the 4 black chicks under there wing. So now group one has 8 black chicks when it originally had 4 and group two has 7 chipmunk looking chicks plus there original yellow chicks totally 9.

Apparently at some point during the day this mix up happened and my husband gave the hens in group two a wrong chick. One of the black chicks out of the 4 actually belonged to group one... So my question is can hens see color because group two clearly did not want anything to do with the black chicks even though 3 of them were ones that I had put under her Sunday night. And group one didn't have a problem what so ever taken the black chicks in... I'm sure in group 2 the mottled Cochin some how knew that the one black chick was not hers so instead of just adopting him she kept all dark colored chicks out. but how would she know it wasn't hers since I just put 10 under here Sunday?

 

[azygous]

Yes, chickens see colors. Red excites them, as do colorful patterns. They are attracted to green, growing things, instinctively associating the color with being good to eat. They see all the colors we do and probably some we can't see.

But, as for discerning colors of chicks or hens and roos of different breeds and colors, they are indifferent for the most part.

 

[ChicKat]

somewhere, I have heard that chickens like their own color/pattern and can definitely discern the differences....

Also somewhere on Google they show someone training chickens - Leghorns I think. The chickens recognize colors and shapes indicated by the trainers, and get rewards for choosing, for example, the green triangle.

Simply put---chickens are pretty amazing. ;O)

 

[Lacrystol]

Interesting, Would have never guess that my chickens can see colors.

 

[Aschenfire]

My birds (especially the 8 and 9 week old quartet of (2) Silver Laced Wyandottes and (2) Buff Orpingtons) most definitely recognize each other and have paired up into two inseparable *sets* of matched babies. Silver with Silver, Buff with Buff. They were brooded as a group too, so it is not a matter of being started separately. Same with my two Blue Andalusians...even in the flock of 10 that is 12 and 11 weeks old, they are usually close together. Birds (all birds including chickens) are smarter than most people give them credit for being. And they can see color, recognize people, learn cause and effect, and all sorts of cool stuff

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Yes, birds can see color. Which is a fair part of the reason why turkey hunting is as challenging as it is.

 

[Lacrystol]

My chickens are going to drive me CRAZY, my husband just called to tell me that all the babies are in one coop. They squeezed threw the chicken wire. What does that mean that means Group One is attending to 17 baby chicks and Group Two Has NONE. I guess that will teach Group Two not to be so mean to the Black Chicks.. LOL..