Candling in Front of a Hen

[ViciousLizardEaters]

I was sort of thinking about how, many hens lay eggs everyday, and when she gives birth with chicks in eggs like how would she know those eggs are special. I think she probably does or something, but anyways the question is, what happens if you candle a fertilized egg in front of a hen? How would she react to actually seeing the inside and the developing baby? I can't test this myself now.

 

[ViciousLizardEaters]

The first part was just some extra context.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Mine don't really seem to care at all.

 

[Mrs. K]

Nothing... IMO. From my experience, it is a much more a sound and movement underneath her than a visual thing. And again IMO it is a two way street, both the hen and chicks need to make the connection.

Mrs K

 

[TheCluckyClucker2]

I dont think chickens have that many feelings. I'm sure they know what is under them but is the instinct to carry on their bloodline that causes them to go broody and hatch eggs. So to an extent they know they are trying to get babies but I dont think they realize that those little lines and that jumpy gray thing is the chick.

 

[nuthatched]

They simply don't have that type of intelligence.

 

[Cryss]

If you have a rooster chances are every single egg is fertilized but there may be the odd non fertilized egg. I don’t think hens even consider whether they are or not. Otherwise they’d probably be pretty upset when we take them. Once a hen becomes broody then she will definitely get angry if you try to take her eggs away. She will sit on them waiting till they hatch. Meanwhile if you actually don’t have a rooster those eggs aren’t fertilized but she won’t care. She’ll still sit. It doesn’t occurred to her whether they are fertilized or not. It is just about her hormones forcing her to sit on random eggs. There’s the other point, she sits on all the eggs she can steal not just her own. If she is sitting on fertilized eggs she won’t know until she hears them peep at her from inside. That’s her signal to not leave the nest even to poop because they are on their way. They won’t like you trying to take the eggs at any point if they are broody so I doubt you could do a proper candleing in front of them.

 

[aart]

many hens lay eggs everyday, and when she gives birth with chicks in eggs like how would she know those eggs are special.

Laying an egg is more like humans ovulation than humans "giving birth".

 

[ViciousLizardEaters]

I meant that specifically when there's a chick inside. Also chickens actually have intelligence and emotions, but perhaps they don't know or react to actually seeing the chick inside. Thanks everyone!