Do chickens know their breed?

[nova022]

I can't really say about knowing their own breed because other than two EEs all my chickens are different breeds. They seem to hang out more with their brood mates than with those from other broods and they do seem to have best buddies for the most part, though my White Plymouth Rock is a total loner and is always off foraging by herself. One of my EEs does the same thing, but they go in opposite directions. During dust baths they tend all pile in together and when they roost my little loner EE who is at the bottom of the pecking order during the day gets almost under the wing of my bully top hen Silver Laced Wyandotte and they sleep snuggled together.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I can't really say about knowing their own breed because other than two EEs all my chickens are different breeds.  They seem to hang out more with their brood mates than with those from other broods and they do seem to have best buddies for the most part, though my White Plymouth Rock is a total loner and is always off foraging by herself.  One of my EEs does the same thing, but they go in opposite directions.  During dust baths they tend all pile in together and when they roost my little loner EE who is at the bottom of the pecking order during the day gets almost under the wing of my bully top hen Silver Laced Wyandotte and they sleep snuggled together. 

This is a great example of " keep your friends near, but your enemies even closer"

 

[Fancychooklady]

hello to all and good luck. ok i have hens that r sitting and waiting for her babies to hactch but i have two roosters in there with them shounld i remove them before the babies r born will they peck the r kill them r shounld i live them in with mom

I try to separate mum and her young ones for the first few weeks. That way they can't get trampled during mating, or drown in the water bowl. If you feed chick starter it's best not to let the rest of your flock to have access to it. Truth is the roosters are the least of your problems, if you have other hens and there is any bullying to be done, they'll be the ones to look out for.
I lost a silkie chick because one of the Roos sickle feathers got wrapped around its throat,
Another one got stuck up under its mums undercarriage , same outcome. you can't foresee all of the dangers! But you can learn from your fellow BYC 'ers

 

[thefluffyflock]

M

I recently purchased an adult flock from a poor sweet lady suffering from divorce. She had quite a collection. The answer is .Yup they sure do. The Americanas/ Araucanas roost high up as a breed. the Cochins and Silkies don't. Its my feeling that this causes them to become familiar with their roost mates. I have observed "clumps" of breeds in my barn often. To take it a step further, the new Orpington chicks I recently purchased follow their big Orpington sister all over the yard. They all sing different songs too. The Orpingtons are my sweet good night singers. The rest seem to coo just a bit..

mine do too

 

[thefluffyflock]

This little chickie looks just like my baby Cocoa Puffs (rip) the Coyotes got her. she was just getting her beard about 7 months old ... e was one of absolute favorites and was just getting a beard...

I am sorry

 

[Evanowski]

All of my current flock were hatched together in the same incubator. They are now 7 weeks old and they seem to know their breed, except for the Marans. My Barnevelders stay together. My Black Ameraucans hang out and my Blue Ameraucanas prefer each other. I have Cuckoo Marans, Wheaten Marans and one Black Marans. All the Marans don't care. They hang out together but they also run with the other small cliques.

I wonder if they recognize by color/pattern who is like them? They all interact together, but I just notice when they are up to no good or investigating something new, they do so in their "breed groups". Especially the Barnevelders. They are attached at the hip most all the time.

No matter what, Chickens have personality!

 

[GardenerGal]

Evanowski, maybe you have touched on something, there, with color/pattern. Birds are such visual creatures, like humans. It sounds plausible that they could recognize and associate with certain colors and patterns. Maybe size is a factor, too.

This could make an interesting master's thesis topic for a graduate student in animal behavior, avian zoology/biology or similar discipline.

One thing that's certain is that chickens can recognize other chickens no matter what breed they are. Just like a dog recognizes other dogs, even when it's a St. Bernard meeting a bizon friese or toy poodle at the dog park. lol.

 

[peemee]

I am a veterinarian who sees birds professionally but have only had chickens for 2 years. I originally got a mixed group of brown egg layers ( 3 barred rocks, 3 australorps, 3 wyannottes, 1 dark cornish, 1 domineque and 1 buff orpington. Then ended up adding adult 2 RIR, ! buff orpington before my babies were laying. There is definitely a pecking order and i notice my older buff acts like the mom to most of them, the barred rocks hang together, the orpingtons seldom are together , and the RIR may be in the general area but not scratching together. I did get 1 lavender orpington and 3 americanas in February and they are definitely a clique. until just this week (its hot now) they have shoved themselves into the same nest box. that was fine til they got too big and so they split to 1 aa and orp and 2 aa. It is pretty funny. if they hear the macaw talk from the aviary in the morning, they run up the hill to see what goodies I am going to give them. uphill chicken running is hysterical

Peggy Sorensen
Payson, Az

 

[Fancychooklady]

Welcome Peggy

 

[TeaChick]

I am a veterinarian who sees birds professionally but have only had chickens for 2 years. I originally got a mixed group of brown egg layers ( 3 barred rocks, 3 australorps, 3 wyannottes, 1 dark cornish, 1 domineque and 1 buff orpington. Then ended up adding adult 2 RIR, ! buff orpington before my babies were laying. There is definitely a pecking order and i notice my older buff acts like the mom to most of them, the barred rocks hang together, the orpingtons seldom are together , and the RIR may be in the general area but not scratching together. I did get 1 lavender orpington and 3 americanas in February and they are definitely a clique. until just this week (its hot now) they have shoved themselves into the same nest box. that was fine til they got too big and so they split to 1 aa and orp and 2 aa. It is pretty funny. if they hear the macaw talk from the aviary in the morning, they run up the hill to see what goodies I am going to give them. uphill chicken running is hysterical

Peggy Sorensen
Payson, Az

Frizzle "flying" is also hysterical.
Would you mind posting a pic of your lavender chicken?