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Do chickens remember?

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by aceintoledo, Feb 29, 2012.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Feb 29, 2012 #1
    aceintoledo

    aceintoledo Out Of The Brooder

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    Apr 25, 2011
    Ohio
    My chickens had to stay with a buddy of mine for the last six months were they were treated more like chickens than like pets the way we treated them from birth. When we picked them up sunday my friend informed me they were no longer the friendly hold me pet me chickens that they were six months ago. It's now wednesday and while checking their water and turning on their heat lamp for the night Ginger and Penny came over to the doorway and stood by my feet, I bent down and began to pet them the way I used to and before I knew it they had sat completely down on the floor put their heads down and went to sleep. This was not the chickens I had picked up sunday, so I ask, do they remember?
     
  3. Feb 29, 2012 #2
    bloom chicks

    bloom chicks Chillin' With My Peeps

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    103
    Jun 6, 2011
    FL
    I don't know the answer to that question but it sure sounds like it. [​IMG]. What a sweet story.
     
  5. Feb 29, 2012 #3
    ChickensAreSweet

    ChickensAreSweet Heavenly Grains for Hens

    15,108
    551
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    Jun 8, 2010
    Pacific NW- where the Douglas Firs grow
    Yes I have noticed that chickens mourn the loss of a friend for quite some time. I believe they do remember.

    Very soothing for them to be back home.
     
  7. Feb 29, 2012 #4
    trailchick

    trailchick Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Jun 19, 2011
    Santa Fe Trail - SE Colorado
    I gotta believe that they are very glad to be back home
    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
    I dont think we will never understand animals
    in our dumb human way...
    It may always be very controversial,
    but they have senses that we will not
    acknowledge & I think we will be learning
    about for a long time.

    Bless you for returning your birds to their birth home,
    because 6 months has got to be long time for a chicken.

    They must remember..........
     
  9. Feb 29, 2012 #5
    larsonll

    larsonll Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Aug 13, 2011
    West Georgia
    Well, this is kinda a silly post but we ran out of mealworms for over a month. My hens were trained to run to us and into the coop when we shook the container. We bought another container over a month later and they sure remembered when we shook it. I know it's shorter than your 6 months, but it's something.
     

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