Does my chicken remember me?

[misslys15]

My chickens are pretty affectionate towards me. I got my first three last spring. When I come outside, they usually won't run for me, but they'll peck and scratch around my feet and make "happy to see you" noises. Occasionally they do run for me because when they hear the back door opening and closing, they think they're getting treats (I'm at college now, but my mom spoils them with oatmeal and watermelon almost every day. I spoil them whenever I'm home though). Before I left for college, I'd sit outside with them for at least an hour or two every day and hold a couple of them or let them perch on my lap (the third one won't let anyone pick her up). Over spring break, we got six more chicks. But I've been away at college, and my mom brought her laptop outside so I could video chat and see my hens and how big the little six were getting. When one of the older three heard my voice, she stopped and cocked her head, and looked around to see where my voice was coming from. I was video chatting for about an hour or two, and the longer I talked, she kept getting upset, and kept looking around for me. Do you think she recognized my voice and missed me, or do you think she was just scared of the sound because she didn't know where it was coming from? She really looked like she remembered me, and kept clucking back to my mom's laptop whenever I was talking. The last time I was home was the very end of March, about 5 or 6 weeks ago, if that matters.

 

[azygous]

Chickens are way smarter than people give them credit. They will most certainly recognize you when you come home on break. Just give them a few minutes to conjure your face up in their memories.

Yes, they have memory. How do you think they know to be on the alert when they hear the back door open? And yes, they will remember your voice, too.

I have a hen that has been somewhat of a problem. I need to put pinless peepers on her from time to time, and that means bringing her into the garage and placing her on my work bench to perform the "operation". I had to run into the garage yesterday for something while I was holding this hen and visiting with her, and I carried her inside with me. As soon as I set her down on the work bench to get what I had come for, she freaked out. She remembered all too well that being on the work bench involved unpleasantness. She calmed right down as soon as I brought her back outside.

So, rest assured your chickens will not be forgetting you!