Facial Recognition

[wrathsfarm]

I’m not sure if it is voice or facial recognition my girls have. I always say “hello ladies” when I go down and they all get excited and make all kind of chicken noises. They appear to know their names though. They are amazing critters for sure. Glad I’m not the only one with a lawn chair to sit in the run with them!

Yes, I can call certain girls by name and they come a running. I can also not say a word... Just grab a shovel. They know that tool.

 

[K0k0shka]

I've been wearing a full face mask lately due to frigid temps. No change. But I wear the same Carhartt bibs also. A full change would be the test with a face mask.

My guess would be that the other cues are easier for them to pick up on and they'd go for that first, and would rely on the face only if there's nothing else there. Like if you lined up a bunch of quiet, motionless humans wearing the same clothes, and only their faces were different, and if your chickens were motivated enough, they'd probably be able to pick you out of the line-up. That's probably how their ability got tested and confirmed in the first place. But is that really useful to them in real life, when there are so many other ways of identifying their humans?

I have several sets of "chicken clothes" and boots that I use when I go out to the chickens, and they are different colors, so it's not like the chickens can fixate on any one item of clothing to identify me by. When it's cold, I have my hood on and collar up, and you can barely see my face. I always come out of the house's back door, so that's cue #1 that sends them flying my way at just the sound of the door opening. I have occasionally walked to the coop from the garage or street side, without speaking, wearing whatever I was wearing that day, maybe a hat and scarf if it's cold. The chickens' reaction is curious at first (like with anybody approaching their space), and after a while they seem to recognize me (even if my face is obscured) and flutter excitedly to the run door like they do when they know it's me. My guess is that they recognize my height, posture, and walk first. And the moment I speak to them, I can have a Halloween mask on and it wouldn't matter - they instantly know it's me. So, while I don't deny their ability to recognize faces, I also don't believe faces are a high priority in their day to day life.

 

[16 and me]

Yes, I can call certain girls by name and they come a running. I can also not say a word... Just grab a shovel. They know that tool.

Oh the love of shovel! Every time I pick up a shovel I immediately have a flock of helpers! Now if only the humans in my life were so eager to dig in the garden...

 

[CoopBoots]

My chickens, but especially my roosters, never hesitate to lock eyes with me. For that reason I've always assumed faces and "attention" are important to them. I like to get down on their level, provided I trust the rooster if present, when I talk to them and give treats.

I've also had one rooster who had a problem with men specifically, and especially hated my father to the point of violence, but would let me cuddle and put flowers behind his comb lol. They distinguish between people absolutely, but how or to what degree I couldn't say.

 

[Possum-Pie]

The "recognition" is more operant conditioning which means that they pair a good (or bad) result (food/treats) with something else. Chickens have a great ability to look at a patch of ground full of stones and see the one grain of seed. They surely can discriminate one face from another. My girls run up and down the run like crazy when they hear the back door lock being opened. They have paired the unique sound with me coming out with some treat. Facial recognition or body type may be paired with treats as well, but putting an image of a face on food would be ignored once it was discovered that it wasn't a threat. I always say "chick-chick-chick" also b/c I want that sound paired with treats in case some hen escapes from the run and is over in the neighbor's yard. A loud "Chick-chick-chick" from me whould bring her running back to anticipate a treat. There have been some fascinating studies using mirrors and different animals to determine if they know their own faces. Some seem not to, but elephants and some other animals can not only determine that the reflection is themselves, but if a spot of color is put on the elephant's face, they look in the mirror and use their trunk to try to remove it. Other animals (like my kitties) see their refections and attack it. They think it is a strange animal in their territory. I've seen YouTube videos of apes swinging large sticks and trying to scare away their own reflections!!
One frustration that I have is that my more skiddish hens KNOW that if I come into the coop that they will get a treat, but still run and hide until I drop it. They seem not to be able to overcome their fear even with a paired treat.