Goofy question, but I gotta ask...

[Iheartmyhens]

Are pet chickens capable of learning their names? Just curious.
While they aren't natures' smartest animals, they aren't dumb as a stick either. Anyone ever had a pet chicken respond to being called by name? (After you've been in the yard with them for a while, of course).

Anyone ever observe behavior that suggested that they recognized their individual names?

While I know they do have some individual personalities, I'm not quite sure they have the smarts to learn names...

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

I don't know about chickens, but I have a turkey that will come running to her name. (or maybe just the sound of my voice)

 

[paddock36]

I don't know if they recognize their names but they sure know what happens when the shed door opens up. That's were I keep the feed and boy do they come running.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
That's for sure! When mine are done free ranging, they head straight for the shed and wait for me to put them back in the run.

 

[feathersnuggles]

My little, lowest-on-the-pecking-order, EE knows her name. It's Zsa Zsa. And all I have to do is sharply say, "Zsa", and she pops her head out of the bushes or wherever she is, and twitters softly at me while cocking her head back and forth. She doesn't do that for any of the other flock names.

 

[tammyd57]

My roo is the only one smart enough to know his name. But then, the 3 buff sisters all look identical, so I may be confusing them by calling them each others' names.

 

[RocketDad]

I'm pretty sure all 5 of mine know their names. Sometimes I go "tuck them in" at night, and I go into the coop and give them a quick pet goodnight, saying the name of each one before I touch their back. They're always on the roost in random order, and sometimes I don't go straight across the roost but skip around, but they respond when I say their names.

When they were chicks I talked to them a lot. We brooded them in the house, right here in my laundry room/office, so they had a lot of contact.

 

[MuranoFarms]

Me-Moo might know his name. Either that or he thinks his name is "cookie" cause when I holler "Me-moo! Cookie!" he comes running! Of course, he always gets a cookie, so it might just be bribery! lol

 

[KKatknap]

You know, I was always dubious about this, but I think they really can learn their names. The ones I have called by name most often will look up to see what I want when their name is said. I am not TOTALLY convinced, but I have certainly begun to lean in the direction of believing they can.

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

My BR's don't come running when I call them by their name but they do perk up and look at me with a tilted head and it is the only one that I am calling at the time by name all the others keep doing what they are doing. I would love it if they would run to me when I call their name,which I am still working on them doing I use treats but nothing so far...