Honey, Forget AI, We're Now Up Against CI ! (Chicken Intelligence!)

[kbroom]

After the dog attack, I guess I'm too leery of everything! I caught my Easter Egger nesting in the garage in a box. Normally, they will all lay there eggs in the same stall in the inner coop of the chicken pen. Now, it would seem that their sanctuary has been breached by the dog attack. I used to leave the gate slightly ajar, so that they could come and go as they pleased, and lay their eggs at their pleasure.

Instead, today, even though 3 birds had already laid their eggs in the same coop stall as usual, it appeared that my EE was about to start laying her beautiful blue eggs in the garage. So, I embarked upon a chicken/social experiment, that turned out not to be appreciated at all by the cluck cluck crowd!

I closed up the opened gap of the gate with some hardware cloth so that they could no longer get in or out, even if the gate was closed. I picked up Joy, my EE that lays blue eggs, and place her inside the inner coop, thinking that I'd release her after she had her egg. Then, I felt sorry for putting her there by herself. I fixed the outer pen so that it was completely secured, then opened the inner coop door. I wanted her to have some company, so I induced a Golden Sex Link, Danielle, to join her temporarily. Well, her sister, the other GSL, Leann, was curious, so I placed her inside as well. I thought I would also put Sweetie, my Rock Barred inside. The only one left outside the pen was Sugar, my Golden Laced Wyandotte (GLW). I left her outside. Finally, I went in to discuss the situation with my husband, when I heard a terrible cry coming from the chicken pen!

I thought that maybe Joy had laid her egg, but no! THIS was definitely a rebellious chicken UPRISING, Carl Marx would have been proud!
It seemed that Danielle had perched herself on top of the gates weakest point, by the string of lights wire, and was hawking at the top of her lungs! She was demanding that they all be let out, and right now! As her claws were clutched tightly around the wires and the top of the gate was attached to the chicken wire to keep it closed, I couldn't open up the gate completely without possibly hurting her, as her one wing was nearly outside the enclosure. I slowly opened up the gate in order to slither in. I wasn't tall enough to simply pick her up, so I had to resort to picking up the shovel hoe I used for putting sand in their dust box; I gently edged it toward Danielle, so that she might light upon the garden tool. She did it cautiously, and I lowered her to the ground. She ungratefully fluttered outside, and that was the end of THAT incident. After telling my husband what happened, he snorted "Just forget about AI, Honey. YOU need to worry about CI!" "Very funny!" I retorted.

Now, I'm simply going to set the box back up in the garage, into which Joy was about to lay egg, and just let well enough alone. It would seem that my chicken training days are over. Instead, THEY are training me! I think I might need to have Danielle tested for MENSA! She's also VERY opinionated!

 

[Shabby Chic-Hens]

Love the story!
Could you possibly edit it slightly into an article for The Poultry Life in February?

 

[chrissynemetz]

After the dog attack, I guess I'm too leery of everything! I caught my Easter Egger nesting in the garage in a box. Normally, they will all lay there eggs in the same stall in the inner coop of the chicken pen. Now, it would seem that their sanctuary has been breached by the dog attack. I used to leave the gate slightly ajar, so that they could come and go as they pleased, and lay their eggs at their pleasure.

Instead, today, even though 3 birds had already laid their eggs in the same coop stall as usual, it appeared that my EE was about to start laying her beautiful blue eggs in the garage. So, I embarked upon a chicken/social experiment, that turned out not to be appreciated at all by the cluck cluck crowd!

I closed up the opened gap of the gate with some hardware cloth so that they could no longer get in or out, even if the gate was closed. I picked up Joy, my EE that lays blue eggs, and place her inside the inner coop, thinking that I'd release her after she had her egg. Then, I felt sorry for putting her there by herself. I fixed the outer pen so that it was completely secured, then opened the inner coop door. I wanted her to have some company, so I induced a Golden Sex Link, Danielle, to join her temporarily. Well, her sister, the other GSL, Leann, was curious, so I placed her inside as well. I thought I would also put Sweetie, my Rock Barred inside. The only one left outside the pen was Sugar, my Golden Laced Wyandotte (GLW). I left her outside. Finally, I went in to discuss the situation with my husband, when I heard a terrible cry coming from the chicken pen!

I thought that maybe Joy had laid her egg, but no! THIS was definitely a rebellious chicken UPRISING, Carl Marx would have been proud!
It seemed that Danielle had perched herself on top of the gates weakest point, by the string of lights wire, and was hawking at the top of her lungs! She was demanding that they all be let out, and right now! As her claws were clutched tightly around the wires and the top of the gate was attached to the chicken wire to keep it closed, I couldn't open up the gate completely without possibly hurting her, as her one wing was nearly outside the enclosure. I slowly opened up the gate in order to slither in. I wasn't tall enough to simply pick her up, so I had to resort to picking up the shovel hoe I used for putting sand in their dust box; I gently edged it toward Danielle, so that she might light upon the garden tool. She did it cautiously, and I lowered her to the ground. She ungratefully fluttered outside, and that was the end of THAT incident. After telling my husband what happened, he snorted "Just forget about AI, Honey. YOU need to worry about CI!" "Very funny!" I retorted.

Now, I'm simply going to set the box back up in the garage, into which Joy was about to lay egg, and just let well enough alone. It would seem that my chicken training days are over. Instead, THEY are training me! I think I might need to have Danielle tested for MENSA! She's also VERY opinionated!

There's never a dull moment when you have chickens. Danielle sounds like one smart girl.