Interesting observation...

[Camelot Farms]

On the same day that my BCM and Wheaten Ameracaunas arrived, my broody Frizzled Silkie hatched a lone chick.
Well, it didnt seem prudent to leave mama and her chick in the silkie pen since the 3 roos in there were soooo inquisitive about the chick.
So, I put mama and her chick (yellow) in the brooder with my 7 BCM (black) and 4 Ameracauna (yellow).
Of course mama isnt totally stupid, she knows that she didnt hatch ALL of these chicks. So she is a bit put out.

The interesting thing is that she only gets snarky with the black chicks. If they get too close while she is scratching for snacks, she will give them a broody growl
and push them away. The yellow chicks she treats much better. When she is scratching, they can come right up and get treats and she never pushes
them away.

Just thought that this was interesting....

 

[Ridgerunner]

That is interesting. I've never observed that with a broody, but I always have mixed color hatches. It's too late now but I wonder what would have happened if you had slipped one or two chicks of each color under her the first night so she woke up with them. Pure speculation, but I kinda suspect she would be mothering them all. Of course, I'd expect her to mother them all anyway from my experience. Shows what I know.

I've noticed that my chickens often seem to separate in the same groups when roaming around or when positioning themselves on the roost. Chickens of the same color seem to hang together in these groups, but these groups usually also include chickens of a different color. My white Delaware and Black Australorp seem to like to hang together, for example. I always thought color might play a part but also thought that the different personality tendencies of the different breeds also played a part. From what you are reporting, I'd think it is more color based than personality based.

It is also interesting that while she is not mothering them, she is not hurting the others either. They are all different and you can never tell what will happen. Thanks for the post.

 

[DAFox]

Quote:
If what I saw in a documentary a long time ago is accurate: birds can't count. The example only included the numbers 1 through 3. Three people went behind a blind and one person came out. The birds relaxed once the one person came out.

But, color is another matter.

Dale-Ann

 

[VioletandBodie]

but i know for a fact that the bids can count there eggs becuase if you take an a egg from lets say a budgie she will lay a new egg to replace it....no ideal about chickens though

 

[HeritageHens]

I'm questioning the birds can't count thing too. My group is still young (4-6 weeks including a runt) so I let them out of the coop for a short period daily (it's only ~60-70 for highs here and very wet). While putting the the group back from the run into the enclosed coop my easter egger, Ziva, will squawk her head off until every last one is in the upper part with her even if the others aren't making a sound. She cannot see the lower area during this time but settles right down when all the group is together. Of course, me wonders if Ziva is a Zivo instead.