Is my chicken stupid?

[matimeo]

I knew the answer was yes just from reading the title of the post. My chickens did something similar. One in particular would frequently fail to follow the others into the coop and would roost outside on the roof if the run- no matter how many times I would put her back.

 

[mylegger]

Quote:
Same thing here...whoever was the last one had a hard time figuring it out. So dumb it was actually hard to watch

 

[BorderKelpie]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who thinks chickens are not the sharpest tacks in the box.
I was starting to think there was something wrong with my opinion of them when I read all these posts of friendly, sweet, smart (?) chickens.

Mine are 'working pets' that pay their own rent. working, yes - smart, Heck no. lol

Poor little goobers.

 

[duckinnut]

Cant say that I really ever had that happen. My White Rock Roo is usually that last one in every night,granted he is not the brightest thing I have ever seen but he is just making sure the girls are all in. What I do have happen is kind of opposite, they seem to not remember how to get out of the run in free range country even when they are standing next to the wide open gate. More so when the treats get tossed out, they pace frantically trying to get out a mere foot from the gate. Eventually it gets figured out only to be repeated tomorrow. I laugh when people say chickens are stupid which is not true, I think they just have an awful memory. They are very quick to learn but forget what they learned even quicker.

 

[ChickInDelight]

I try never to get into a herding situation with my birds. Once my chickens roost for the night, I can walk right up and pick them up - wherever they are. I think it best to wait until the latebird goes to sleep and then put her inside. Otherwise, the nightly routine of herding may cause anxiety. Chickens may not be stupid, but they are definately chicken.

(Although, my chickens are not as chicken as my ducks!)

 

[sharol]

Quote:

 

[Jeffross1968]

Quote:
Ha! My oldest hen, a Barred Rock, does this exact thing. Especially if we are outside with them. I guess she feels safer if we're there. If we're inside, she'll do this and then roost soon after 8pm. But she'll push it an extra 45 minutes of this if we're sitting there watching.

 

[coyoteugly]

We also have a BO who seems challenged

When we let the flock out to free range, she never can remember how to get out of the pen. She paces the fence nervously, but cannot seem to find her way out! What is it with the BO's?

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
This!

And the answer is in the question!

 

[theoldchick]

Sometimes the lowest ranked chicken will wait until the last moment (sunset) before entering the coop. This way the bird can avoid all the name-calling, pushing, shoving and so forth that happens when the flock is roosting. If the battle of the roost is complicated by lack of space, the low ranking members may not wish to enter the coop at all.

Of course there is the bird who gets lost the moment he/she loses sight of another bird. Then there are the birds with depth perception problems who are not about to get on a ramp much less jump on a roost. Also some birds might just like the open feel of outside as to the cramped, dusty, hot coop.

Then there is the hen like mine. She's looking for a last meal before she goes in for the night.



Note the lone hen in the background looking for a bug. She's always the last one in.