Question about separating chickens and their psychology

[Year of the Rooster]

My general question is: How long do chickens remember each other? or how long can they be separated without forgetting each other? I am asking because I may want to build a smaller coop for any broody hens I may have or if I wanted to separate breeds to get pure offspring. I only have a sebright and a silkie rooster. If I were to have one in the smaller coop and one in the general coop, but still had them in view of each other, would it be safe to reintroduce them after the separation period was over? I have 4 LF hens (EE, BR, BA, RIR) and 3 sebright hens and 3 silkie hens. Thanks for any insight on this.

 

[The Chicken Boyy]

Yes they will remember each other, but whenever you put them back together in the pens. They will have to establish the pecking order again. Which will maybe last a couple of days.

{Hope i helped}

~Temo~

 

[Mahonri]

I recently culled/rehomed some of my flock. It seemed for about a week that the dynamic in the coop had completely changed... almost as if they were depressed. Maybe it was just me.

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Anyone else have any more comments on this? I guess what I am saying is this: I will have the smaller bantam breeding/broody hen coop right next to the orginal coop where everyone is now. If I were to separate 1 rooster with the respective hens of the same breed, and still had the two roosters in view of each other, would I be able to reintroduce them safely when I don't want anymore pure bred eggs or when the hen has stopped raising the chicks? Does that help clear things up?

 

[patandchickens]

They will remember each other *but* they will also want to go thru reestablishing the pecking order, so it will not simply be like returning a book to the bookshelf

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Quote:
Thanks Pat, that gives me some idea about what I plan on doing.

 

[notsooldmcdonald]

Due to some comb pecking issues, I had to remove my rooster from the rest of the flock (20 pullets) for about a month and a half. When he had completely healed, I brought him back out, and even from a couple hundred feet away he perked up and he and the flock chatted back and forth. I had no problems reintroducing him.

-C

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

I've just been skimming answers, so forgive me if this was said or mentioned, but scientists speculate that a chicken's memory is approx. 2 weeks long. So, if one were to take a chicken away from their flock, two weeks later they'd be SO old news, it's like they'd have never exsisted. This is why broody hens being re-introduced to their flock is so difficult.

Keep the coops within sight recognition of each other, so that the chickens are able to see each other without strain. Be aware, however, that there will be some fighting them a new intro takes place. Totally normal.

Hope this helped! Remember, two weeks is the magic number!

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Thanks everyone! Your info has been of much help!