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Stupid Chicken?
- Thread starter JP33
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- #22
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Yes, they do seem to get confused at times. Always seems to have something to do with getting in or past a barrier of some type, whether it be the gate to their run or the coop itself. Some of mine late evening will walk around and/or underneath the coop looking up, seemingly confused as to how to get in, but lately I have wondered if in fact this behavior has more to do with their sense of sight, literally how they see, that is indeed confusing them.
I've even had them try & fly through the mostly screened front door to their coop, but this only ocurrs late evening.
I don't know much (actually anything) about how they see but what I have gathered is that come late evening they seem to not see as well as they do when there is more light available. Must be a rod/cone thing. I know horses & deer can see in very dim light because of the make up of their eyes, chickens must be different, owl's night vision being far superior to just about anything I'm familiar with.
...JP
Yes, they do seem to get confused at times. Always seems to have something to do with getting in or past a barrier of some type, whether it be the gate to their run or the coop itself. Some of mine late evening will walk around and/or underneath the coop looking up, seemingly confused as to how to get in, but lately I have wondered if in fact this behavior has more to do with their sense of sight, literally how they see, that is indeed confusing them.
I've even had them try & fly through the mostly screened front door to their coop, but this only ocurrs late evening.
I don't know much (actually anything) about how they see but what I have gathered is that come late evening they seem to not see as well as they do when there is more light available. Must be a rod/cone thing. I know horses & deer can see in very dim light because of the make up of their eyes, chickens must be different, owl's night vision being far superior to just about anything I'm familiar with.
...JP
- Thread starter
- #23
rirluvr wrote:
* Oh I should mention mine are a bit over 4 1/2 months and have not started laying yet.. so I am assuming getting eggs will be great.
Did you like Easter egg hunts as a kid? I sure did. You will be ecstatic when you start getting eggs & well after that. One of the things I look forward to every morning is checking my nest boxes for eggs.
Be prepared to go ballsistic!
...JP
* Oh I should mention mine are a bit over 4 1/2 months and have not started laying yet.. so I am assuming getting eggs will be great.
Did you like Easter egg hunts as a kid? I sure did. You will be ecstatic when you start getting eggs & well after that. One of the things I look forward to every morning is checking my nest boxes for eggs.
Be prepared to go ballsistic!
...JP
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Lulu, my lame runt who is basically now a house chicken hops/flies/climbs the back stairs when we put her outside and she is cold and wants in. If it is sunny she stays out but as soon as the sun disappears behind a cloud or the wind picks up, she's up the stairs. She also likes peanuts and recognizes the sound of the bag crinkling. My son will rustle the bag and then drop a peanut and she comes hopping/hobbling over to it and then keeps an eye on him because she knows he gives her some as treats.
I've come to realize that humans in general and especially those without animals tend to underestimate the intelligence of other animals. Must be a flaw of our species. Chickens are not necessarily the smartest birds, but they are capable of learning. They are just prone to the flight portion of the "fight or flight" response we all have. They are wonderful little beings to watch how they interact with each other and their environment. They are definitely creatures of habit, but then the same could be said of humans also. Happy chicken watching.
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That's because everything, and I DO mean EVERYthing eats chickens!
It's just a fundamental difference in the wiring.
People, and most animals that we interact with such as dogs and cats are predators. We fight danger.
Chickens, horses, cattle, and animals that we classify as "spookish" are prey. They run away from danger.
My chicken Queenie is willing to try anything. It probably means she's the dumbest, but it also means that she's the smartest. She will try anything and therefore LEARNS things by trying them. She was the first one to figure out the dog door, and the only one to repeatedly use it, because she's willing to stick her head anywhere that it will fit. She frequently escapes, and NOT by flying, because she'll try just about any hole to see if she'll fit through it. Other birds fly up and try to squeeze through the slats on the back porch rail, which to me must mean that they at least think "hey I might fit through there"
They all come running whenever I drive up in my truck, or walk out the back door. They do not do this for DH - because he does not come bearing BOSS!
I have no idea what caused them to learn my truck, because I don't get out of it with treats in hand so I don't know why they run up for it. They don't seem to react the same to DH's truck (and they're both maroonish red!!! but we always park on opposite sides - maybe they learned that)
They are also intelligent enough to NOT eat the Polk salad berries or plant that grew in the yard this summer. Sometimes the white Leghorns would get purple on them from dustbathing under it, but no one ate the berries
That's because everything, and I DO mean EVERYthing eats chickens!
It's just a fundamental difference in the wiring.
People, and most animals that we interact with such as dogs and cats are predators. We fight danger.
Chickens, horses, cattle, and animals that we classify as "spookish" are prey. They run away from danger.
My chicken Queenie is willing to try anything. It probably means she's the dumbest, but it also means that she's the smartest. She will try anything and therefore LEARNS things by trying them. She was the first one to figure out the dog door, and the only one to repeatedly use it, because she's willing to stick her head anywhere that it will fit. She frequently escapes, and NOT by flying, because she'll try just about any hole to see if she'll fit through it. Other birds fly up and try to squeeze through the slats on the back porch rail, which to me must mean that they at least think "hey I might fit through there"
They all come running whenever I drive up in my truck, or walk out the back door. They do not do this for DH - because he does not come bearing BOSS!
They are also intelligent enough to NOT eat the Polk salad berries or plant that grew in the yard this summer. Sometimes the white Leghorns would get purple on them from dustbathing under it, but no one ate the berries
I have 24 pullets, heavy layers. Had them shipped at birth from Ohio (Meyers). I made them a box 2' x 8' long and they were in our garage. First one to make friends was a RIR I called Henny-Penny. Next one was a barred rock named Jumper because she always jumped on my wrist if I stuck my hand in their box for any reason. Those two were the ones I took out on the front porch swing for a treat and 5 min of swing time during which sometimes they would doze off. Soon enough some more of the Barred Rocks became more friendly. Buff comets did not at all, and black aussies were too shy except for Midnight who also began to be a swing chicken.
They grew to where I eventually had three of the long boxes before I took them to their new coop. They were confined to their coop for about 2 weeks while I finished their pen. During that time I had little contact with them except for feed and water which my wife did a lot of anyway. They were around 9 weeks old when they were put in their coop. For a time I saw no resumption of their former affections, but gradually it came back with the barred rocks first, especially Jumper. It was all barred rocks for awhile then Henny Penny started to come around. Eventually two of the black aussies, Midnight and Oprah came around.
It is impossible to sneak up to the gate because if one sees us there is a stampede to the gate. When they were tiny I used to whistle a tune called 'Rocky Top' when I fed them. Now even if they cannot see me, if they hear that song, they absolutely stampede to me or to the gate. They explode from the coop like you cannot believe, sometimes flying 25 - 30 ft across the run towards me or the gate. The exception is when any are on the nest laying or sitting on a clutch of eggs. Then they stay inside even tho they hear me and the others have already stampeded to me. I always save some treats for any that are doing their duty in the coop and feed them from my hand while they are on the nest. Some refuse, but most gobble it up.
One barred rock I call Nipper because she jumps up and nips at my hand. She was a latecomer, and wants to be picked up and held, so I do. There is one lame runt who may have gotten hurt while in the 2 week confinement in the coop. She is a barred rock called Chirpy because she could not cluck when all of the others could. All she could do was chirp because her voice had not matured. She is a pet of sorts too but cannot muscle in with the others due to standing on one leg all of the time. I have to pick her up to see that she gets a good share of treats. I am trying to feed her cottage cheese with several herbal supplements that are good for joints to see if she will improve. I suspect that she is the only one not laying at this time (6 1/2 months old and her comb is still pink and her wattles small)
I have no fighting ever in the flock, only the normal occasional peck if one bumps into another in pursuit of food. No bullying that I can see, having smacked a buff comet off of her roost and immediately shutting off the lights two consecutive evenings when I caught her pecking Chirpy (who was just trying to hunker down and sleep where she was.) After the 2nd time I did not see that bullying repeated.
My coop and run are both large so that helps regarding behavior towards each other. Jumper will jump up on my shoulder now if I stoop to do something out there. Yesterday Midnight jumped on my arm because I was feeding Chirpy in my arms. I have had a couple of barred rocks including jumper do that. My wife and I sometimes take camping chairs to the run and sit awhile in the late afternoon. In short order I will have 4 or 5 chooks on me, lap and shoulders. My wife will always get 2 or 3 as well. Chipry does not try to do it because of her bad leg, so sometimes we just pick her up and hold her too so she is not left out. Even the buff comets have come around and do jump up too at this time of day. Barred rocks and two aussies lead this activity but Henny Penny (RIR) is never left out either. The comets are in on the act too, but strictly for the occasional treats I think.
Chickens are more interesting than I ever could have imagined. I doubt that I could kill one that has become such a pet. They cost a nickel a day to feed so that is not a concern. Most of mine will probably die of old age.
They grew to where I eventually had three of the long boxes before I took them to their new coop. They were confined to their coop for about 2 weeks while I finished their pen. During that time I had little contact with them except for feed and water which my wife did a lot of anyway. They were around 9 weeks old when they were put in their coop. For a time I saw no resumption of their former affections, but gradually it came back with the barred rocks first, especially Jumper. It was all barred rocks for awhile then Henny Penny started to come around. Eventually two of the black aussies, Midnight and Oprah came around.
It is impossible to sneak up to the gate because if one sees us there is a stampede to the gate. When they were tiny I used to whistle a tune called 'Rocky Top' when I fed them. Now even if they cannot see me, if they hear that song, they absolutely stampede to me or to the gate. They explode from the coop like you cannot believe, sometimes flying 25 - 30 ft across the run towards me or the gate. The exception is when any are on the nest laying or sitting on a clutch of eggs. Then they stay inside even tho they hear me and the others have already stampeded to me. I always save some treats for any that are doing their duty in the coop and feed them from my hand while they are on the nest. Some refuse, but most gobble it up.
One barred rock I call Nipper because she jumps up and nips at my hand. She was a latecomer, and wants to be picked up and held, so I do. There is one lame runt who may have gotten hurt while in the 2 week confinement in the coop. She is a barred rock called Chirpy because she could not cluck when all of the others could. All she could do was chirp because her voice had not matured. She is a pet of sorts too but cannot muscle in with the others due to standing on one leg all of the time. I have to pick her up to see that she gets a good share of treats. I am trying to feed her cottage cheese with several herbal supplements that are good for joints to see if she will improve. I suspect that she is the only one not laying at this time (6 1/2 months old and her comb is still pink and her wattles small)
I have no fighting ever in the flock, only the normal occasional peck if one bumps into another in pursuit of food. No bullying that I can see, having smacked a buff comet off of her roost and immediately shutting off the lights two consecutive evenings when I caught her pecking Chirpy (who was just trying to hunker down and sleep where she was.) After the 2nd time I did not see that bullying repeated.
My coop and run are both large so that helps regarding behavior towards each other. Jumper will jump up on my shoulder now if I stoop to do something out there. Yesterday Midnight jumped on my arm because I was feeding Chirpy in my arms. I have had a couple of barred rocks including jumper do that. My wife and I sometimes take camping chairs to the run and sit awhile in the late afternoon. In short order I will have 4 or 5 chooks on me, lap and shoulders. My wife will always get 2 or 3 as well. Chipry does not try to do it because of her bad leg, so sometimes we just pick her up and hold her too so she is not left out. Even the buff comets have come around and do jump up too at this time of day. Barred rocks and two aussies lead this activity but Henny Penny (RIR) is never left out either. The comets are in on the act too, but strictly for the occasional treats I think.
Chickens are more interesting than I ever could have imagined. I doubt that I could kill one that has become such a pet. They cost a nickel a day to feed so that is not a concern. Most of mine will probably die of old age.
Probably anyone that has chickens that have been highly socialized with humans will realize how smart they can be.
My red sex link learned how to use one of those rolling dog balls that has the holes in it that will spill out treats if you roll it. Her and her EE friend love to roll it around when I put black oil sunflower seeds in it. In fact, if I just throw the seeds out in the yard, they just ignore them, they would rather have the challenge of rolling that silly ball.
It took her about 10 days to figure it out, but she has it down now, fun to watch her.
Also I kept them in the house at night, they learned the living room was absolutely OFF LIMITS. I could even trust them to run around the house for a couple hours and not go in the living room. Three chickens learned that, one never did figure it out.
And I have a little silkie, Dash that is very smart as far as "learned" behavior goes. One time I was sitting at the kitchen table and eating and reading the paper and ignoring her. So she got very frustrated, walked over to the trash can, pecked on it loudly, then walked back to see if THAT was enuff noise to get attention. I thought it was funny, so I fed her some, then ignored her again. Sure enuff, she goes over to the trash can again, pecked loudly..came back.
She did this repeatedly...so she has learned that little trick. Its very funny to see her do it. I love that silly chicken to pieces.
My red sex link learned how to use one of those rolling dog balls that has the holes in it that will spill out treats if you roll it. Her and her EE friend love to roll it around when I put black oil sunflower seeds in it. In fact, if I just throw the seeds out in the yard, they just ignore them, they would rather have the challenge of rolling that silly ball.
It took her about 10 days to figure it out, but she has it down now, fun to watch her.
Also I kept them in the house at night, they learned the living room was absolutely OFF LIMITS. I could even trust them to run around the house for a couple hours and not go in the living room. Three chickens learned that, one never did figure it out.
And I have a little silkie, Dash that is very smart as far as "learned" behavior goes. One time I was sitting at the kitchen table and eating and reading the paper and ignoring her. So she got very frustrated, walked over to the trash can, pecked on it loudly, then walked back to see if THAT was enuff noise to get attention. I thought it was funny, so I fed her some, then ignored her again. Sure enuff, she goes over to the trash can again, pecked loudly..came back.
She did this repeatedly...so she has learned that little trick. Its very funny to see her do it. I love that silly chicken to pieces.
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I think we all need to start selectively breeding for smartness... see what we can come up with.
I forgot to mention the red sexlink hen that rolls the dog ball, I dont use it at all in the winter, but she still "remembers" how to use it when I give it back to her in the spring/summer.
The other hen got killed in a dog attack this fall.
They would have been four years old this coming spring.
The other hen got killed in a dog attack this fall.
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