What is a chickens sense of smell like ?

[gallusdomesticus]

Of course chickens have saliva! How do you think they get their food down? Here's a link talking about it.

http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/27_2705.htm

Chickens do have taste buds as the links to the Univ of Florida agricultural extension website another member shows but the birds do not have an innate sense of what is edible or inedible which is the reason they will eat styrofoam, staples, plastic, and any odd manner of inedible things.

As far as a sense of smell, the article below says they have an acute sense of smell:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/17563.php

Overall, while they may not appreciate Eau d'cologne or a nice merlot.....they've got the same five senses we do.

 

[Reg]

Looks like i'm just going to have to do some tests when i get my birds.

Thanks for replys

 

[Pinky]

Quote:

Gallus Gallus, the chicken, is the first bird to have its genome sequenced by scientists.

Go chicken! I learn something new every day here.
On topic now, I do believe chickens have a sense of smell and taste. Once whe free ranging my chickens I found a bug I thought my hen, Miss Prissy, would like. I pointed to it and she grabbed it. That was when we knew it was a stink bug and the smell made her drop the bug. Now we both stay away from bugs that look like that.​

 

[featherbaby]

Quote:
What is source for "no saliva"?

My avian vet that I take my Cockatoos to, told me that, and said she didn't think chickens had saliva either. Can't wait to print out some of the info and show her next time I go. HA! Just proves you can't trust anyone, even a supposed expert. Gotta find out for yourself. Thanks folks!

 

[lewishe]

I believe that not only do chickens taste as sited here but that they develop preferences. Some of my girls love kale while others have nothing to do with it. The roo will pick at different grasses testing and then spitting them out until he finds a specially delectable variety and then he calls the girls and watch them come running! One girl loves apple peels and another turns her "nose" up at them waiting instead for the apple halves where she eats all but the peel

Just like kids and husbands !

 

[cabincrazyone]

Quote:
Bingo! There's a lot about this in other threads.

 

[centrarchid]

Check this out.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.e...20749324d2c15b0078ed798de296cabaf384b7ef78a54

 

[tn_artist]

Everything that I have ever read indicates that chickens and most birds do not have a sense of taste or smell. If you buried the corn, they would go over there and start scratching because they would be attracted by the disturbance of the soil. They are very much visual feeders.

If they can't taste, then why do mine come running and flying when they see the meal worm bag, and scarf them up and the scratch feed lays there for days, especially the corn. It is also obvious that they prefer meal worms over crickets and flys. Mine will even eat all the grapes and cherries before touching the little tomatoes. Is there something else to it?