What's The "Smartest" Thing You've Seen a Chicken Do?

[scratch'n'peck]

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So she saw you take her egg inside, or is this a story of chicken ESP?

no it had already was hatched and there was no way she saw me take her in she was locked in the coop at the time i took the chick in the house. and it wasnt churping eather. when i opened the door she went stright to the bed room inside the dog kennel that i had the chick in and sat on her so i decided i would keep both of them inside after that.. if shes smart enough to walk all though out my house to find her last remaining chick then she deserves to be with her right??

That shows she's smart and has a great maternal instinct, too. I would have let her raise the chick, too.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

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I can just imagine her waiting and watching for her opportunity. A photo of her perching on the steering wheel would be too funny.

 

[zzGypsy]

scratch'n'peck :

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I can just imagine her waiting and watching for her opportunity. A photo of her perching on the steering wheel would be too funny.

ha! I'll see if I can catch her at it...

this morning she brought another chicken with her... 'cause you know she's gonna have to recruit one of the other chickens to operate the gas and brake before she can get the car out of the yard...​

 

[GardenGal]

zzGypsy, I think you should get a cow and a llama just to round things out

This isn't exactly smart, but it amused me. Our most talkative hen - not the most outgoing, just the chattiest - left the run and followed me into the coop this morning. I was cleaning out the nesting boxes and she stood by me and talked the entire time. I thought she needed to lay an egg so I worked as quickly as possible. When I left the coop so did she! She just needed to talk, I guess

 

[Help_battery_hens]

i love this thread... i dont know if this is smart but it shows about teh relationships that chickens have with each other. In May i rescued four battery hens from a commercial farm. they were all too weak and in shock but after the first couple of weeks started to bond and develop a pecking order. everything was great between them but Georgina an especially emaciated bird would chase the biggest hen Chloe (the bird in my pic) and seemed not to like her. but when i would go down on a night time and peep in the nest box (they dont know how to roost) i would find Georgina snuggled up to Chloe every night with her head resting on Chloe's back. her back was totally bald and i was wondering if she might be keeping her warm. Unfortunately three months later Georgina died of peritonitis

(miss her awfully) and i had her in the house with me after taking her to the vets. when she passed away we decided to bury her in her favourite scratching spot and i took her down the garden. all the girls ran over to me and looked at her and they lined up one by one to see her all in turn (i have seen this is horses too). Chloe stayed with her right until we wrapped her up and put her in the grave.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

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Chickens are certainly social, whether they are just chatting us up or actively training us to do their bidding. Of course just managing their place in the pecking order takes some social intelligence.

 

[GardenGal]

Battery hens, that's so sweet. Brought tears to my eyes. Supposed to be getting ready for work and here I am crying about someone's chicken. Really sweet though, poor battered birds.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

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That story brings tears to my eyes. I have read stories and seen photos of chimps and elephants dealing with a loss of a group member.

I love that adopted ex bats get the chance to live a fuller life even if it ends up being only for a short while as in the case of Georgina.

 

[Help_battery_hens]

aw yes i was crying again when i wrote it. i just get so upset when i think of little Georgina although i know in her last three months she was truely happy. Thank you for your lovely comments. i have to say i have been astounded by my girls intelligence and social structure and habbits. they may only say buk buk buk but when you get to k now them they literally do talk and communicate so clearly both to each other to me and to my dog. they know their names and are just such joys to care for... i am an official chicken addict.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I just came across a thread that said a roo was given away to someone who lived around two miles away and he ended up returning to his flock. I guess we cant prove that the new owner didn't help the rooster out, but we have heard similar stories with other types of animals.