who else thinks that a chick hatched under a broody is so much smarter

[they'reHISchickens]

"Nature knows what she's doing - we fake it as best we can."

That says it all BorderKelpie. In all species What was that old TV commercial: It's not nice to fool Mother Nature! ? But we do keep trying and trying

 

[centrarchid]

Some brood hens can and do raise chicks that are readily socializd to humans. Hens add another dimension but if your are carefull, the hen will tolerate such an arrangement. At same time chicks can be schooled in ranging about for food without ever consuming any prepared chicken feed. They are also promoted to fear predators. They are called up to suitable roosts when old enough.

I think hen raised are better suited for survival in a free range setting owing to experiential learning provided by the hen.

Another factor is that some breeds may be more intelligent than others. Incubator and brooder has contributed to this. Idiots may do better in simpler environment.

 

[darkmatter]

I don't know about smarter, but they do seem to learn what to eat free ranging better by watching the motherhen.

 

[gryeyes]

I know they feather out much faster, because they aren't as protected as are the brooder babies. Smarter? Not convinced of that.

 

[Baralak]

I'm no expert of smartness... I have a few that show a little more smarts than others, With that being said... I can compare personality between Hatchery chicks and Incubated chicks. Currently in my flock, My older girls were all hatchery chicks, they were ok growing up, but never that follow you around kinda chick. My seramas follow me around the yard when I'm outside with them, and my last batch of mixes, I have to watch were I step. Infact if my EE roo gets going, my seramas (minus my serama roo, who got mounted today..lol) will jump up on me. Both the seramas, and my 11 Heinz 57's were all hatched here. I have 2 from that batch that seem to enjoy being picked up. Not so with my hatchery girls.

 

[WriterofWords]

It's like a child who is born to parents who read to them and they pick up reading much quicker than the child born to illiterate parents and has no support. As much as we love our little feathered children we can't get down and teach them how to scratch or take a dirt bath and hide from a hawk, but the broody does all that for them and they learn faster.