Why why WHY are chickens SO stupid?!?

[Olive Hill]

I don't even want to know what my chickens eat. They free-range all day, every day and I'm sure they've probably ingested some interesting things.

If your door is open for airflow what about putting up a screen door in addition to the regular door there? It could keep chickens out, but still be kind of open. Or a dutch door and only shut the bottom, but that'll only work until she figures out she can fly over the top.

 

[DelcoChix]

So sorry to hear of your poultry 'challenges,' but I can relate as I also asked that same question last fall....why are they so stupid? Curiosity...birdbrains...jury is out....
My short story--small flock free ranging in our back yard last spring, neighbors little dogs (terriers) escaped and came over to spook the girls...no harm, no fowl (ha), no damage done, dogs caught (great neighbors, no issues here), and we managed to herd most of the girls back into their run, except for Phyllis, our llittle Polish hen, who chose to scoot away. I let her go as I was hanging laundry and she headed to the back of the yard...ends up that was the last time I saw her. Went to look for her a short time later, we were all checking everywhere, barn, fencerow, pasture...nothing. Felt horrible as I was the last who had seen her, I should have gone after her but we figured she, with her poor vision, had been a hawk's lunch. After two days of searching, finally gave up...but still kept an eye out for her...hoping. Well, when another load of hay was to be delivered my dh went out to re-arrange the older hay late this fall...moved some bales and found..yep, Phyllis. Well, sort of...more like a puffball of dried up bird. Seems like she had somehow flown up into the stacked hay and gotten stuck between bales...no idea how she got and felt (feel) horrible that she died the way she did...but we had no idea. Life goes on and we learn as we go...but never would have thought. Sigh. Anyways, live and learn---sort of like having a 2 year old visiting., got to poultry-proof your garage now!

 

[Cat Water]

Quote:
Delco, I'm so sorry for your little Phyllis.

I don't know what I would do if I lost Louise, my polish pullet.

I guess I have unoriginal chicken names, eh? Bojangles AND I sort of co-owned a polish named Phyllis. She was my grandparents' nieghbors' son's but I named her.


Yes, time for a garage cleaning and/or barricading

 

[gumbii]

that's scary... and like said, not dumb, but very curious and a bit of a trouble maker...


i just got a size 2 fishing hook in my thumb... i have a pic on photobucket, but it's too awesome...


i wouldn't want to do that with a chicken... but i hear gizzard surgery isn't that bad...

 

[DelcoChix]

Quote:
Cat Water,
Thanks for your kind thoughts...it's been a few months but I still think of her at times, just with remorse...if I'd only known..and then 'stupid bird..why didn't she make any noise when trapped in the hay?'
We're in and out of the barn all day, and it's not 50 feet from the coops....well, learn as we go, right?
As far as unorigiinal chicken names? I prefer to think along the lines of "Great Minds Think Alike"

Who (over the age of 30) wouldn't think of Phyllis Diller when first seeing a Polish chicken?

 

[texascowboy1979]

Quote:
As long as nothing was periced... Id say she will be fine, it just went in and out of her crop. Ive killed a few turkeys for food, and when i opend the crop.. ive found metal nuts and metal washers... Its insane what they find.... You may have lost something a few months ago, but belive me, your chicken / turkey / bird will find it.

 

[gumbii]

Quote:
As long as nothing was periced... Id say she will be fine, it just went in and out of her crop. Ive killed a few turkeys for food, and when i opend the crop.. ive found metal nuts and metal washers... Its insane what they find.... You may have lost something a few months ago, but belive me, your chicken / turkey / bird will find it.

one of my silver sebrights has my lip stud in it's crop... he yanked it off my face one day when i was cleaning the pen... that stainless steel is going nowhere...

 

[sydney200023]

My chickens will get there head stuck in are barred fence

 

[ShellLea]

I have a Hamburg that has gotten herself in the dog kennel and used as a chew toy twice now. We finally found the piece of the fence that was stretched out enough for her to get through and fixed it. But really, twice?!