- Jan 1, 2009
- 344
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My Silkie hen is content to be picked up and plopped somewhere... where she will stare off into space for hours and hours... unless she's eating, she's pretty much a blank slate. I've never known chickens to stare vapidly off into the ether!
... and then there's the Barred Rock, whom I'm posting a frantic post about (because she's a chick, meant to replace the rooster that the Silkie grew up with but rehomed due to crowing...and the Silkie is attacking her, so they live separately which is a lot of work... if you have advice... ) but anyway, I was saying that the Barred Rock is totally the opposite : for one thing, even at 4 weeks, she flies, so she's constantly checking out the family... jump/flying from head to head. She's precocious and eats out of our mouths, runs desperately after me and my son whom she's adopted as flockmates... and she is smart! She recognizes that water bottles contain water so she pecks at them when she wants water (she has plenty available, just wants ours) She seems to learn new things after the third try, whereas the Silkie seems to enjoy watching TV with the hubby all day if allowed- and I think she'd starve or die of thirst if we didn't put her out in the yard for feeding time...
I don't know if this is measurable intelligence or if it's just a difference in personality & breed. Either way, I like them both the way they are and only wish they'd get along.
... and then there's the Barred Rock, whom I'm posting a frantic post about (because she's a chick, meant to replace the rooster that the Silkie grew up with but rehomed due to crowing...and the Silkie is attacking her, so they live separately which is a lot of work... if you have advice... ) but anyway, I was saying that the Barred Rock is totally the opposite : for one thing, even at 4 weeks, she flies, so she's constantly checking out the family... jump/flying from head to head. She's precocious and eats out of our mouths, runs desperately after me and my son whom she's adopted as flockmates... and she is smart! She recognizes that water bottles contain water so she pecks at them when she wants water (she has plenty available, just wants ours) She seems to learn new things after the third try, whereas the Silkie seems to enjoy watching TV with the hubby all day if allowed- and I think she'd starve or die of thirst if we didn't put her out in the yard for feeding time...
I don't know if this is measurable intelligence or if it's just a difference in personality & breed. Either way, I like them both the way they are and only wish they'd get along.