chuckmum6 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Did anyone else hear the item on the Today programme on radio four about the research into chickens and their ability to empathise? Research has been carried out to see if chickens display emotion towards another chicken in distress, the study looked at the reaction of a mother hen towards her chicks being mildly distressed (they had air puffed at them). As expected her heart rate increased and she became vocal. A fairly predictable instinct of a mother young relationship, further studies have/are being carried out with adult chickens. The conclusion was chickens have empathy to others in distress, which has welfare implications for how they are slaughtered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 It's in the Daily Mail too. Seems obvious to me - mums always worry about their offspring. Why should chickens be any different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Chickens certainly seem to have special friends amongst the flock so I would think that means that they can empathise with one another. I recently dropped one of mine by accident and her 'friend' came running up as if to make sure she was alright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percy049 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 when one's unwell, they stay with her usually imstead of going off by themselves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Seems obvious to me - mums always worry about their offspring. Why should chickens be any different? Me too. Bossy, my head girl, has been checking up on Maisie, last year's hatch, as she has just started to lay. Bossy heads up the ladder and takes a peek into the nest box. Once she seems happy that Maisie is there and OK, she toddles off back to the others. It's very sweet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickanne Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 They certainly seem to communicate. My pair stay together all the time and call for one another if separated except when one has gone off to lay an egg. If I've had them penned on grass and one of them is bleating to be allowed to go and lay, I lift the fence and she's off down the garden to the Eglu 20m away and round the corner. The other is totally unconcerned and will remain that way for over half an hour. Under any other circumstances like me taking one out for a mite powder treatment they kick off big time. If only I could hear their conversations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I'm pretty certain they can empathise - last year we lost our top hen, Kent, to peritonitis. Within a few short days she went from being a strong, active hen to being paralysed. On her last day, her friend Kiki refused to leave her side, and when Kent was unable to even leave the nesting box we placed her on the previous day, Kiki still refused to leave her, even to eat. She was with Kent to the end, and at what we now realise was the moment of Kent's death, Kiki lept onto my girlfriend's lap and buried her head deep under my girlfriend's arm. Shortly after she went to be alone in what was then a spare Eglu and sat clucking gently to herself for 15 mins. We reckon she was probably crying. A recent memory from happier times was the other week when I banged my head on the WIR roof - when I cried out in pain, Kiki came running over to see that I was OK. Yep, I'm pretty certain they can empathise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Oh what a sweet hen Kiki must be. Your story is sad, but heart warming too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henhathnofury Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 When one of my chickens died, another of my chickens Desdemona looked for her in the shed - in every corner. She then rushed into the house and went in every room. She was distressed. All of us who have chickens already how wonderful our girls are....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
