# do chickens have good memories?



## realsis

This might seem like a silly question but I was wondering if chickens have good memories? Do they remember people, other siblings? I am asking because I just ordered my last silkie. It was raised with my current silkie the 21/2 month old. It will also be 21/2 months old. The same breeder raised them together but will they remember each other or recognise each other or do they forget fast? I've read about 15 books and none addressed the memory of a chicken. Do they have a decent memory, or do they not? I would assume they do have a memory because they can be trained to pick colors, and things like that. What do you all think about this? I'd love to hear some opinions or stories on chickens memory. Thanks so much! All opinions are welcome!


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## Keith

I think chickens recognize people. It could be a fluke but they will come right up to me as soon as they see me, they don't do that with other people.


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## realsis

Thanks for the reply! I'm thinking they must have memory because they can be trained also like your story, they know their owner! I wonder?


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## BantamHero

All my chickens come to me and follow me around as of other people they flee!! Lol but I don't no if they recognize there siblings if they were separated for awhile?!?


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## WeeLittleChicken

Well my old Serama hen witnessed me crack one of my heavy breed girl's eggs open for the dog and she hasn't stopped pecking at my hand for a week. LoL. She was docile before but I think she believes me to be a murderer now... or it could be coincidence. She could be going senile. She is old.


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## toybarons

I think they do. I know they recognize the people who are kind to them. They certainly seem to know their names. My rooster Bradley will immediately stand up and beat his wings when I tell him he is handsome. My other roo Rocky will fly up into my hands when I put them out in front of him. I think much of it too is the tone of voice used. Birds can recognize when the tone of your voice is pleasant and when it's not. 

Now remembering another chicken? That's intriguing question. I think they can. Here's why. I have brooded chicks together. Handled them, ect as pets. When they get old enough I move them to their respected coops. Sometimes I will need to remove a bird for some reason. I have noticed that even after time apart, sometimes even months, when I put them back together that bird that was removed is often greeted back into the flock. I've seen the pecking order at work with introduced birds into a flock. Birds will confront the newbie and get pushed around, feathers pulled until the new bird submits by wedging themselves in a corner and laying down flat. The birds that grow up together don't seem to do that. Often they just go about their business as if the one was never removed from the flock at all. It might also have to do with the breed as well. Some breeds being less agressive than others?


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## rob

they definately recognise the people that feed them


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## realsis

Thank you for the replies! I wonder if the new bird will be recognized or not. This is going to be interesting! I'll let you all know Tuesday. I'm kind of hoping they will recognize one another so the new bird won't get picked on. I'll just have to see how that goes. Wish me luck. With them being so young as 2 1/2 months old, I'm hoping the integration won't be bad. That's my prayer! I just Hope this ones as kind as my others! All silkies so hopefully it won't be too bad! I'm just in love with the silkie breed!


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## Roslyn

In my experience chickens have short memories. If you remove one for a week, you don't want to just toss them back into the flock, but maybe separate them within sight for a day or two. In that week the pecking order has shifted and the one that was removed may have to tussle it out. I have had injured hens that needed to be kept separate, however I kept them in a 4x5 chicken wire pen that I put into the main run area. That way they are separate, but the other hens come up for a visit and they talk etc. This way they don't lose their place or get forgotten during their recovery.

I do remember reading somewhere that a chicken has the brain capacity to recognize by sight 100 other chickens.


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## Energyvet

I don't know if that reflects memory or social order.


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## Roslyn

Energyvet said:


> I don't know if that reflects memory or social order.


That's true.

I do know that even if you raise a flock together from peeps, and then separate them for more than two weeks they act like they never saw that chicken and it's like you are mixing a completely new chicken into your flock.

When we moved to the new house, it was the year of the broody disease, so I had started bringing some of the young ones over, then started bringing the chickens in groups. Well, I found after about 2 weeks they acted like they didn't know each other, even though they had been together for 2 and 3 years, so I built the pen that I use and I kept the groups to 4 or 5 chickens. It took a long time to move the whole flock.

If I had to do it again, I would find boxes and carriers and try to move the whole flock inside a few days to not have to go through that again. But I also had the joy of keeping 6 Mama hens and their peeps separate on top of everything else. I did love the Astralorps, but wow, broody was a dirty word for me after that.


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## fuzziebutt

I saw this on FB just this morning, posted by a friend of mine.


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## realsis

Very cool!


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## Energyvet

Fuzz, I have seen this before and wanted to post but didn't have it in my photos. Thank you for that and I agree these guys are smart. They also don't trust easily as they are birds. Good for them, I could use that lesson myself! Lol. Anyhow, I think their social structure is constantly in flux and shifting and that is why just a few days can make a big difference of who is the in crowd.


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