[sandy]

Is it me or do Chickens have a language of their own, has anyone studied chicken language? Mine talk a lot. When I go with food they say something like” what what what” and when I shut them up they are mumbling then they say “Hush” or something similar, then when I am digging they say ” me me me” they certainly sound like they have their own language and it is funny.

[Rosemary]

They certainly have a good vocal range with very definite "words and phrases" for different happenings. I will be sure to listen more closely in future!

[Francis Bacon]

I love my chooks but there are a couple in particular that talk & putter away, like 2 grumpy old women & I love listening to them, they are really funny and such characters always getting into mischief together, so we decided to call them Thelma & Louise
Donna

[pigsatlesrues]

Donna - listen to your mummy hen with her chicks.  She will give them definate instructions as she teaches them their skills.  It is quite amazing really, and when she gives her 'come here' command the chicks will all come running!

Good thread!

Kate 

[Kev]

Lets be honest here - there isn't really anything "amazing" about chickens clucking. All animals have a form of communication and even more so with their young. Given that chickens are one of the dumbest birds (and I use that in a Darwinian sense) out there it is even more "amazing" that they can (a) recognise other feathered friends & (b) cluck at all. All those chicken jokes aren't for nowt, they really are the dumbest of dumb except perhaps for the wonderful booby bird of the galapagos islands.

Lets not forget that these idiots of the feathered world (ok..ok...Australian Gala's do take the perverbial seed cake) are domesticated to provide for us. The overly sentimental anecdotes would be best used for those non domesticated animals that really do need help.

here endeth my rant...except for "oh fer feeks sake they are just chickens"

[rorsa]

Well said Kev.

[Rosemary]

If you don't like it, don't read it.

[sandy]

Chikcens may be dumb but some species that are clever make less agreeable company, what is the cleverest animal? I sometimes wish I was more simple minded, ( I mean that as in less complicated) then I would have less to worry about, just food, shelter and safety, yes like the chickens. I worked with a fmily with an Autistic mum of 13 and who ws cared for by his mother who drank too much most day's. As with a lot of peole within the Autistic spectrum range, they can have an obsession, this boy's was Chickens. One day while I was engageing with the boy, his mother kept butting in slurring how many of her relatives were dead, she kept weeping, then she looked at the boy and said, " he took out all the family photos from the album and replaced them with pictures of chickens, I was so upset" I could see why he did that. Hope I have not offended anyone. Sandy, maybe I am not that clever after all.

[countrygirlatheart]

I love listening to their chattering and interpreting it.  Just the other day after opening the pophole Blondie grabbed a few mouthfuls of pellets and unusually about turned straight back in to the coop making a different noise from usual as she turned to Millie and said "back in a mo Millie there's an egg on the way" and Millie said "ok see you in a bit" hee hee   They also make happy burbling 'furbie' type noises when settling in for the night and stroppy 'oi watch it' noises when OH and I move their house around at night and OH doesn't keep their house level (he gets the heavy end to lift!)  Evil Edna also 'announces' the arrival of her daily egg so loudly I'm waiting for her to be ASBO'd !

[sandy]

Me too, I love hearing them mumble when they are in there hutch, sounds like a group of girls chatting just before they go to sleep. I also hear one of mine make a funny noise when she lay's egg's...Amusing arn't they?

[Francis Bacon]

If you don't like it, don't read it.

My thought's entirely Rosemary  I was always taught as a child if you can't say anything nice, don't say it at all 

[Kev]

Rosemary/Francis Bacon - you have seemed to miss the point of my post. There is IMO (which is what any forum is there for as well as exchange of ideas, info, help etc) too much "humanisation" attributed to chickens which is fine for those that wish to however the balance of that is my post which sets out to remind folks that they are after all VERY dumb birds.

Its all about ying & yang in any forum and I'd be so bold as to suggest that neither of you obviously "like" a post that isn't explicity saying how wonderful chickens are. There is nothing in my post that is offensive or in any way suggests the school yard "if you don't like it don't read it" or "I was always taught as a child if you can't say anything nice, don't say it at all"

Accept that not everyone shares the need to attribute humanisation elements to chickens and those that don't are equally at liberty in our free society to give their opinion as a balance - as long as it is not offensive which my post wasn't. If it was perceived that way then again that is someone else's perception & not my opinion.

Chickens are dumb!! But they lay eggs end of.

[Tweedle]

Wouldn't the intelligence level of any animal be relative to what you are comparing it to? They have survived until now same as we have. By assigning a "level of intelligence" to any animal, are you not humanizing them yourself? Just by saying it is a smart or dumb bird you are assigning human values to it.
As far as whether they are just dumb birds goes, what are you using as a measure? They know which bugs to eat and which to stay away from and which plants are better than others, I couldn’t tell you that...  They instinctively know to build a nest in a dark protected area to lay there eggs in. They know to take care of there young and protect them. (That is the ones that haven't been breed by people to not be broody)They know to roost as high as they can to not get eaten at night. They have survived this long and that is more than you can say for millions of other species, and in my humble opinion that takes a degree of intelligence.
They do have documented vocal patterns used to warn others of danger or food or to scare predators or establish dominance, so just because they don’t write poetry is not to say they don’t "talk" in there own way. Along with vocal patterns they also use body language and posturing as people do.
They do show primal emotions, you can defiantly tell when they are scared or content or angry. They have a desire to be in large numbers and watch out for each other as people do. As with people are some that are mean, some that are nice, and some that are just weird/goofy and some that are affectionate just as people are. I have had all sorts of them over the years.
I guess my point is that intelligence is relative. Kev you are right chickens are not people but that doesn’t mean they are just dumb birds either. They can’t do many things people can  do, but on the other hand can you fly, or lay an egg, or sleep standing on a tree branch, or have taken care of yourself at only one day old?
 

[doganjo]

Excellent post, Tweedle.  My neighbour and friend, who has a degree in geology and a Post grad diploma in Law, as well as numerous certificates in Chinese medicine, has raised four great kids, goes picking up with the two labs she trained herself, never having had a dog before, looked after my chickens for a weekend. When I returned she said - 'do you know your chickens talk?  I knew roughly what they were saying too.'  So an intelligent human being could understand an intelligent bird by the sound of things.  I know what they say too, because I listen to them.  Perhaps you have never listened, Kev?
Annie

[gillian]

hi Kev

After first being abit irritated at your comments (more the tone than content), i re read and thought, yeh my silkies are dumb, but they are soo funny at being dumb that they make me smile, worryingly enough i have one smarter than the other! dumber and dumber.   BUT i still enjoy them.   

Hope yours are laying again.