"That chickens communicate is clear: when you walk into a chicken coop they start cackling to warn each other. They mainly communicate feelings with each other, chickens sound very different when they are scared, for example. You can also see that: when one flies up, you see a whole cloud of chickens all flying up. They react to each other." Wim Peters is a poultry specialist at Vencomatic Group, he has had many questions from farmers about chickens in the field over the years. Including the question of how chickens communicate. According to Wim, they also communicate after laying an egg: "When they have laid an egg, they cackl to show where the egg is. They try to convince other chickens to lay it there as well, because a chicken lays an egg to reproduce. The place where an egg is laid must therefore be safe". "Just like ostriches, chickens are group animals. Ostriches make a communal nest in which, for example, six hens lay their eggs and two of them sit down to breed. But today's laying henscan't breed anymore: then they don't lay eggs, so that's bred out. If you still want chickens, you have to lay eggs under a ‘krielkip’ chicken that is still breeding. "A wild chicken also lives in groups, there are always the chickens that eat and other chickens that are on the lookout. If you walk into a pen, they warn each other of danger. Chickens are not quick to attack people, like a lion does. The chicken is a flight animal, they have, for example, a crop in which they can store food if they have to flee. Nature has a solution for everything..." "Chickens are really looking for fun, in our housing systems we see that there are many more eggs in some nests. Chickens seek each other out and lay eggs together, like people: they don't sit on a terrace where nobody sits either. They want to sit together.” "That's what they call courtship. A rooster seduces the hen to put it in the mood. You see this regularly in laying birds: the rooster dances, crowns and beats its wings and does everything it can to impress the hen. Important communication, otherwise they would never have been able to reproduce".
So chickens are social animals?
And what about the communication between co*ck and hen?
FAQs
How do chickens communicate? ›
"That chickens communicate is clear: when you walk into a chicken coop they start cackling to warn each other. They mainly communicate feelings with each other, chickens sound very different when they are scared, for example.
How many spoken words can a chicken recognize? ›In my family, the language of chickens continually amazes us. Scientists have discovered that chickens have more than 30 recognizable phrases used for communication, and we agree!
Do chickens recognize words? ›Yes, chickens can be taught to understand a few words. Chickens are hard to train not because they are particularly stupid (though they aren't the brightest bulbs, either), but because chickens really don't work together in natural circ*mstances. Unlike dogs, they don't hunt together.
How do chickens interact with humans? ›Not only do chickens enjoy being petted, but they also have a strong sense of empathy. During a session with a chicken, he'll likely peck at you, peep, and purr until you give him a treat. Besides being very smart, chickens are also incredibly affectionate.
What does the 🐔 mean? ›This emoji is symbolic of all things chicken, whether that's the clucking farm animal itself or a juicy fried chicken leg.
How many noises do chickens make to communicate? ›Researchers have shown that there are at least 24 different sounds chickens make and maybe as many as 30. While chickens don't have nearly the vocabulary that us humans have, and their chicken brains don't allow for abstract and deep conversations, they are still a very vocal and conversational critter.
Can chickens remember 100 faces? ›Chickens are able to recognize over 100 different faces, even after being separated for extended periods of time, highlighting their long-term memory capabilities. These faces don't just include chickens, they can recognize the faces of humans too!
Can chickens learn their names? ›Although chickens have been known to communicate through sounds, there is no scientific evidence that chickens know their names. However it is possible that you and your chickens have experienced that – especially around the time where you feed them chickens seem to respond to their name being called.
How do you say hello in chicken language? ›This is the first sound that you hear from your flock when they come up to greet you. Listen for “buh-dup” when you are out in the coop. They will use it with you and one another. Think of it as a “Hey”, “What's up?”, or “How are you doing?”.
Do chickens know they are loved? ›Chances are, you probably mean a lot more to them than they could ever say! Chickens can bond with humans just like any other pet, especially if you're actively showing them how much you care! Here are five of the subtle ways chickens show humans affection!
How intelligent are chickens? ›
Chickens are highly intelligent and sensitive creatures who form tight social bonds, can recall events from their past, recognise 100 faces, and do mathematical sums. They have a wide range of cognitive abilities that should put paid to any notion that they are not smart.
Do chickens have memory? ›Hens teach sounds to their chicks while they are still in the egg. Chickens have a profound memory and are able to distinguish between more than 100 faces of their species. They can also recognise people. Chickens are able to distinguish colours.
How do chickens say "I love you"? ›One sure sign of a chicken expressing love to you is if it actually comes to you for physical contact. Many chickens don't like to be touched, let alone petted. But if you have a feathered friend who approaches you and squats, it may be asking for just that!
Do hens like to be touched? ›Chickens have different personalities, and you may discover that some like to be petted while others would rather sit nearby. But even if they don't like your attention, you can still get them to trust you. Their temperaments can also depend on the breed.
Can chickens understand commands? ›Chickens are capable of learning. If you constantly use one specific call for one task they will respond to it. Remember to be patient and consistent. For example, if you say "Scraps!" every time you bring food out, they will learn to come get food when you say that word.
How do chickens recognize each other? ›Identification. To develop a pecking order, birds must be able to recognise individuals in a flock. This ability allows them to identify and peck only those hens lower in the pecking order. It appears that laying hens can recognise around 30 individuals, perhaps based on the shape of the comb, wattles, and head.
How do chickens vocalize? ›Birds are unique in the way they produce sound. Chickens have air sacs and a syrinx (Figure1) that they use to push air out of the body and cause thin (tympaniform) membranes to vibrate and create noise (Otu-Nyarko, 2010). Chickens can control how a vocalization sounds by contracting and relaxing the syrinx muscles.