A chicken has the ability to be asleep and awake at the same time. The left eye is connected to the right side of the brain, while the left side of the brain controls the right eye. So the chicken can close one eye and sleep while the other stays open and alert.
Chickens can recognize up to 100 faces—and have been found to associate the faces they remember with the positive or negative experiences. Chickens can also show love and affection for the humans who care for them, and they certainly remember the humans they know and how those humans may have treated them.
Chickens prefer to perch off the ground and sleep on a roost; they do not sleep standing up. Chickens fly, walk, or hop up to their roosting areas and then sit on their feet to sleep.
Most people don't get chickens for affection, however many owners will agree that they share a special bond with their chickens. Just as dogs are devoted and loyal, chickens show their affection for example by following you around. They can even run to you when you call them or eat treats out of your hand.
However, chickens do not have night vision. They can't see in the dark. But chickens can sense whether it is light or dark through the pineal gland. The pineal gland sits above her midbrain behind her eyes, and allows a chicken to sense daylight as well as the changing seasons.
Chickens can recognise up to 100 faces
Chickens don't just recognise other chickens, either. These faces included those of humans! Chickens even remember positive or negative experiences with the faces they recognise and pass that information on to members of their flocks.
High Energy. The easiest and fastest way to know if your chickens are happy is to watch them. A content chicken will participate in normal chicken activities, such as pecking and scratching the ground, taking a dust bath, hunting for bugs, nesting, preening, and laying eggs.
The truth is, chickens use their sharp memory everyday to survive and live a fulfilling life! Our feathered friends remember through repetition and association. Although scientists aren't quite sure how long a chicken's memory lasts, they have confirmed their capability for short-term and long-term memory.
They know their own names.
Not only can chickens recognise when their name is called if it is used consistently enough, they can also recognise the names of other chickens around them.
Chickens are well-adapted to survive even very cold winter weather. Their feathers provide excellent insulation, and the birds can fluff their feathers to create an even warmer coat. They may even tuck their bills or feet into fluffy feathers to keep those bare parts warm.
Morning Egg Laying Session:
When they wake up, the hens start their day by alternately eating breakfast and laying eggs.
Like most birds, chickens sleep whenever it is dark and will wake as soon as the morning grows light enough for them to start their daily routine.
When a chicken is happy, cozy, and safe, they will close their eyes and purr softly. This is one of the funnier chicken facts—you'll just have to trust us on this one.
When a chicken always seems to be following you around, it is simply trying to express how adored you are! Sure, sometimes chickens follow you when they want food or treats, but that isn't always the case.
Chickens normally peck at feet, toes and clothing because they're inquisitive or they think there's something on you which they can eat. This is a common behaviour in most chickens especially when they're younger. In some rarer cases, a chicken may peck at feet as an act of aggression and to show domination.
A grieving hen avoids interacting with the flock and sits in a corner with puffed-up feathers like a chicken that feels ill. Some mourn only temporarily, but others never seem to recover from the loss of a flockmate.
Chickens can solve complex problems and have a keen sense of time. Chickens fed at the same time each day know when their caregiver is “late” and will make a racket to voice their displeasure; backyard chickens moved from pasture to run at the same time each day will wait at the gate at the correct time.
Chicken lifespans vary widely, with the average being somewhere around 5-10 years. The oldest chicken ever, Muffy (USA, 1989 - 2012), was a Red Quill Muffed American Game who lived to the age of 23 years 152 days.
Treat Them
Treats can help teach your chickens how you want to be loved. When you reward their loving behavior with treats, they are more likely to continue that behavior in order to receive more treats. Eventually, they may even act that way out of habit or because they've learned to actually love it!
Spend Quality Time
One of the best ways to get your flock to trust you is to spend time with them. If they're chicks, pick them up and spend some one-on-one time with them every day. Let them see your face and talk to them. They will get comfortable with you and even nap in your hands or on your lap.
Many chickens love being given affection and one key way you can give it to them is by petting them. However, they usually only allow this type of contact once they get used to you and if you interact with them calmly and gently.
Chickens may eye pin when they're anticipating a treat, or, like some of my hens, they may do it when they're just chilling on your lap and you happen to get eye contact for a moment. In that case, I like to think my hens are telling me they love me.
Evidence shows that chickens not only feel emotions but that their emotions can be complex. This includes both positive emotions, such as excitement for a treat, and negative ones, such as anxious anticipation of an unpleasant experience.