• Ex Nummis@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      Having owned many chickens over the years, their actual intelligence varies quite a bit. In my experience the regular brown laying hens don’t usually have too much going on “up there”. Pedigreed chickens are usually a good bit smarter. I assume this is mostly because of mass breeding which hasn’t occurred with “fancy” breeds nearly as much as with staple animals.

      • southsamurai@sh.itjust.works
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        7 days ago

        Yeah, our hen is unusually smart for a chicken, compared to the rooster or the basis volunteer hens we’ve had around. Shes a marans, and they’ve been bred well for a long time.