I have had chickens and they are not smart. I watched my chickens standing out in a very heavy rain storm looking straight up at the rain coming down. Several of them stood there so long their nostrils filled with rain water and they drowned! True story!
I agree, having raised them in my early teens.
I thought hens were the dumbest things I had ever seen.
Roosters on the other hand were brighter, and seemed to have much more sense.
I recall my grandmother telling me you could hypnotize a hen.
We got a length of string, and laid it out as straight as possible.
Then got on our knees and held the chicken quietly with it’s beak on the tip of the string, so it could gaze down the string’s length.
After a minute or two you could gently release your hold on the hen, and it would stay there for several minutes before “snapping” and walking away.
My friend “Kookie” (from across the street), and I, would each do that to a chicken at the same time to see which one would last longer.
A contest!
Astounding.
Especially to a 13 year old.
“I have had chickens and they are not smart. I watched my chickens standing out in a very heavy rain storm looking straight up at the rain coming down. Several of them stood there so long their nostrils filled with rain water and they drowned! True story!”
I saw the same thing happen when I raised quail. Good thing they are stupid, I would feel bad eating a smart animal. :-)