11 Surprising Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Chickens (PHOTOS)

11 Surprising Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Chickens (PHOTOS)

  • Sarah Von Alt
  • Sarah Von Alt

1. Chickens pass down knowledge from generation to generation.

2. Chickens experience rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, meaning they have vivid dreams just like we do!

3. Chickens are able to recognize more than 100 individual faces, not only of chickens but also of humans.

4. Hens begin communicating with their chicks before they even hatch! When the babies are still inside their shells, the mother hen clucks softly to them and they chirp back.

5. Chickens have amazing color vision. In fact, their retinas can detect some ultraviolet wavelengths, which are invisible to the human eye!

6. Chickens are able to understand that recently hidden objects still exist. This is beyond the capability of a two-year-old child.

7. Chickens can empathize with peers in danger and use their previous experiences to inform decision making.

8. Chickens use more than 20 distinct vocalizations for communication.

9. According to Smithsonian, there are more chickens in the world than any other bird species.

10. Chickens form complex social hierarchies known as “pecking orders.” Each chicken knows his or her place on this social ladder.

Love chickens? You can protect them from harm by leaving them (and their eggs) off your plate for good.

Click here to order your FREE Vegetarian Starter Guide.