Photos in Birds of a Feather

In Memory Of Our Little DorothyShe passed away sometime in the night. One of...

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 03:40:37 GMT

In Memory Of Our Little Dorothy

She passed away sometime in the night. One of the very first chicks we hatched on our homestead, back in 2015. She was a beautiful Partridge Chantecler hen, always so friendly. I supposed six and a half years is pretty good for a laying hen on the Saskatchewan prairie.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/virtualskysk

Photo by David B

Baby SwallowThis summer we had a family of swallows take up residence in my...

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 21:45:28 GMT

Baby Swallow

This summer we had a family of swallows take up residence in my chicken coop. They got quite used to me coming and going all summer. So, they learned not too fear me too much. This is the last of their brood getting ready to take his first leap from the nest. His brothers and sisters call to him from the other side of the coop.

Photo by David B

A great horned owl is watchingThis is why I make sure my chickens are safely...

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 00:18:47 GMT

A great horned owl is watching

This is why I make sure my chickens are safely tucked into their coop before dusk.

Photo by David B

Goose parade!

Thu, 17 Oct 2019 05:24:11 GMT

Goose parade!

Photo by David B

Canada goose in profile.

Mon, 15 Jan 2018 00:13:22 GMT

Canada goose in profile.

Photo by David B

Canada goose gosling.

Mon, 15 Jan 2018 00:14:34 GMT

Canada goose gosling.

Photo by David B

Red breasted goose

Mon, 15 Jan 2018 00:16:16 GMT

Red breasted goose

Photo by David B

Taking the family for a walk.

Sun, 14 Jan 2018 23:56:21 GMT

Taking the family for a walk.

Photo by David B

Bathing goose

Sun, 14 Jan 2018 23:58:07 GMT

Bathing goose

Photo by David B

Peacock portrait

Sun, 14 Jan 2018 23:59:38 GMT

Peacock portrait

Photo by David B

Study shows chicken's intelligence to be quite complex I'm going into my...

Thu, 12 Jan 2017 02:15:58 GMT

Study shows chicken's intelligence to be quite complex

I'm going into my third year raising chickens, and I can say, without a doubt, that these remarkable animals are more intelligent than we are typically lead to believe. I spend a lot of time with my flock and it amazed me to witness the unique personalities and mannerisms each of my birds possessed. So, it was not a surprise to me to read this study and it's conclusions.

I will not regurgitate all of the interesting information in the study, but I will sum up, in my own words, the concluding findings of the study.

1. The intelligence of chickens is on par with many other birds and mammals in the animal kingdom. In other words, they are not stupid, as many people believe.

2. Chickens do understand numbers and can do simple arithmetic.

3. Chickens exhibit self-control and self-assessment, which are attributes of being self-aware.

4. Chickens communicate in complex ways, and could be at the level of other highly intelligent and social mammals, including prime-apes.

5. Chickens have the capacity to reason and make logical inferences. This level of intelligence is typically developed by humans by the age of seven years.

6. Chickens perceive time intervals and may be able to anticipate future events.

7. Chickens are behaviorally sophisticated, and can learn skills from each other, similar to the way humans learn from one another.

8. Chickens have feelings, both positive and negative, including empathy, which is shared by humans and other complex animals.

9. Chickens have distinct personalities.

There is a lot of interesting information in this study and I encourage you to read it for yourself. But, what does this all mean? Well, to me, it means that we have totally underestimated the intelligence and awareness of chickens. If you feel that it is cruel to keep dolphins and whales in captivity, to keep dogs and cats in confined kennels and raised in puppy or kitten mills, then the cruelty done to chickens that are born and raised in a "battery farm" is unfathomable to these poor, mis-understood animals.

Thankfully the Lord has opened my eyes to the wonderment of His creation, and that there's more to these animals than just what they can bring to the dinner plate.

Photo by David B

Cheerio Chickadee My wife feeding Cheerios to chickadees, during our visit to...

Sun, 30 Apr 2017 07:13:42 GMT

Cheerio Chickadee

My wife feeding Cheerios to chickadees, during our visit to Pike Lake, Saskatchewan.

Photo by David B

Migrating snow geese coming in for a landing at dusk.

Mon, 30 May 2016 13:50:18 GMT

Migrating snow geese coming in for a landing at dusk.

Photo by David B

Partridge hen laying low.

Thu, 12 May 2016 23:10:30 GMT

Partridge hen laying low.

Photo by David B

The crew.

Fri, 02 Dec 2016 00:47:14 GMT

The crew.

Photo by David B

Squabbling swallows caught in mid-air.

Mon, 30 May 2016 13:43:33 GMT

Squabbling swallows caught in mid-air.

Photo by David B

Meadow Lark

Thu, 12 May 2016 23:06:08 GMT

Meadow Lark

Photo by David B