I wonder if they would do the same free in the nature. Locked together in tight spaces and restricted freedom will change the behaviour of every creature.

[–] CurlyMoustache@lemmy.world 35 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

This is the default behaviour for chickens. I can't think of any chicken like creatures that exists in the wild that resembles. The chickens I kept had plenty of room both inside and outside. Outside was a predator proof fence around a large area with different kinds of vegetation, bushes and wet and dry environments (I also had a couple of mallards). Inside they had running water, things to climb on to roost, and various boxes to lay and sleep in. Every week I cleaned their living quarters and threw down fresh bedding. They were not for food or for egg production. I ate and gave away the eggs they laid.

Edit: to keep the roosters from doing the dirty with close relatives, I swapped rooster with other people that kept poultry as a hobby

[–] DigitalWanderer@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago (2 children)

yea i do the same with mine, they roam free in the garden during the day and have a protected outdoor and indoor area so its basically a large playground for them and still the behavior you mentioned is what i see as well. also chickens in the wild? the measures i had to take to keep my chickens safe from foxes, martens, cats, dogs... is just crazy, they have zero defense capabilities so i dont know how they survived ubtill we kept them as livestock

[–] Slowy@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Chickens originated from the red jungle fowl which is a much leaner and flighted bird (as are certain breeds of chicken) We’ve made modern chickens into something that can’t survive in the wild, much like we turned wolves into pugs!

[–] CurlyMoustache@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This all reminds me I miss having chickens and ducks. One of the bad sides living in a big city for work, I guess

[–] DigitalWanderer@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

i love my chickens, they eat all my scraps and weeds from the garden, fertillize my garden, fresh eggs every day which i trade with neighbors for his surplus veggies or a a batch of waffles. its a nice way to live

[–] ArmokGoB@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Red junglefowl are undomesticated chickens.

[–] HikingVet@lemmy.sdf.org 0 points 1 year ago

And are far enough removed genetically that they can't interbreed.

[–] royal_starfish@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Ever heard of domestication?