Do Chickens Form Intentions?

Thinking Like a Chicken Podcast
News & Views!

UPC sanctuary hens Charity (front) with Freddaflower & Zelda dustbathing. Photo by Karen Davis

The question has been asked: Do chickens form intentions? Can they form intentions? In this episode I address the question by citing some key examples of intentional behavior that I have observed in the hens living in our sanctuary. Please join me for my interpretation of the minds of chickens as I watch our chickens pursue their personal interests and satisfactions, and the part played by memory and anticipation in getting what they want.

KAREN DAVIS, PhD is the President and Founder of United Poultry Concerns, a nonprofit organization that promotes the compassionate and respectful treatment of domestic fowl including a sanctuary for chickens in Virginia. Inducted into the National Animal Rights Hall of Fame for Outstanding Contributions to Animal Liberation, Karen is the author of numerous books, essays, articles and campaigns. Her latest book is For the Birds: From Exploitation to Liberation: Essays on Chickens, Turkeys, and Other Domesticated Fowl published by Lantern Publications & Media.

Karen with Rainbow the rooster.
Photo by Unparalleled Suffering Photography