Just How Smart is a Chicken?

The young female



The Male

 The two strays showed up a few days ago starving and dehydrated. Neither me or Tonka could run them off and I'm still trying to find the owners (doubtful) or get them in a shelter (difficult).
Anyway they are trying to kill my chickens so I chain them up during the day when the chickens are out and let them loose at night. Apparently one of the hens decided to roost in a tree last night instead of joining the rest of the flock in the coop.
I go for my morning walk and come back to hear the hen by the coop, so do the strays.
They go after her and so do I. I love a good sprint in the morning. (NOT) She heads towards the hay field and crosses the fence. I can't cross the fence very fast but the pups can. I thought for sure she was a goner.

 Then she did the one thing that would save her....
                                                              she runs straight to me.

        I scoop her up and save her from the dogs and return her to the flock.

I always thought chickens were pretty stupid but now I am beginning to wonder.