CHICKENS CAN DO MATH

Chickens, believe it or not, can perform fundamental arithmetic! In 2014, psychologists at the University of Padova in Italy conducted a study that discovered young chicks could count in minute increments. 

Three pieces of food were placed behind one screen and two pieces of food were placed behind the other. When allowed to get the food, the tiny chicks consistently picked the screen with three rewards over the one with two. This demonstrated that the chicks comprehended the distinction between "less" and "more." The researchers then went further, asking the chicks to solve some simple equations. 

For example, they would start putting four pieces of food behind the right screen and only one behind the left. Before releasing the chicks, the researchers relocated two pieces from the right and placed them behind the left. When the chicks were set free, they always went to the left screen. In other words, they may do the following calculations: 4-2=2 and 1+2=3.

Finally, it was shown that chicks employ what is known as a "mental number line," which means that they assume smaller values on the left and bigger values on the right (Rugani et al, 2015). In that study, chicks learned to find food behind a five-dot screen. This screen was in the center of the room in front of them. During the exam, chicks were allowed to choose between two displays to the left and right of them. When both display featured two dots, the chicken chose the left one. When both displays showed 8 dots, the chicken chose the right one. As a result, they predicted a lower number on the left side and a higher number on the right, implying that they indeed use a “mental number line.”