Can chickens count?

I've tried several times to remove eggs from a nest, leaving just two behind, in the hopes my chickens will continue to lay there.  (They roam freely through our city yard, so it can be surprisingly difficult to locate their latest nest.  Once I find it, I would like them to keep using it!)

However, this typically does not work.

It dawned on me a few minutes ago...can they count?  I mean, in your experience, has there been a certain number of eggs, if I left that many behind, might be the sweet spot, and they'd continue to lay there, instead of abandoning the nest?

Yeah, we tried the golf ball or wooden egg trick...they may be bird brains, but they ain't THAT dumb!  haha

I'm not convinced they can exactly count, but I think they can tell "more" and "less". So if they sense that their nest has the same or more eggs in it, they'll keep laying there. If they think some/most of their eggs have been stolen, they're smart enough to decide they should lay elsewhere.

I can understand you wanting to free range them, but if it were me, I'd try to make some nest boxes in their coop that would really appeal to a chicken -  deep, dark, with a good 4" lip to hold nice bedding in and easy to clean. Then I'd try to keep them in until later in the morning so they get to appreciate the coop nest boxes and choose to lay there even when you let them out. My neighbor's had squirrels, rats, and Ravens all steal eggs that aren't well enough protected, so it's a balance!

We still have nest boxes in the coop (what's still standing), and they will occasionally go back there to lay...in fact, Toffee is laying there now.

Since our chooks are all wild-caught rescues, they'll squawk like they're being strangled if I try to confine them.

So the spoiled brats continue to free range...but it works out well, since they eat so many of the bugs I don't want, including termites, roaches, and centipedes.

I might try an experiment...and leave a certain number of eggs behind, to see if there is a sweet spot.

Animals Can Count

I'd probably start out at 5 and go from there.  I remember reading that we group tally lines in 5s because that's close to the limit for number groupings that we can tell apart without counting easily.  Not sure if chickens can do more or less.  Please let us know what you find out!

UPDATE:

Well, Greg, I took your advice and left 5 eggs in a nest I found recently amongst the bushes.  I checked again some time later, and removed 12 eggs, and left 5 of the cleanest behind.

I spotted Zulu sitting there a few days later.  So 5 may be the magic number for success!

I know 2 is too few...

Definitely a big change, from 17, down to 5 eggs.  You'd think they'd notice a less-lumpy butt, huh?  Apparently not!  haha

I'll keep this up.  It will mean less waste, since it takes me a while to find their latest nest spot, and by then, at least some of the eggs have gone bad, especially when the weather gets really hot.

That's super Alina!  Please keep us updated on how it works out.  You're doing some great research for us all.  Thank you!

I was often in our East Frisian forests with the local hunter roaming to count and protect predator birds.
When we spotted a Buzzard, Eagle or Harrier nest, we set up camp using a camo in seconds self erecting tent, to watch them.

The tent well camouflaged was never a problem, but the humans that went into it were.

If we entered the tent the Bird of Prey would not return to the nest until we left and watched from a far distance.
This bears off course a big risks for the eggs and chicks.

The trick we used was entering the tend with 2-3 Persons and after a few minutes one stayed inside and the others left.
The Mother returned always immediately after we were in safe distance disappeared.

hence I can say. Birds cannot count.

Oh, that is so interesting.

Too bad I don't have an identical twin.  I could try that the next time I try to listen for mice in the house.  They always go silent when I get close to where I think they are.  haha

Yes, not the same at all.  It always amazes me, though, how tuned into our presence animals are, and how oblivious humans often are, to their surroundings.  I guess when you have a cushy life with no predators ready to swoop down and kill you, you lose that alertness, for the most part.

Lucy was sitting on the nest today.  However, she didn't come for dinner...which means she may be broody, which is not a good thing.

Hmm...this starts to get complicated...!