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Current Events => The DUmpster => Topic started by: Texacon on March 09, 2011, 12:50:43 PM

Title: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: Texacon on March 09, 2011, 12:50:43 PM
Quote
onehandle  (1000+ posts)      Wed Mar-09-11 12:09 PM
Original message

Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
 
Source: Telegraph

Domestic chickens display signs of empathy, the ability to ''feel another's pain'' that is at the heart of compassion, a study has found.

The discovery has important implications for the welfare of farm and laboratory animals, say researchers. Empathy, long thought to be a defining human trait, causes one individual to be affected by the emotional state of another. Feelings are ''mirrored'' in the observer, leading to a shared experience of being happy, sad or distressed. The research demonstrated that hens possess a fundamental capacity to empathise, at least with their own chicks. Scientists chose hens and chicks for the study because it is thought empathy probably evolved to aid parental care.

A number of controlled procedures were carried out which involved ruffling the feathers of chicks and mother hens with an air puff. When chicks were exposed to puffs of air, they showed signs of distress that were mirrored by their mothers. The hens' heart rate increased, their eye temperature lowered - a recognised stress sign - and they became increasingly alert. Levels of preening were reduced, and the hens made more clucking noises directed at their chicks.

Researcher Jo Edgar, from the School of Veterinary Sciences at the University of Bristol, said: ''The extent to which animals are affected by the distress of others is of high relevance to the welfare of farm and laboratory animals. ''Our research has addressed the fundamental question of whether birds have the capacity to show empathic responses. ''We found that adult female birds possess at least one of the essential underpinning attributes of 'empathy', the ability to be affected by, and share, the emotional state of another.''

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8370301...

 

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x594267

I'm not going to bring anything over on this thread ... I just wanted to mark it to see if Underground Panther shows up!

 :lmao:

Blackie?  Is that you??

 :rotf:

KC
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: Odin's Hand on March 09, 2011, 12:53:06 PM
Quote
Autumn  (1000+ posts)      Wed Mar-09-11 12:16 PM
Response to Original message
2. I got to say, I have a hen who is six years old
 she is just the smartest thing I have seen. She is more like a dog and I swear to God she understands me when we talk. I think she can even tell time. When it's time for me to start dinner she gets on the deck railing by the kitchen window and chats with me when I am in the kitchen.

Mrs. Doolittle or just a wing short of a full fryer?
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: Evil_Conservative on March 09, 2011, 12:59:49 PM
I don't care.  Chicken is delicious and I'm still going to eat its empathic thigh/wing/breast.
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: Chris_ on March 09, 2011, 01:08:55 PM
Mmm... deep-fried feelings. :yum:
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: AllosaursRus on March 09, 2011, 01:09:01 PM
I'll lay odds chickens are definitely higher in IQ than 90% of the primitives on Skin's Island!
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: jukin on March 09, 2011, 01:10:58 PM
I'll lay odds chickens are definitely higher in IQ than 90% of the primitives on Skin's Island!
And smell better too.
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: Ralph Wiggum on March 09, 2011, 01:13:39 PM
Mmm... deep-fried feelings. :yum:

 :lmao:
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: Rebel on March 09, 2011, 01:15:54 PM
Mmm... deep-fried feelings. :yum:


lol, that reminded me of this:




(http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_la0258dJVO1qzmm04o1_500.gif)
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: FreeBorn on March 09, 2011, 01:27:35 PM
If these geeks didn't spend so much of their time conducting ridiculous experiments like this more of them might be getting laid.

Chickens feeling empathy?  :lmao:

Any critter that isn't smart enough not to shit in its own feed isn't demonstrating much mental capacity.
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: vesta111 on March 09, 2011, 01:58:05 PM
If these geeks didn't spend so much of their time conducting ridiculous experiments like this more of them might be getting laid.

Chickens feeling empathy?  :lmao:

Any critter that isn't smart enough not to shit in its own feed isn't demonstrating much mental capacity.


Shit, my CAT feels empathy for me as long as I feed it and give it some loving.    Now if I drop dead and no one finds me for a week, my cats  will ****ing eat me.
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: SSG Snuggle Bunny on March 09, 2011, 02:13:50 PM
Chickens; yet one more thing that displays higher brain functions than your average liberal.
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: delilahmused on March 09, 2011, 02:27:24 PM
Yeah, they feel empathy for their chicks...that's why they'll abandon ones that are unhealthy and handicapped. I have a few chickens who are pets, definitely friendlier than the majority and I adore them. I even taught my rooster, Spartacus, to jump up and take food out of my hand, but they operate on habit and instinct. The broody ones are great mothers but the majority of them lay their eggs, get up from the nest and don't ever think of them again. Even the good mothers will chase them away when they've reached a certain size. Some roosters will stand by their favorite hens while they lay but mostly that's because they're hoping to get a little when she hops out of the nesting box.

Cindie
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: Karin on March 09, 2011, 02:31:34 PM
Here's one for GOBUCKS:

Quote
Vehl (897 posts)        Wed Mar-09-11 01:51 PM
Response to Reply #26
29.  contrary to popular belief there are a lot of yummy vegetarian food out there 

Quote
queenjane (187 posts)      Wed Mar-09-11 01:50 PM
Response to Reply #26
28. Thank you!
 I've even weaned my 82 year old Mom off most meat & dairy.
  Any snot-nosed kid o mine who tried that would pull back a stump. 
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: Ralph Wiggum on March 09, 2011, 02:42:48 PM
Quote
queenjane (187 posts)      Wed Mar-09-11 01:50 PM
Response to Reply #26
28. Thank you!
 I've even weaned my 82 year old Mom off most meat & dairy.


Oh bullshit!  First of all, someone with that low of a post count has to be working for DUmp street cred.  Secondly, anyone who is 82 isn't going to wean off of meat & dairy because their kid made them.  Hell, if I make it to 82, I'll be smoking, drinking & eating whatever the hell I want.
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: Rebel on March 09, 2011, 02:44:13 PM


Oh bullshit!  First of all, someone with that low of a post count has to be working for DUmp street cred.  Secondly, anyone who is 82 isn't going to wean off of meat & dairy because their kid made them.  Hell, if I make it to 82, I'll be smoking, drinking & eating whatever the hell I want.

Not to mention, once people pass, I'd say, 60, they're generally set to their ways. Hell, I'm that way at 38.
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: ChuckJ on March 09, 2011, 02:58:12 PM


Oh bullshit!  First of all, someone with that low of a post count has to be working for DUmp street cred.  Secondly, anyone who is 82 isn't going to wean off of meat & dairy because their kid made them.  Hell, if I make it to 82, I'll be smoking, drinking & eating whatever the hell I want.

 :lmao:  Reminds me of a guy I worked for years ago. He was about 72 or 73. He went to the doctor and came back acting down in the dumps. I asked him what was wrong. He told me that the doctor had told him that he had to quit drinking liquor, smoking cigars, and eating BBQ. I asked what would happen if he didn't stop. Would he not get old because if so it was too late for that.
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: GOBUCKS on March 09, 2011, 02:59:51 PM
Quote
I've even weaned my 82 year old Mom off most meat & dairy.

She died.
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: Red October on March 09, 2011, 03:00:47 PM
I wonder what a human being feels in utero. 
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: Randy on March 09, 2011, 03:20:52 PM
I'll lay odds chickens are definitely higher in IQ than 90% of the primitives on Skin's Island!

That goes for shoe scrapings too.
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: PatriotGame on March 09, 2011, 03:45:24 PM
Quote
onehandle  (1000+ posts)      Wed Mar-09-11 12:09 PM
Original message

Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
 
Source: Telegraph

Domestic chickens display signs of empathy, the ability to ''feel another's pain'' that is at the heart of compassion, a study has found.
Yet the unborn aborted human off-spring, the giggly, jiggy, freedom authenticating love activity of the left are not.

Gotcha - chicken-liberal...
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: PatriotGame on March 09, 2011, 03:49:24 PM
Quote
Autumn  (1000+ posts)      Wed Mar-09-11 12:16 PM
Response to Original message
2. I got to say, I have a hen who is six years old
 she is just the smartest thing I have seen. She is more like a dog and I swear to God she understands me when we talk. I think she can even tell time. When it's time for me to start dinner she gets on the deck railing by the kitchen window and chats with me when I am in the kitchen.

Apparently someone scored themselves some righteous designer bud...
"My chickens talk with me and we discuss Freud, our Mensa memberships, Plato, Socrates ("Erm...I drank what?"), and 0bama."

Riiight....
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: PatriotGame on March 09, 2011, 03:50:34 PM
I'll lay odds chickens are definitely higher in IQ than 90% of the primitives on Skin's Island!
Well now, there you have it!
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: AllosaursRus on March 09, 2011, 03:54:20 PM
Yeah, they feel empathy for their chicks...that's why they'll abandon ones that are unhealthy and handicapped. I have a few chickens who are pets, definitely friendlier than the majority and I adore them. I even taught my rooster, Spartacus, to jump up and take food out of my hand, but they operate on habit and instinct. The broody ones are great mothers but the majority of them lay their eggs, get up from the nest and don't ever think of them again. Even the good mothers will chase them away when they've reached a certain size. Some roosters will stand by their favorite hens while they lay but mostly that's because they're hoping to get a little when she hops out of the nesting box.

Cindie

Heh! Guess that's why they compare us males to roosters, huh? It's hell waitin' for momma to get well after pregnancy! How many of us wait 2 weeks?
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: catsmtrods on March 09, 2011, 04:02:27 PM
My chickens are liberals! All they say is barraaak!
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: longview on March 09, 2011, 04:04:24 PM
My chickens are liberals! All they say is barraaak!

 :rotf:
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: Randy on March 09, 2011, 04:04:48 PM
My chickens are liberals! All they say is barraaak!

I bet they hang around waiting for handouts too.  :-)
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: Wineslob on March 09, 2011, 04:07:19 PM
I bet they hang around waiting for handouts too.  :-)

Plus they'll work for scratch........
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: catsmtrods on March 09, 2011, 04:09:20 PM
Thet do shit their eggs out and leave them to die.
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: CG6468 on March 09, 2011, 04:12:18 PM
They're out of their cluckin' minds!  ::)
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: thundley4 on March 09, 2011, 04:18:53 PM
Quote
A number of controlled procedures were carried out which involved ruffling the feathers of chicks and mother hens with an air puff. When chicks were exposed to puffs of air, they showed signs of distress that were mirrored by their mothers.

A white tailed dear flips it's tail and the herd reacts.  A wolf raises it's hackles and the rest of the pack reacts.  Does that mean they both have empathy?

OTOH, wolves and dogs have shown other signs of empathy.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgjyhKN_35g[/youtube]
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: DumbAss Tanker on March 09, 2011, 04:19:57 PM
In other news, "Chickens capable of making delicious food, with only moderate human help."

 :yum:
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: catsmtrods on March 09, 2011, 04:23:15 PM
A white tailed dear flips it's tail and the herd reacts.  A wolf raises it's hackles and the rest of the pack reacts.  Does that mean they both have empathy?

OTOH, wolves and dogs have shown other signs of empathy.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgjyhKN_35g[/youtube]

Squirrels do that! Then I help them all get together
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: PatriotGame on March 09, 2011, 04:27:25 PM
In other news, "Chickens capable of making delicious food, with only moderate human help."

 :yum:
I gotta admit - when you can grab a chicken, lop off its head, gut it, shove a can of beer up its ass, dry rub it, plop it on the grill for eight hours and produce a great tasting protein meal, that is worth relishing...
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: GOBUCKS on March 09, 2011, 04:30:56 PM
Quote
Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe

Especially ghost chickens.
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: Randy on March 09, 2011, 04:50:26 PM
My wife isn't feeling good today and is back sleeping in the bedroom. Our cat is camped out on the bottom of the bed watching over her. He did the same for me last week when I was sick.
I've known dogs to do the same. Empathy or waiting for a meal?  :-)
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: miskie on March 09, 2011, 05:21:17 PM
Empathy or waiting for a meal?  :-)

A cat cant resist those sweet, sweet eyeball juices.. They just wait until you aren't using them anymore, though they might grab a toe or two as an appetizer ahead of time...  :-)
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: DumbAss Tanker on March 09, 2011, 05:31:59 PM
Empathy or waiting for a meal?  :-)

Only a question of timing, really...
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: FreeBorn on March 09, 2011, 05:34:22 PM
Shit, my CAT feels empathy for me as long as I feed it and give it some loving.    Now if I drop dead and no one finds me for a week, my cats  will ****ing eat me.
+1!
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: Texacon on March 10, 2011, 08:42:53 AM
My wife isn't feeling good today and is back sleeping in the bedroom. Our cat is camped out on the bottom of the bed watching over her. He did the same for me last week when I was sick.
I've known dogs to do the same. Empathy or waiting for a meal?  :-)

I've got a friend who's a senior captain with the Houston Fire Department.  He's a paramedic supervisor.  He's told me on more than one occasion he would never have a cat.  When they go to a call and find someone who's been dead for awhile and they have a cat ... well, there has been some eating going on.  If they have a dog, he said usually the dog will be sitting beside the owner when they come in ... starving.

KC
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: Wineslob on March 10, 2011, 10:18:07 AM
I've got a friend who's a senior captain with the Houston Fire Department.  He's a paramedic supervisor.  He's told me on more than one occasion he would never have a cat.  When they go to a call and find someone who's been dead for awhile and they have a cat ... well, there has been some eating going on.  If they have a dog, he said usually the dog will be sitting beside the owner when they come in ... starving.

KC


Living proof that cats are smarter than dogs.
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: DumbAss Tanker on March 10, 2011, 11:30:47 AM

Living proof that cats are smarter than dogs.

...But not in a good way.
Title: Re: Chickens are capable of feeling empathy, scientists believe
Post by: DefiantSix on March 10, 2011, 11:38:55 AM
Plus they'll work for scratch........

Where did you find one that'll work? :confused: