NY Daily News Discusses Intelligence of Chickens

Bruce Friedrich, senior director for strategic initiatives at Farm Sanctuary, recently wrote an article for the New York Daily News highlighting the intelligence of chickens. Friedrich cites research from the University of Bristol, which revealed that the birds are able to exercise a level of self-restraint that is often found in humans and they can suppress their natural dietary impulses in order to wait for more food. He also notes that research shows that chickens possess marked empathy and navigation skills, and they are able to comprehend basic arithmetic. But despite these findings, writes Friedrich, thousands of chickens are forced to endure inhumane living conditions on factory farms. “Does the fact that eating chickens involves eating individuals no less unique and deserving of our compassion than your family dog or cat bother you?” he asks the reader.