We all know that dogs only see black and white, but have you ever wondered how chickens see the world around them? What is a chicken’s eyesight like?
Chickens can see very well during the day, but at night their eyesight is terrible. Because their eyes are on either side of their head, they have monocular vision and can see 300 degrees around them. Chickens have tetrachromatic vision and can detect green, blue, red, and ultraviolet light.
In some ways, chickens have better eyesight than humans! They can detect colors and subtle changes in light that are imperceptible to us. There are many fascinating facts about chickens’ eyesight. Studies have even shown that different colors of light affect chickens’ behavior and physiology. This article takes a closer look at chickens’ eyesight.
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How Good Is A Chicken’s Vision?
Chickens have evolved to have excellent eyesight to help them forage for insects and grubs, keep an eye on their flock, and spot potential predators.
In many ways, chickens have better vision than humans. We have eyes in the front of our heads, so our field of vision is only 180 degrees. Chickens can see 300 degrees around themselves without turning their heads because their eyes are on the sides of their head.
Chickens see a wider spectrum of colors than humans can. Because their eyes have four different types of cones, they can see yellow, blue, red, and ultraviolet light.
Their eyes are very good at detecting motion because they have specialized double-cone structures in their eyes.
Chickens’ eyes are also very sensitive to changes in light. They can detect very subtle changes in light. This allows them to sense seasonal changes in daylight hours.
Chickens have good depth perception and are good at seeing things from up close and from far away. Their left eye is far-sighted, and their right one is near-sighted.
Therefore, chickens use one eye mainly for detecting danger from afar and the other eye for spotting things to eat up close.
The differences between the two eyes develop while the chick is still in its shell. It is a result of how chicks orient themselves in the egg. They turn so that the right eye faces towards the light and the left eye faces towards the hen’s body.
How Well Can Baby Chicks See?
Unlike kittens and puppies that are born blind and only develop eyesight after a few weeks of life, baby chicks can see perfectly well just 48 hours after hatching.
Shortly after hatching, baby chicks can see still and moving objects. This is how they avoid bumping into obstacles and injuring themselves.
Baby chicks can perceive depth shortly after hatching. This enables them to peck at objects accurately.
Can Chickens See In The Dark?
Chickens are essentially night blind. They are totally unable to see in the dark.
The reason for this is the structure of their eyes. Humans and other animals that can see at night have light receptors in their eyes called rods. Chickens have far fewer rods, so their eyes cannot detect low levels of light.
Can Chickens Recognize Their Owners?
Chickens’ excellent eyesight, combined with their impressive memory, enables them to recognize people’s faces. Chickens can memorize up to 100 different faces!
This means that chickens can recognize their owners. Not by the sound of their voice or their smell but by looking at their face.
What Colors Do Chickens See?
Chickens can see all the colors in the visible light spectrum – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet – just like we can. In addition, chickens can see ultraviolet light.
This means that chickens see the world quite differently than we do. They can see colors and shades that are imperceptible to the human eye.
Chickens have tetrachromatic vision because they have four different types of cones in their eyes. Cones are specialized structures that detect different wavelengths of light.
How Do Different Colors Affect Chickens?
Research has shown that different wavelengths or colors of light can affect chickens’ behavior and physiology. Light color and intensity influence chickens’ hormone levels, affecting their immune system and regulating their metabolism.
Blue light (shorter wavelengths) has been shown to reduce chickens’ stress levels. This reduces their fear and aggression. Blue light also seems to increase chickens’ growth rate.
Scientists theorize that chickens prefer light from the cooler side of the spectrum because it resembles natural daylight in the tropics, where chickens originate from.
Red light (higher wavelengths) has been shown to increase hens’ egg production. Red light also seems to stimulate the onset of sexual maturity, which can increase hens’ laying period.
However, studies done on broiler chickens have indicated that red light seems to make the birds more agitated and aggressive.
Research shows that prolonged exposure to green light can cause a delay in the onset of sexual maturity, lowers he’s’ egg production, and reduces the amount of time that chickens spend feeding.
Chickens Have A Third Eyelid!
If you have ever watched a chicken enjoying a dust bath, you may have noticed its eyes turning a strange, grey color. What you are seeing here is their third eyelid.
Besides their eyelids that close vertically, chickens have a nictitating membrane that moves over their eye horizontally. This third eyelid helps to prevent dust from getting into their eyes.
Conclusion
Chickens have excellent eyesight. They have evolved this to be able to spot potential predators and to forage for tiny seeds and insects. Chicks that are 48 hours old can already see as well as an adult chickens. They have depth perception and can detect changes in light and movement.
By studying the structure of chickens’ eyes, scientists have been able to deduce many things about chickens’ eyesight. Because they have four different types of cones, they can see the visible light spectrum as well as ultraviolet light. Their eyes also have double cones that enable them to detect movement.
