Learned associations are retained over extended periods and memory performance is influenced by social rank and age in chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus)
摘要
Learning and memory are crucial for managing complex tasks and social relationships over time in animals. While cognition in chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) has been extensively studied, little is known about their memory capacity and its relationship with age and social rank. We tested memory retention in a flock of young (12 months) and mature (22 months) hens using a color conditioning task with delayed retention testing over increasing time intervals up to 28 days. Hens successfully recalled color-food associations even after 28 days, demonstrating a previously unreported capacity for long-term memory in this species. We found a significant interaction between age and social rank in their effects on learning speed, with higher ranking hens showing faster acquisition of the task in the older group, but no difference in learning in younger hens. Initially, younger hens performed worse than older hens, suggesting potential age-related differences in learning or memory consolidation; however, both age groups achieved perfect performance by the third testing interval. In addition, hens demonstrated behavioral flexibility by successfully transferring their learned color associations to a novel context. Our results provide new insights into the learning and memory capabilities of chickens and underscore the importance of considering flock dynamics and individual differences in studies of avian cognition.