Smart BC Hen Lacey Achieves Guinness World Record Through Her Pecking Skills
A British Columbia chicken named Lacey has achieved a Guinness World Record for accurately identifying the most objects in one minute.
Owner Emily Carrington, a veterinarian who resides with Lacey on Gabriola Island, stated that this world record demonstrates the intelligence of chickens and now Lacey can proudly claim the title of one of the smartest hens in the world.
“I recently received the news that she had been granted the record,” Carrington shared. She had trained six of her chickens in a series of identification tricks, and Lacey, an 18-month-old Hyline hen, emerged as the top performer.
“On the day of setting the record, I had several chickens perform different tricks, and Lacey happened to excel by correctly identifying the most tricks in one minute,” Carrington explained. “The chickens were tasked with identifying a target they had memorized, showcasing their intelligence.”
In a video capturing Lacey’s record-setting performance of six identifications, Carrington presented the hen with letters, numbers, and colored objects, which Lacey successfully picked out from similar items.
“I simply leveraged their visual capabilities to see what they could achieve,” Carrington mentioned. “By presenting the letters in front of them, their only task was to approach and peck the corresponding letter. It was a fun and effective way to demonstrate their intelligence.”
Carrington received a letter from Guinness officials last month confirming her as the record holder for “most identifications by a chicken in one minute.”
Guinness World Records established this category because Lacey’s performed tricks demonstrated intelligence and decision-making skills.
“We are excited to inform you that your application for most identifications by a chicken in one minute has been approved, and you are now the Guinness World Records Title Holder!” the Guinness World Records letter stated.
Initially, Carrington had hoped that one of her chickens would break the record for the most tricks by a chicken in a minute, but Guinness officials introduced the new category to accurately acknowledge Lacey’s accomplishment.
Aside from identifying letters and objects, Lacey is also capable of jumping through hoops and laying an egg daily, Carrington added.