100x this. If they had control over their pooping(and they don't, and I don't believe they can be trained in any way, it's just how their physiology works), they would be absolutely awesome pets.
I've observed that they generally choose not to defecate on their eggs, and they spend a lot of time in their nests, so they at least have some awareness if not control of the process.
I'm skeptical that they can be considered "pretty smart" - your expected intelligence level has to be pretty low to be surprised by a chicken's brain. If you anticipate little more than an unfeeling, unthinking plant - yeah, they've got emotional and social capacity, will bond with humans, and they can occasionally be clever when sufficiently motivated, but they're not the sharpest bulbs in the barn.
Do they have a sphincter? Ducks don't which is why no one has worked out how to toilet train them - it's physically impossible - despite keeping them as pets anyway.
I'm obsessed with this! But part of me is like, how much of this was "I need a companion" and how much was "a chicken will make this an EPIC story"? No shade, it IS epic!
I'm glad the guy did okay-- it's nice that so many unwise decisions didn't lead to total disaster, and makes for a great story... but I certainly hope no one tries to emulate this. Almost seems irresponsible to promote in the current social media climate. He's lucky to be alive.
This reminds me of this guy, who's doing the same, but with a pet cat. A very inspiring story. Instagram shows he just reached his first destination, Hawaii!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVNJIZs5aEs
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They're pretty smart, can be very friendly and (not many people know this) they actually smell nice - kind of like a new puppy smell.
I'm skeptical that they can be considered "pretty smart" - your expected intelligence level has to be pretty low to be surprised by a chicken's brain. If you anticipate little more than an unfeeling, unthinking plant - yeah, they've got emotional and social capacity, will bond with humans, and they can occasionally be clever when sufficiently motivated, but they're not the sharpest bulbs in the barn.
Fun biology fact: birds can't control their n.1 and n.2 because anything that they would potentially store would make them heavier for flight
I'm glad the guy did okay-- it's nice that so many unwise decisions didn't lead to total disaster, and makes for a great story... but I certainly hope no one tries to emulate this. Almost seems irresponsible to promote in the current social media climate. He's lucky to be alive.
He later crossed the Atlantic by rowing, back and forth, and this year he did the Vendée Globe race.
This guy's determination and dedication is insane.
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