A very interesting study was just published shows does can still recognize their kids' voices more than a year later! Here is the story:
http://phys.org/news/2012-06-mother-goats-kids-voices-year.html
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That is totally awesome Glenna and I can just see that. They are not slouches when it comes to smarts. I have seen some pretty smart chickens!
I was just thinking that some of you may be interested to know that the training to come to the bell we do, well they also learn the sounds of different bells. We were using the one antique brass goat bell to ring and bring the herd running from were ever they were. But we have two goats who wear bells. The original single goat herd queen, and largest goat here, Marley wears small cow bell from tsc and then the doe who was the obvious queen of the ND doelings from NM, Queen Tilly weres the field dog bell from tsc so they all have different sounds and I will occasionally grab the bell hanging from their neck and shake it to get their attention which it does but it does not get the same reaction.
Just thought I should share that in case someone wanted to train them to different sounds!
I think I should learn to play a harmonica- and train them to different tunes-that could be interesting research!
Can't speak to the goats yet, but the original hens I bought remembered their previous owner five years afterward when he visited. They went running to him immediately; it was so cool. I considered it a real compliment to what a kind and loving owner he had been to them.
LOL, I Know exactly what our bantam rooster sounds like! A pain in the rear at 4 am. and I walk around trying to make coffee and go out to the porch rail where he sleeps and pet him and whisper to try and tell him I am up to be quiet. Do you think that works? NOT! He keeps on n on n on!
My husband says our bantam rooster sounds like Tarzan!
That is a little dating but really funny. Especially the thought of a goat actually sounding like Woody Woodpecker. We may actually have one that sounds like that, he does sound real weird I haven't heard Woody in a while but that could be it... maybe...I'll ask hubby.
Yes, they do sound different, and the hubby is extremely sensitive to such things and recognizes the voices of most of ours.
Another thing I have noticed is that just like with some people, certain ones can have a sound to them that can really grate on your nerves at times.
Very interesting! Each goat has a different voice, I have become familiar with all of our goats voices. We think Cisco Kid sounds alot like Woody Woodpecker, I guess that truly dates us :-)
That was a very interesting study Deborah, thanks a lot for posting this!