I do have to say that chickens are not the most intelligent creatures I have ever had the priviledge of working with.  I let mine have free range of the yard from time to time, but it seems near impossible to get them to go back inside.  Farmer said to leave them alone and they will go back in on their own at roosting time, but I don't buy that.  They are quite adept at finding new places to roost, as chickens are curious creatures.  So I entice them back inside with feed...of course.  But a few of them are often behind the coop or off in the side yard.  They know the food is in there, but how to get to it?  They will run, and I do mean run, up and down the side or back or the coop trying ever so hard to figure out how to get inside.  They even jump in the water dishes!  It never occurs to them to walk around to the front of the coop and go inside the very same door they exited from.  I have five tiny bantam chicks that China hatched, though, and they have learned well the little holes they can squeeze in and out of.  Maybe, they lose intelligence as they get older.  Hmmph...don't we all?  My white silkie hen is sitting on one single egg.  She layed some a few weeks ago, but was kicking them around and not sitting on them.  I tried to incubate them, but the leaked.  So I am not sure if she will be able to hatch this single egg.  But time will tell.  I think she's been sitting a week and a half, so I will wait another two weeks before I take her off the egg.  I'd love a little silkie chick, though.  We will see.