Anyone fluent in Chicken-Speak? What are my birds saying??

[lisahaschickens]

So this afternoon, I let my chickens out of their coop/run to free-range in the grass as usual. I have 15 birds - 11 pullets, 4 cockerels (yes, I know I have too many boys) - all 16.5 weeks old.

14 birds came out. My one pullet, Dorothy (who has been acting strangely - click to see my other post here ) stayed inside. A few minutes later, from inside the coop I hear -

"BUCK buckbuckbuckbuckbuck buhGAWK!!! buckbuckbuck buhGAWK!!! buck buhGAWK!! buh GAWK!!!"

It was really loud. Like, SUPER loud. All my other chickens that were out in the grass ran together in a clump and froze, staring at the coop, listening to Dorothy. Then, my head rooster started to answer her -

"buckbuckbuck buhGAWK!! buck buhGAWK!!!"

and she answered back the same way. Back and forth they went for a while. Then they both stopped and Dorothy came out to join everyone. Maybe 30 minutes later, Dorothy started up again and JB again answered her at the top of his lungs - "buckbuckbuckbuck buhGAWK!!!" back and forth. Then, they stopped.

This is very new and strange behavior to me. I was just wondering if anyone has a translation. What are they saying and what causes them to say it? Just curious.

 

[gritsar]

Sounds to me like she's practicing her egg song and the rooster is joining in. Shouldn't be long now for eggs.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

You may want to check for eggs!!!

 

[lisahaschickens]

oh I hope so!!!

I didn't want to say it out loud and jinx it! But, from what I've read, I thought MAYBE that was it. I did go in the coop and check for eggs after she came out but nothing. These are my first chickens and I feel like if I get too excited about getting my first egg... it may never come! I will be SOOO excited

I hope you're right

glad you said it.

Do other people agree or have other ideas?

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

Yep. Normally they get pretty noisy right before and right after they lay. Also, roosters can be a bit excitable (as well as all other chickens

) and often start up hollering when the eggy hens do.

 

[Chickenfeet]

All of my hens make a huge scene each time they lay an egg. Your hens sound to young to be laying though. Was she in a nest box , just sitting in the corner or on her roost. Maybe she was just making a practice run.

 

[gritsar]

A couple of my hens practiced the egg song for a week or two before they actually started laying.

 

[lisahaschickens]

I know she's young, but I guess it's not unheard of to start this young. With her other strange behavior, most people say it points toward her getting ready for her first egg. Until the "egg song" (if that's what it is) today, I was hoping egg, because if not, it would mean she could be sick. But, maybe you're right... she could be just practicing but not quite there yet. But, just in case, I'm keeping my eyes peeled for eggs

 

[lisahaschickens]

oh and when she was inside, I couldn't see where she was because I'm too scared to leave my other chickens alone out of their run (I had a hawk attack the first time I walked away from them for 5 minutes). So, maybe she was in a nest box or maybe not. Someone has been spending time in them, though, because I keep finding indentations in the shavings in the boxes everyday. And another pullet was in there the other day scratching and cackling... so a couple of my girls are at least practicing, if not quite there yet. Still exciting to me, though

 

[chiknwhisperer]

My 2 hens do the same thing. Mostly it was just one of them and then today they were runnning around the yard bawking at the top of their lungs. They looked like they were having fun.