BAAAWWWKKK are they all so vocal?

[Robin'sBrood]

Our Silver Lakenvelder pullet is the most talkative little thing. She talks all the time while our EE rarely makes a sound. I think all the girls that are laying sing the egg song but some are much louder than the others. And we have one girl that sings the egg song, LOUDLY, while someone else is laying.

 

[Happy Chooks]

No. Some of mine egg song away, and others just squawk loudly. I can always tell when mine are getting ready to lay though, because they just get talkative and walking around bawking. Once they are done laying, they quiet down.

 

[scooter147]

I have 30 hens and only 2 (RIR and a Polish) of mine tell the world they laid an egg. The RIR is the worse she goes on for about 30 minutes.
I think it's genetic personally.
The theory I read as to why they do this is back in the wild days of chickens the hen would go off to lay and hide her clutch then when done would squwak to get the attention of the rest of the flock who in turn would respond and the hen could find her flock.

 

[cybercat]

Nope not everychicjken does egg song. I have many that do not and those that do when others lay. I have a few that now join in when another sings Mine are all one breed too.

 

[gsim]

I have two squawkers that do as yours does. They may be my only two layers. Mine started to lay at 16 weeks, and I think I have two buff comets laying now, and I believe they are the squawkers. I have twice seen them lay and always it was a buff comet. I have a total of 24 tho, of 4 breeds. Buff comets are reputed to be early egg layers tho.

Only time I heard the egg song was at 11 weeks and I think one was practicing. It was a barred rock. Boy, she wouldn't shut up and had me half convinced I was going to see an egg at 11 weeks, but never did deliver. Have not heard it since. The two squawkers are almost non stop whenever we are in the coop or pen.

 

[cherylcohen]

very cool, behavioral study. I love that they are all so different like people. We love their individual personalities. Can't wait till the rest start laying.

does anyone know if the others get encouraged if others are laying, or is it purely a physical maturity thing?

 

[feathersnuggles]

I have 2 who make a huge daily racket and I tell them, "the braying donkeys need to shut up now!" It's not their egg song (which is relatively brief and to the point). This is shrieking, squawking, screeching, over and over. They want birdie treats, they want out of their run, etc. And I swear they can hear us breathing inside the house! Two others, the EE and wyandotte, make very little noise. And the black australorp doesn't make much noise except occasionally she's done a brief egg song after laying an egg.

 

[feathersnuggles]

Quote:
I'd vote for physical maturity over encouragement. Speaking for my flock of 5 different breeds, it seems that the various breeds mature at different ages. My cuckoo marans laid her first egg at 19 weeks, followed by the black australorp and barnyard mutt 4 weeks later. And, 5 weeks later, the EE and wyandotte have yet to start laying.

Although I will say that I've watched some of my non-laying hens spend "tender moments" in the nest with someone else's warm, freshly laid egg.