Bizarre Pre Dawn Behavior

[Andrew C.]

I woke this morning at 5 am still dark, to a coop full of 13 hens and a rooster all very loudly singing the egg song, naturally I thought a predator was at them with all the noise before daylight, but when I went to investigate they were all happy on the roosts the song getting louder, then I noticed one of my new layers in the nest, well this blew me away, I couldn't work it out so I left them to it, bit much though layin eggs and carrying on at that time of the morning, the rooster crows all night and day but the sound of one rooster crowing is nothing compared to 14 chickens in full chorus, I hope it's rare. Laying eggs before sunrise is that normal ?

 

[WildBurroShirts.com]

They didn't want you to oversleep?

I dunno. But my guess would be a mouse or rat underneath the floor spooked them and they just sort of broke into song like they were in the Sound of Music.

 

[ThePamperedPullet]

Ours will do that if an ant crosses the pen. And once the roosters start, all 17 of them, then the hens all start in and I don't think they could sleep through it in town and we are 11 mile away. LOL

 

[cmom]

I have had my birds lay early, especially the pullets.

 

[Andrew C.]

Oh ok so maybe there was something in there, they have never done it before that I know of my first thought was a predator but they didn't stop for a while after I left. There are venomous snakes here they dont worry the full size chickens though they may spook them, if it happens again i'll be sure to watch my step and check the floor. I was thinking more along the lines of a cat but the coop was shut no way in for a cat, the noise was awesome too loud for me up close.

Thanks

Edited to add ------ I think I solved the mystery, I left a bale of hay near the chook pen yesterday and I just noticed it's been chewed at by a Wallaby by the looks of it, the wallaby must have spooked the chickens when it left, or they spooked it and it took off and spooked em right back lol , anyway moved hay problem solved I hope.