Happy, contented chirping is like the sound of children playing, chattering to one another, or little old ladies muttering and mumbling together on a porch. It's the happy, companionable background music you can ignore and nod off to, knowing all is well in the neighborhood. It is a chuckling, peaceable sound, realxing, almost like cats purring.
A distress call is loud, strident, urgent and insistent. You know something's wrong! The chickies are cold, hungry or uncomfortable. They are wet or stepping on each other. A snake or hawk is present. The peeping wakes you out of you nap RIGHT NOW! There is nothing relaxed anout it. It gets your heart racing! You must leap up and race to the rescue, or least go investigate! Your poor darlings! Perhaps they are being attacked by a wayward rope, but you will save them and their gratitude will know no bounds. Especially if you fall out of a lawn chair and stub your toe in the process. Naw, that's wives. Chickens won't notice.
Edit, spelling. Bah.
