chicken gets into a frenzy

[ufgrad98]

My BO just started laying eggs on Saturday. Each day, she gets herself into quite a frenzy before laying that egg. She yells like crazy, runs around the coop, all the other birds go nuts. She basically freaks out for a couple of hours (she tried escaping the coop at one point). Then, she lays her egg, and everything quiets down. Is this normal?? Will she always be like this or is it just because she is new to laying? Its very stressful to watch...

 

[BlazeJester]

I hope for your sake that she calms down.

A lot of hens will squawk a lot before laying, but mine have never run around like crazy people or anything. They just let us know it's happening and get back to chicken business.

 

[LT]

Mine did that for about a week right before they first started laying and a few days after that. Once they understand what is happening inside their bodies, they should calm down. One of my EE's goes in the nest box, lays her egg, and then comes right out to join the others and never makes a sound. Another girl, a Golden Comet, lets the whole valley know she has laid an egg. But the anxiousness before egg laying has diminished considerably.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
I have a couple of newly laying pullets doing this right now. My advice - don't watch!!

Go in the house. Turn the music up LOUD!

(Like you, I hope this behaviour stops - SOON!)

 

[This_chicks_place]

My girls started laying in July, and they all did that when they first started. I think they were all afraid and unsure of what was happening to their teenage little bodies.

They got over it quick, maybe a week or two. Now they all do their thing and only two announce it with the egg song! But the rooster joins in with one of them, that can get pretty loud!