chicken growling?s

[Rooster1235597]

I went outside to find one of my full grown rirs laying behind the coop immotentlouse and growling, she would not move, I had to pick her up and put her inside. Once inside she still just stood the growling and looking around. Do you think she was traumatized by some animal trying to eat her? I tas 2:25 pm when I went out there so the only predator out would be a hawk and I did a thorough look around and didn't see anything. What could have happened? I am worried!?

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I'd keep an eye out the next couple of days.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

She wants babies.

 

[4 Love of Baby Chickens]

Sounds like she's broody to me.

 

[Rooster1235597]

Do you really think so? I have 5 baby chicks in my house, 3 weeks old on Monday, should I bring them out for her?

 

[sgtmom52]

They are probably too old for her to accept. You need day olds ~ she may injure 3 week olds.

 

[ilovedragons2]

I heard one of my young hens growling at one of the other hens. She isn't laying eggs yet. Does this mean she will start laying soon??

 

[ivan3]

The few girls we've had go broody (all production Sex links - so, not much broodiness) tend to `yowl'. Sometimes, it seems, they yowl just to be yowling (no threats/no external stimuli at all). Growls, on the other hand are usually softer, evenly spaced vocalizations (like a motor idling). If a coon/opossum comes in too close to the coop at night, or a Barred Owl is Cachinnating in the branches of one of the Hickories in the run, over the monitor we'll hear a choir of growling chooks.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i notice that low growling sometimes, especially in the evening as they get ready for bed. Maybe it's more of a purr. Broodies make all manner of sounds, but will usually try to sound threatening. Oh now, come to think of it, i have heard growling from chickens after an aerial predator flies over. First they freeze and get quiet, then after the danger has passed i will sometimes hear the growling.

BTW - i would not put the small chicks with her. No telling how she would react. Best to keep them safe.

 

[K-12 Chickens]

Anytime my hens see a hawk or other large bird soar over, they all freeze and make "purring" sounds. It kind of tells the others to sit still and warn them of danger. Maybe that's what you were hearing.