Chicken making very strange high pitched noise.

[Omelette-in-progress]

Hello, again. Another noise related question, my 8 month old Pekin Bantam suddenly made this noise while relaxing in the sunshine .

I've never heard it before, it's like distorted version of her normal trill or purr.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Can you repost the video? It's showing as private on my end.

 

[Omelette-in-progress]

Here you go!

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Here you go!

Does she show any signs of broodiness?

 

[Omelette-in-progress]

Does she show any signs of broodiness?

No, she's acting completely normal, picking (or should I say pecking ) on my hopefully ex-broody as usual.

 

[SamLockwood]

That's a low-level threat-alert. Either she's not comfortable with whatever you're doing or she thinks there's a predator somewhere in the vicinity.

 

[Omelette-in-progress]

That's a low-level threat-alert. Either she's not comfortable with whatever you're doing or she thinks there's a predator somewhere in the vicinity.

Thanks! Never heard it before, wonder what the supposed threat was?

 

[SamLockwood]

Thanks! Never heard it before, wonder what the supposed threat was?

From my birds it could be a predator they see off in the distance, a noise they don't like, or you or one of the other birds is doing something slightly annoying.

One weird thing about their vocalizations is they're often context-dependent. For instance, what people call the "egg-laying song" might be the hen calling to a rooster to escort or protect them, or they might be annoyed with another hen for some reason, or they might just be trying to get your attention.

Some of them will use different vocalizations for different reasons. Others make unique sounds: one of my roosters make this weird growl when he wants treats, and he's the only one that does it.

Another of my roosters has developed a series of predator-alert calls based on proximity and speed of approach:

The lowest level is similar the sound your hen is making, only he sustains it a lot longer. That means he sees or hears something but it's relatively far away. He also uses it as a warning to other birds that he's not happy with something they're doing.

"Red alert" sounds like he's trying to hock a loogey or sing a death-metal song: a deep, croaking "rawk! rawk! raaawwwk!" That's when he sees something that's approaching rapidly. He lets that sucker loose and the whole flock dives for the nearest cover.

 

[thecatumbrella]

That's a low-level threat-alert. Either she's not comfortable with whatever you're doing or she thinks there's a predator somewhere in the vicinity.

Seconding! She sounds exactly like one of mine when she's growling at a nonexistent threat, like the wind.

 

[Omelette-in-progress]

She does make some very strange noises. Normal chicken sounds, but as if she has an accent .
Anyways, she was clearly disapproving of me trying to time-lapse their antics.