Chicken response to squirrel alarm call.

[chicken-tender]

I just have 6 chickens, a rooster and 5 hens. I had let them out for supervised free range time about 10 minutes before,when the rooster responded to the alarm call of one of the pine squirrels in the trees next door which are about 30 yards from my coop and hoop house run. These chickens are only 12 weeks old but the response was unbelievable! The rooster is still learning how to be "the man". Upon hearing the squirrel, he immediately went flat out, feathers all standing on end, squawklng like I have never hear a rooster do, headed for the hoop house door
I think he might have hit the back wall, he was going so fast. All the hens immediately followed just as fast. Infact a couple of the hens closer to the hoop house actually beat him in. These are Partridge Chanteclers from Ideal
Is this normal for a chicken to respond to another animal's alarm call? As young as these birds are, I am sure it was all instinct. But all the same.

 

[All4Eggz]

I just have 6 chickens, a rooster and 5 hens. I had let them out for supervised free range time about 10 minutes before,when the rooster responded to the alarm call of one of the pine squirrels in the trees next door which are about 30 yards from my coop and hoop house run. These chickens are only 12 weeks old but the response was unbelievable! The rooster is still learning how to be "the man". Upon hearing the squirrel, he immediately went flat out, feathers all standing on end, squawklng like I have never hear a rooster do, headed for the hoop house door
I think he might have hit the back wall, he was going so fast. All the hens immediately followed just as fast. Infact a couple of the hens closer to the hoop house actually beat him in. These are Partridge Chanteclers from Ideal
Is this normal for a chicken to respond to another animal's alarm call? As young as these birds are, I am sure it was all instinct. But all the same.

Yes, it's normal, but I've never seen it like the way you described!
He'll grow up to be a protective rooster, I know that for sure!

 

[centrarchid]

Rooster actually saw threat. They can all learn to associate that squirrel call with the predator they saw. Rooster saw a predator from above and close to elicit response you saw.

 

[Dingleberry]

Haha I can visualize this. Mine know now the "call of the squirrel"

 

[chicken-tender]

I was sitting right there but never saw any threat above or on the ground. Being a hunter myself, I kinda watch for that sort of thing too.

 

[centrarchid]

Bird saw it

 

[svh]

My chickens react to the dogs alerting to something, and the dogs react to the chickens alert calls .....

 

[chicken-tender]

Chicken may have seen something. I knew wild animals did that but I did not figure domesticated ones especially that young would. Guess I still learn something new all the time..Thank God!