when I am around all my chickens, including my rooster, seem to coo at me; it's not like a bawk bok type noise. but quieter and almost gentle sounding. Any ideas on what this means? At the least I think it means they are interested in me, but are they recognizing me as their mom or something similar? They coo to each other too, so I think they are relating to me as a chicken. I am most surprised the rooster does this.... and they also spend a lot of time looking at me like - treats? treats? you are no good to us unless you have some? so much fun these creatures...
Mine make a soft 'chuck-chuck-chuck' (say it really fast). They really do seem to be 'talking chicken' to me. Particularly my Abby, she's always talking away to me. And I chuck-chuck-chuck right back to her!
yes, something like that and there's also a lot of low tone, oooo, ooooo (like yoohoo without the y and h). I really ought to record them, it's a riot. Like you, I try to do it back to them, and since they do not freak out or anything, I figure it's positive.
I think each chicken has their own little sound, for communication reasons, and I've noticed the same thing. At night, I go and check them after lock up and watch them trying to figure who is going to sleep where, (depending on the situation) they make a big deal out of who sleeps where. When one night they noticed I was watching them, I said, "it's only mama saying goodnight and see you tomorrow" they started to coo and i recognized it as a recognition "noise" they made cause they new me and were not scared. So sweet.
I have these great conversations with my guys as well. Like everyone mentions....they use these soft, almost purring sounds. Absolutely adorable. Then they'll cock their heads, look at me with one eye, listen to me trying to imitate their sounds. Whatever we seem to be discussing, they take very seriously!
Ours make a 'coo' sound when they're calm and happy. They do it a lot when I go out in the evening to close up their coop, and they're all roosted for the night. They also have a warning sound that is very reptillian. We call them velociraptors when they do it. My favorite sound is when I give them a new treat that they really like. They take a taste then make this funny little noise that makes me think they're saying "Oh Boy! That's GOOD!" We talk back to them in 'chicken talk'. That probably makes us crazy chicken people, but we can't help it.
Mine make the cooing noise when they are trying to comfort one another. One hen will do it to another hen trying to lay (like a birthing coach? ), and I also hear them do it at night when they are all falling alseep.
I have a four-year old EE hen who has a special language she speaks only to me, not the other chickens. She and I seem to have a special bond, and when she needs me to help her, she stands at my feet, looking straight up at me, and goes, "Caw, caw, caw!" And I seem to understand what she wants almost every time, and I happily do her bidding.
