Do chickens always sing their egg song when they lay an egg?

[ericlw55555]

Hi guys, I'm new to chickens and my chickens are close 18 weeks so they will start laying soon. I just watched some videos of chickens laying their first egg and singing their egg song, which worries me because it might piss off my neighbors... Does this egg song always happen when hens lay their eggs?

 

[TheMother]

Currently out of 3 hens that lay, only one squawks after laying. The other two are so quiet we don't know they laid until we check the boxes. The first time I heard the egg laying squawking, I was super stressed. No one has complained Thankfully.

 

[nao57]

Well I only have 2 chickens and most the time mine are pretty quiet.

I don't think everyone will have noisy animals.

But if you are in an urban area, I would definitely curb all noise aggressively just so you don't have problems, and as a deterrent.

You can also try things ahead of time to see what can distract them. Like watch when you feed them treats, does it shut them up right away? (This works for mine. But I don't know if it works for everyone.)

 

[TheMother]

Well I only have 2 chickens and most the time mine are pretty quiet.

I don't think everyone will have noisy animals.

But if you are in an urban area, I would definitely curb all noise aggressively just so you don't have problems, and as a deterrent.

You can also try things ahead of time to see what can distract them. Like watch when you feed them treats, does it shut them up right away? (This works for mine. But I don't know if it works for everyone.)

Yup, a distraction is a good plan. When mine started squawking, I'd have the kids run out and give her a treat or pick her up. That would stop the noise.

 

[333113]

You might try putting their nestbox in a sheltered area, a garage or shed, to get another sound barrier between the hen-noise and the rest of the world.

 

[chrissynemetz]

Not every hen will sing every time... but honestly they can be really loud when they get going. Are you friendly with your neighbors? Do they know you have chickens?

 

[rosemarythyme]

No they don't always sing when they lay... sometimes they sing when someone else lays. Or they'll sing because someone else is singing. Sometimes I think they don't even realize that no one has laid, just one bird will start up and the others join in, like a singalong in a car.

 

[Sally PB]

Mine have never sung the egg song.

There is an article on this site about the egg song being an escort request. Since a chicken laying an egg is in a vulnerable position, getting the rooster to come and lead her back to the flock safely makes sense. If the rooster is right there, no need for the call. I have a cockerel, so it seems reasonable to me that the pullets don't "need" to sing.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I have one that starts and gets others to, but she lays eggs too big constantly so I think it's more that it hurts her