Do chickens speak crow?

[CityGirlintheCountry]

So I was out in the coop/run this morning talking to the chickens and coop kittens and my banty roo made a low screeching sound. Every single chicken went completely still. It was like a big game of freeze tag in there! They stayed frozen for about a minute and were all completely silent. They stayed put until a crow started cawing and then they shook it off and went about their business. We have hawks in the area, but I didn't see one.
What was that all about?

 

[HenMamma]

I don't know, but I think my chickens speak robin. At any given time you can look out to run and see it out there chillin with the chickens.

 

[tshowell]

Mine do the exact same thing! And unfortunately, we have a LOT of crows so they spend alot of their time frozen

 

[bigzio]

Yep, you bet they have one in eye in the sky at all times, if they free range, their life depends on it for staying alive...a safe place to run and hide also makes for a long life.

bigzio

 

[gritsar]

Mine freeze when they hear the crows caw, but I'm glad for it. Twice now when I've heard the crows causing a ruckus I've looked around and seen them chasing the pair of golden eagles that nest nearby. The crows inadvertently warned my chickens of the danger. The crows are welcome at my house. If they are being loud it usually means something bigger and more of a threat is nearby.

 

[snowydiamonds]

Ravens try to speak chicken...

they're not welcome at my place, they stole one banty hen when I first got the flock and now I've got a roo in every pen, a border collieX on one end, and me looking out or listening in thru an open window to run out and run raven's off! I've got 3 lil feathered bantam chicks out in the pen w/the adult banty's now and more due to hatch any day now, maybe today! (w/all the banty hens waiting to love and protect those eggs/chickies...I may have to give a chick or two to each hen to keep them from fighting over "their" babies!)

 

[hcammack]

The crows here warn the free range hens of hawks (frequent visotors) thanks to them I have not lost one bird and the hens know to go for the woods or a low bush to get away from a hawk (seems to be a natural instinct) also the hens know the hawks schedual : they stay close to the woods all day and in the morning but in afternoon when it starts to get darker they know the hawks go to roost.

Henry

 

[DDRanch]

We have a number of resident hawks and when they are around the girls freeze. First, They stand very tall, they freeze, they huddle, get very quiet, and then all squawk loudly and move quickly into the shed, coop, or smaller structures I have placed around.

They are excellent at knowing where the danger is. They don't mind the wild turkeys, pigeons, bunnies, crows, jays, ravens, or turkey vultures, but a kestrel, red shouldered or red tailed hawk will get their attention in a second.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Well, huh. Maybe there was a hawk somewhere near and the roo was warning them all. I suppose the crow cawing was the all clear signal. It was bizarre, that's for sure.

So is there a way to encourage crows to stick around? I must confess that I kind of like them anyway. Is there special crow food I can put out this winter?

 

[lashawnb]

LOL, Mine run for cover when they hear any
small airplanes!!!!!!!!!