Egg Song

[cravenchx]

Do they just sing when they first start laying, and then quit,
or do they continue to sing?
I have yet heard the song, but I'm getting eggs!
I'm not home when they lay.

 

[gryeyes]

Not all hens and pullets sing THe Egg Song.

Some sing before they lay the egg, some practice singing it before they actually lay their first egg, some sing right afterwards, some never letcha know they laid an egg at all.

 

[Buff-Island-Australorp]

My top 2 hens in the pecking order seem to go to the nests at the same time. I heard so much egg song racket one day, I stuck my head in the coop to see what was going on. #1 was on the nest and #2 was standing there singing her butt off. I believe they may be in competition together, so I think the egg song isn't just to announce an egg, but also gets sung to encourage another to HURRY UP AND FINISH so she can lay in the same box.

 

[cravenchx]

It seems Max might sing more than the girls!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Just so ya'll know, the egg song is a trait from foraging jungle fowl.
The flock will be foraging and a hen gets the urge to run to the nest. The rest of the flock continues to forage and when she's done she calls out "bluck bluck bluck (hey, where are you guys?). The rest of the flock answers in kind.
If roosters get separated from the flock they make the same call.

ETAIt doesn't matter if the rest of the flock is standing right next to them. It's ingrained and they can't help it.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
No dispute there.

However, of all my chickens, Brenda the Brahma utilizes the Egg Song to brag: "I laid an egg. I laid THE egg. I laid the BEST egg ever laid by anybody. Mine are the most perfect eggs. This is a perfect egg I just laid. Nobody lays eggs as good as mine. And I just laid one. The best one."

On and on and on, at the top of her lungs.

 

[cravenchx]

Quote:
Interesting!

 

[t_4_turtle]

our 2nd egg and our first egg song!

 

[cravenchx]

Finally heard it!
So beautiful, went right to the nest box,
and man was that egg warm. I surprised they
don't come out soft boiled!

 

[bluefeather2697]

believe it or not, when my rooster sees my hen lays egg... he sings the egg song! hahaha seriously.