False alarm calls

[blinkbonnie]

Hi All. I'm hoping someone might have experienced this and have some insight.

I have a hen (about 18 months old) in my flock who has recently started regularly making false alarm calls (the shriek used for foxes). The whole flock is then getting set off and I'm having to keep running up there in a fright thinking they've been set upon. The real downside though is that the flock is starting to become complacent about the alarm because she's doing it so often. That's not good because there are foxes around.

She isn't being attacked by any other chickens when she calls - she's always off on her own. It almost seems as though she's going mad. Today when she called she actually ran away as if there was really a fox there chasing her, but there was nothing.

She seems otherwise pretty well, though she has recently been looking a bit dishevelled. I figured it was moulting, but it's much worse than the other hens so maybe something more is up.

Any clues?

 

[chickenychicken]

Before she has done this did she recently lay a egg or lay an egg after words because this may just be the egg call. Chickens do the egg call after laying a egg or who are about to laya egg.
Does it sound like this...

If she did not just lay an egg or was not about to lay there may be a fox or some kind of danger. That's a way of telling the others to RUN away or just because of being scard she will do it. All chickens do this but others will do it more than others.

 

[chickenychicken]

There may actually be a danger there. Even if all of the other times there was nothing there may be a danger so when she does this keep an eye on your chickens.

 

[blinkbonnie]

Thanks for the responses. No it is not the egg call, and there is no danger. As I say, I go up there a lot and I'll still keep checking whenever someone calls, but this is uncharacteristic behaviour for her so I'm concerned about her health.

E.g. yesterday when she was terrified and ran away, I was up there with them and there was no danger. The roosters were not concerned, which says a lot I think. She has only started this in the last couple of weeks.

 

[chickenychicken]

Has she been attacked or really scared resantly? Because chickens will do false alarm calls after being resently attacked or scared.