I have only one hen that really makes a lot of noise when she lays an egg and she is the aplha hen of my little flock. In fact I have her egg song as my ring tone! Anyway, I have noticed that when she does the "bok-bok-bok-bok-BGAAWK!" thing, if I talk to her, she stops. I'm just wondering why she does that and if anyone else has had similar experiences.
That's awesome that the egg song is your ring tone! Our chickens like company when they their eggs (besides our Leghorns) they feel like there's someone to calm them down.
I used to wonder that, also! I figured maybe she was telling others that she had just laid an egg. That or maybe she scared herself when she did.
I notice with our hens that they make that Bwack call usually upon leaving the nest box. It summons the rooster, who mates her and shows her where the flock is. I think it is a natural instinct to make noise to draw attention (of predators) away from the egg, and to quickly be reunited with the flock where there is safety in numbers (again from predators). Maybe when you are around she feels safe, like she would if her rooster came along.
x2 I read an article in Backyard Poultry that the song is usually sung when the hen leaves the nest...the hypothesis was that it was a way to find out if it was safe to reunite iwth the flock - "is it safe to come out?" It's such a strong instinct; the other day I was feeding some ham cubes out in the run and one of my EEs who was in a nest box came flying out with a quick and loud BaGAWK, BaGAWK to get some treats. She hadn't laid her egg yet but the instinct to make that sound as she left was still there. It was pretty funny, but maybe you had to be there.
