Is "The Egg Song" a real song?

[pgpoultry]

My mob 'egg song' when they are startled at times . A particular roo. starts it off and about 6 others join in.

Usually if it is related to egg laying, then the hen that has laid starts the 'song', this same roo. answers , then others join in and they do this 'question' and 'answer' thing for about 3-4 minutes.

 

[TigerLilly]

Quote:
Yep, what they ^ said!

 

[gryeyes]

Somebody on BYC has a copy of my Rebecca's EGg Song, just a minute of it. I recorded it on my cell phone one auspicious day, and sent it to people who wanted it. I have since replaced that phone when it malfunctioned.... So I no longer have my own copy!

However, it may be more of a repetitive call, but it's easy to recognize even when a hen from somebody else's flock sings it.

The First Stanza:

Bawk bok bok bok. Bok bok bok bokbokbokbokbok! Bok bok bok buh-GAWK!!!

 

[Fierlin1182]

I mainly call it 'bok-bok-bok-buh-GAWK!'
It's very recognisable: don't worry, you'll know it when you hear it!

 

[zzGypsy]

Quote:
see now THAT'S an egg song!
heehee!

 

[turtlewomyn]

I hear it when I check on my chickens in the morning. But it is coming from the neighbor's chickens two doors down.

I can't wait until it is my girls that are singing it (they are around six months old, but I got them two weeks ago so they might just be settling in).

 

[Martha80]

If you free range your birds, then the "egg song" is also the "I'm done in here, come and get me" song. After the hen sings, you will hear the rooster respond, "cock-a-doodle-do", and soon he will show up and return her to the safety of the flock.

 

[maizy'smom]

Quote:
We do let the girls wander the back yard a good deal, when we are home. One of the things that has me a little worried is that they might end up laying their first eggs outside the coop, in one of their secret hide-y holes. In particular, the girls like to give me a heart attack by napping IN the hedge...between the privit and the wire fencing behind it. Other than getting down on my stomache and creeping along like a recruit at bootcamp, searching every leaf and bush, I'm not sure how to discover any renegade eggs. That's kind of why I was hoping the "egg song" would tip me off, if it happens while they are free-ranging.

Thank you all for sharing your experience! It is always helpful, and often hilarious!

mm

 

[zzGypsy]

maizy'smom :

One of the things that has me a little worried is that they might end up laying their first eggs outside the coop, in one of their secret hide-y holes.

expect it, that will probably happen.
once you know they're laying, and they have a predictable pattern worked out (which can take new layers a little while), you can elect to not free range them untill after all eggs are layed. many of them will learn where they *should* lay and then do so reliably, if they are free ranged or not.

I bought grown layers this year and kept them contained until they were laying in the nest boxes reliably, now they free range all day and never miss the nest box. which is good, because it appears I've got some that are morning layers and some that are afternoon layers, so they wouldn't get much range time if I had to keep them all in until they were done laying.​

 

[SteveBaz]

maizy'smom :

Quote:
Thanks! I'm still chuckling over that one!