Is this hen close laying an egg or is she sick?

[KelBelle]

Today when I went out to the coop to fill the feeder and change out the water, I noticed one of my EE hens was rather loud. The noise seems to be the same as the other hens only substantially louder. It sounds like a screeching really. To me, it is like nails on a chalkboard or chewing on popsicle sticks. Ugh! I began to be concerned that perhaps she is sick. Aside from the screeching noise, she doesn't appear to be behaving any differently than the others at all. She doesn't care at all if I pick her up either. My dh suggested that perhaps she is having an issue with an egg. My flock is about five months old now and hasn't begun laying.

Could this be a sign that she will be laying an egg soon? Could she be sick? Something else wrong?

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

I have a bantam hen named Ginger who does what I believe is the same sound...kind of a long drawn out squeaky wail? Definitely sounds like nails on a chalkboard. I find that whenever she makes this noise, she will lay an egg soon, within a day or two usually. Good luck!

 

[KelBelle]

YES! It makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. LOL Interesting timing if it is an egg, as it is supposed to be extremely cold in the next few days. I will certainly keep an eye out for an egg now.

 

[justtoni44]

good luck.
She
sounds fine to me.just trying to make sure you get her message..

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

It's called the egg song. Even my roo did when one of the hens layed an egg. It gets better after they practice.

 

[KelBelle]

Good grief! The noise in the coop this morning left me with a headache. LOL It seems that a couple others have joined the original in being excessively loud. They are all quite active today. I noticed one GLW squatting in the shavings and swishing her rear around a bit. That ended quickly once the roo ran over to her and she took off. My poor son was frightened to tears after seeing the rooster mount one of the hens for the first time today too. I am getting anxious for either eggs or for them to settle back down to their usual behavior.

 

[maurerwerks]

Quote:
Your babies are growing up - this IS usual behavior.

 

[KelBelle]

LOL Can you tell this is our first experience with chickens?

 

[KelBelle]

I thought I should come back and update this. We have eggs! Our first egg was last Monday. Since then we have gotten 17 more. Our entire first dozen were from Easter Eggers. Two Wyandottes have laid one egg each and none of the Orpingtons have laid yet. Seems odd to me that that is the pattern they have taken. LOL

 

[KimM]

Congrats! The EE's in our flock are the best layers, they hardly ever skip a day.