It pays to speak their language!

[hokankai]

So I had an amazing experience with my chicks this afternoon. I had the chicks in the backyard near our house for a little outside time and they were playing underneath our raspberry bushes when I had my first predator encounter. They were pecking away when I saw a hawk flying reaaaally low near our backyard, and just out of "motherly instinct" I stood up, made two looong bock sounds, and INSTANTLY all of the chicks hid in the bushes and were silent for a good minute afterward. I was amazed at their response to my retarded predator call, and they didn't come out until one of them peeped and I started calling to them again! It was a really awesome feeling to have these little girls trust and understand me enough to respond and hide. Luckily the hawk didn't circle around again, probably because it saw me their and hadn't tasted chicken...but still!

Anyway, just wanted to share that story! Does anyone else have stories of using chicken language to communicate with their chicks? I know I've used it to calm them down, call them to me, find food, and now save their lives! I'm a firm believer of understanding your animals' languages so that they understand what you're asking of them, and this is a prime example.

 

[jjthink]

Beautiful (and funny) post. Thanks for sharing this

And I totally agree with learning how to communicate with other species - it's amazing how well we can understand each other with a little effort. My feathered friends know my warning call as well as my other half-baked chicken messages! Which makes them pretty smart if you ask me

JJ

 

[CorporateGranola]

Aye, we have many birds of prey in SE Georgia, I'll def remember this story if I ever find myself in a similar situation, thanks for sharing!

Peace,

-=CG=-

 

[mrslb333]

I was told off by my 7 year old daughter for trying to talk to my chicks in made up chicken language, apparently I shouldn't do it in case I say something that upsets them!

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

You are "THE CHICKEN WHISPERER".......wait you weren't whispering, you were ....bocking?

Love to have seen it on film.

 

[Tropical Chook]

Nice story. I let my hens know that if they don't start laying some eggs to pay their rent, there won't be anymore treats. Maybe they understood because they lay like clockwork now....

 

[hokankai]

Quote:
Oh man, I wish I had caught it on film; I'm sure my face would be the funniest part. I was just like...woah! Hahaha. It was way cute too because one second they were out picking through the bushes and then all of a sudden they disappeared!

 

[sheila3935]

Wish my girls would listen to me about the eggs. I told them yesterday I was out of eggs to get busy and lay some. they looked at me like yeah right will lay when we are ready.