Join the choir…

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

How common is this type of scenario…

Most of the chickens had already gotten on the roost for bedtime. 18 of the 27 were present. Out of the blue, rooster Clark starts singing. A second later, the two hens next to him join in. Maybe 30 seconds after, two birds on the other side of the barn start singing. Then in chimes another one on the roost next to Clark, then 2 more on the other side. My jaw is dropping at this point because my biggest chorus ever has been 5 birds and only in the daytime while they are scattered about. What do you know, then Olive, in the corner roost by herself, starts singing. Then I hear one somewhere off to the right only chiming in occasionally with a deep unusual voice. I’m looking all around me and seeing this huge chorus of birds, singing on their roosts, mouths open wide. They all have different voices and they all sing out from a different spot at various times. They sing for more than 5 minutes while I stand in the center and laugh like I have never laughed before. 10 in the choir sang the most beautiful song I have ever heard. What a special gift from my birds this evening. I felt like I was witnessing a live cartoon. Certainly that couldn’t have been real… Oh my melting heart!

Is this a common event? Could I encourage them somehow to do it every night, just for my own pure joy? Does this mean they are happy, or am I misinterpreting it? Please share if you have a choir story!

 

[aart]

Chances are something spooked them and they all started alarm calling.

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

Chances are something spooked them and they all started alarm calling.

I was standing right there with them like I do every night. The chickens that sleep in the run, as well as the three that always come in late, and the geese, seemed to have no concern. It was the same sound they make when they just laid an egg and start singing together.

So you think what I find endearing is actually simple terror?

 

[aart]

It was the same sound they make when they just laid an egg and start singing together.

Which is almost identical to the alarm call.

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

Which is almost identical to the alarm call.

Anytime there has ever been an alarm, it’s never sounded anything like that. I’ve heard many alarm calls from them, from strangers to hawks. It’s never sounded anything like that. Their stress sound is very similar to the egg song with only a slightly different pitch at the at end. This sound was neither that nor quite the egg song either. And they all started at different times. I’ve also never had them make continual alarm sounds when I’m present. I’ve heard sounds of stress and they stop when they see me. I believe they understand now, over the years, that they are safe when I’m present.