Loud chicken!

[aleia]

I have a flock consisting of light brahmas, barred rocks, and a golden-laced wyandotte, all of varying ages. The girls all get along quite well. However, my oldest light brahma is VERY loud! She began the behavior about 5 weeks ago - two weeks before she began laying - and at first I thought she was just trying to figure out how to lay. She is now a fairly consistent layer, but she is still so darn loud! She starts first thing in the morning, and then periodically throughout the day. None of my other chickens - laying or not - are doing this. What is going on?

 

[chooks4life]

There are a few meanings behind both sounds. People have already stated some but here's my experiences.

The 'egg song' (or 'bok-bagark' as we call it), is often also used as an alarm call. This is not an issue, until you have a spacky neurotic chook who makes it when there is no issue at all. Some chickens can get mentally trapped in the looping circuit of making that noise all day, every day.

It's not actually too natural nor instinctive for a hen to scream the location of her precious nest to the world. Many birds celebrate laying with singing --- but away from the nest, usually. In this case I believe what we call the egg song is actually a modified instinct caused by human's long history of raiding chook nests. It is after all the natural panic or alarm call they tend to use when predators are in the area or their nest has been raided. I speculate that many hens reacted in that manner to finding humans had taken their eggs, and it's just bred on, like so many incorrect behaviors. Truly smart/instinctive hens do not advertise the location nor presence of their clutches.

I used to reliably know something was wrong and needed fixing when my chooks made the so-called 'egg song' because they didn't make it when laying, but only when predators were in the area. So I'd hear it a total of maybe once a month, or less. Later on, I got newer chooks who were mentally aberrant and liked to repeat this noise over and over and over again, all day every day. They were spacky, stupid, and neurotic.

In no time at all they had the whole flock joining in and repeating this nonstop all day, every day. Times that by 100+ chickens with close neighbours and you see the severity of the issue. It was insane. I managed to train some to shut up on command, but ended up culling the noisiest, and watching what I breed from more carefully. A noisy rooster or hen produces vocal offspring the majority of the time. Also, people repeating their own noises at them can bring about this nonstop noise-making. I have actually had hens who would repeat it until they ran out of oxygen, unable to stop themselves. They were hysterical in the clinical sense of the word and I culled them too. Yeah, I do a lot of culling. It's far quicker and more effective than breeding bad traits out.

About the 'roarrrr' noise they do, as people have noted it means they want something. In this case I think she possibly wants a rooster. My hens don't make that noise unless locked in a cage, which is rarely done to them, and even then they rarely complain for long because I cull for excessive complaints of any kind... Most do not complain at all. The majority of the time, when they make that noise, it's because their boyfriend is absent or I've culled a rooster they were used to having around.

 

[HereChikyChiky]

Wow, thanks for all the great responses! Scarlett has always been bossy and mouthy, but this has been pretty crazy. We live in close range to our neighbors and well...I worry about complaints. No one has said anything yet, but I figure if she's grating my last nerve with her tantrums, she's probably bothering someone else too.

We do shut them in the coop and the run at night--lots of cats, raccoons and dogs. We started this past weekend letting them out first light, and they do get snacks--left overs or fruit and veggies mixed with a little grit. Ginger is a daily egg girl, Ruby is every other day so far. Scarlett--not yet, but I think because she is such a prima donna, she doesn't like sharing the nesting boxes with the other girls. She'll figure it out eventually. I guess she could be laying outside in the yard somewhere too, but I haven't found anything yet.

The noise is back to a manageable level by letting them range the yard first thing in the morning. I do spoil them with treats, I admit. But I just enjoy them so much. As for adding a cockerel to the madness, our city ordinance won't allow them, and I just want the fresh eggs and the benefits of pest control, and yes they're more pets for me than producers

Rena

 

[chooks4life]

This is what my Rhode Island red does in the am. It is so loud! It starts about 7am. I am sure the nieghbors don't like it. What can I do toe train them to not do it.

When I go down there and love on them and see what's going on they seem to quiet up a bit.

Yep, they're training you to come out and do what they want. It's natural enough and not necessarily malicious, but obviously in suburbia can be a serious issue. Once they start making noise to get what they want, and succeed with getting what they want from you, it's a very strong lesson learned and it can be very hard to get them to un-learn it.

I've shared pretty much all the tips I have on handling this in the previous two pages, and others have shared info too, so reading through this thread will give you all the advice I have to offer on this subject.

Best wishes, and good luck!

 

[jstlitlome]

I'm fairly new and have 24 week old chickens who are all starting to lay over the last 3 weeks. They have just started singing the egg song. Not all of them, but a few of them. Its like they had to develop and learn it. I think its pretty cute, but I'm pretty far from any neighbors so we are the only one who have to hear it.

Is this what they are doing?

 

[aleia]

Yes it is!!! But she does it intermittently all day long, not just when she's laying. It is cute, but we do have neighbors. Will this mellow down so that she only sings when she's laying?

Even if not, it's nice to know that her behavior is normal. Thanks.

 

[Mac14]

I'm also going to guess it's the egg song.

 

[HereChikyChiky]

My Rhode Island Red, Scarlett makes a noise that does not sound anything like what's on the video. She's the only one of my 3 who does this. Ginger, the smallest of the girls is laying and does not make any noise except a little muttering. Ruby also lays and does not do this. I've checked for eggs whenever Scarlett starts the squawking, but no eggs. She just started squatting about 3 days ago, but she's been screaming like this for a couple of weeks. They are all 19 weeks old. Help...

 

[Mac14]

My Rhode Island Red, Scarlett makes a noise that does not sound anything like what's on the video. She's the only one of my 3 who does this. Ginger, the smallest of the girls is laying and does not make any noise except a little muttering. Ruby also lays and does not do this. I've checked for eggs whenever Scarlett starts the squawking, but no eggs. She just started squatting about 3 days ago, but she's been screaming like this for a couple of weeks. They are all 19 weeks old. Help...

This video reminds me of my chickens, they do this all the time, demanding treats.

 

[JonB]

HereChikyChiky-Nothing to worry about; our BR is always doing this when she wants out to range. She's a pushy girl..lol.