Morning Cluck-Off

[xC0000005]

As best we can tell we do not have a rooster (No pointed tail feathers, no huge crest/wattle). Still every morning some of our chickens perch on a stick (where they refuse to roost, instead flopping in the dirt) and begin to cluck to each other. Loudly. If I go down and say hello they shut up and don't start up again. Some mornings I'll catch them at it and it's just one or two loud clucks.

The black bantam cochins we have are darn near mute. I've never heard them make a loud noise except the night that the kids left the cage unchained and the dog was after them. They'll chirp and cluck softly when I'm at the cage and they really, really get agitated if I bring a buff near them, but otherwise they are silent. Is the buff cluck-fest normal? These are buff orpingtons and we love them. We're not clear on why they do the morning cluck fest. (They are laying in the afternoon the last few days - doesn't seem to be related to laying, though as each one lays she sure does like to stand at the nest box and say "Look what I did!" to the rest of the flock). We love them but they are noisy in the mornings. Morning, incidentally, is roughly related to sunrise. In the summer when it was getting light at 4:30 that was the morning meet n greet time.

Is this just part of normal chicken behavior?

 

[feathersnuggles]

Don't know if it's normal or not, but I have 2 out of 5 noisy birds that raise a ruckus most mornings, regardless of any egg-laying. Sometimes a 3rd joins in. Around 7:30am, the complaining and growling starts, and just gets louder. When I open the back door, they get REALLY loud; but they shut up if I come outside. I think they are bored and want some action, after the long dark night is finally over. Of course, once they're out to free-range they get nice & quiet.

 

[Harrietsmum]

My SLW makes a huge noise every morning. Stops as soon as I go out and open the coop door.

 

[spartacus_63]

It's normal. Most birds are very chatty (clucky) early in the morning and also in the evening before retiring.

 

[amyparrotflock]

I've noticed the same with my bantam black cochins. quiet except they make noise when they are seperated, and ad best its one or two calls and thats it.

 

[newchicksnducks]

Seems normal to me too. Also normal to have some birds who are chatty, and some the silent type. I have one who loudly sings the egg song before, during and after giving her egg...and she'll also sing if she see another girl laying She must think her version of the song is so much better than theirs...next she'll want to be on American Idol!!

 

[OpheliaChick]