My girls are talking & I mean TALKING !!!!

[JulieZ]

I knew at some point, from reading posts, that my girls would begin to "talk" but when I enter into their space (coop), they all begin to squak. Especially one who is obviously very annoyed with me. Would that make her the alpha chicken giving off warning or just a mad chicken? What does squaking usually mean?

At night ... a few of them make a noise I can not describe as they are roosting. It's almost like a sick cats purr or someone gargeling mouth wash. Is this normal? Will they get louder as they age?

Julie

 

[Mahonri]

Mine are only noisy when they are very hungry or they've just laid an egg.

They are all different aren't they?

 

[redhen]

When mine see me they "talk" to me too.... because they think that i'm bringing them treats...

 

[Chick CJ]

I have a barred rock bantam who I call the "heralder". She is not the alpha hen, that is my oegb. But she is the one who is watching everything that is going on all the time and is telling everyone all about it! I named her Alfie because everytime I came up to the pen when they were little she was always watching me to see what was going on and it always made me think of the song, "What's It All about, Alfie?"

 

[gryeyes]

Mine make a surprising variety of sounds in the coop at night. Happy/content sounds: trills, very quiet boks, something I call "chumbling" which isn't quite as happy, but it's not really annoyed (gossiping quietly, I suppose, so the hens a few positions over won't hear what is being chumbled). The roo almost purrs. Then there are the squawks when someone elbows someone else on the roost, or takes HER space next to the rooster, etc.

I love to listen to them. They talk to me during the daytime hours, too. One of two of them have very involved tales to share. Wish I knew WHAT the heck they're telling me!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I have a couple of hens that sound the "alarm" when I come out the door. It's like their telling the others, "hey, the treat lady is coming" because all the others come running to the gate.

Mine also got more vocal right before they started laying. And of course, you have the egg song.

Mine make all sorts of noises at night. The trilly (purring) sound is the happy sound. Roosters make even funnier noises. I jumped the first time I went to close their window and he growled at me.

 

[missychicky]

Yes it is normal for them to make that purring noise. If you spend some time with them you will notice they all start purring when a bird flies overhead (even if it's just a sparrow). I think it is a warning call, mine also purr when their happy.

 

[jojo54]

Quote:
Lulu, my lame part-time house chicken makes all those sounds. She talks mostly to me - probably because I'm the one who talks back to her. My DH says it sounds like we are having a conversation as we seem to be having a dialogue - Lulu talks, I answer, I talk, Lulu answers.

I must have a good imagination because often I answer my girls as if I understand what they are saying. They sometimes come around after I have given them treats and bawk, bawk loud and long - almost like a drawl which I take as comments on the types of treats or the amount of treats the got. Of course, I reassure them that the variety, quality or quantity will be better next time.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
Oh, yes, the Egg Song! How about the "You're in MY nest box, biddy!"

The first time I heard my rooster growl I thought there was a stray dog in the yard. Seriously.

 

[LeezyBeezy]

My rooster makes this weird, "fingernail on a chalk board sound." He will stand absolutely still, barely open his beak, and screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech. Enough to rupture my ear drums!! I love his happy clucking, because his voice is so much deeper than the girls. I wish he didn't crow so much though!!

My one hen squawks the entire time the other hen is on the nest to lay- DRIVES ME NUTS. Then the rooster chimes in! UGH. Anyone else have a hen that does that?