Noise that hens make after laying

[Dragonfly Ranch]

I read a thread the other day where the author talked about hearing his hen sing her song. As someone who is new to the chicken world I have a question. This morning my Red Star was just getting off the nest with an egg left behind and she stopped before getting down when on to make three loud Buk noises then one more louder Buuaaaakkk. Is that what they do each time they lay an egg.

 

[Dar]

mine do..my kids joke its like them bragging to the other girls...o i bet you cant beat that egg today girls....its perfect... bawk bawk...lol

 

[Jolyn]

Yep....sometimes it can go on and on and on!!! At least for my girls.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

I think RIR's are imfamous for their bragging. I have one that will go on for more than 5 minutes as loud as possible. The BSL & RSL do but not nearly as long and as loud

 

[Judy]

That's it, all right. Mine make 10 or 15 buk-buks before the BGAWK. Sometimes one or even two others will do it, standing around in the coop, while watching another on the nest laying.

One day one of my free rangers started making almost the same sound from in the woods. (They never lay in the woods.) Ran over just in time to see a fox slink off; she was obviously aware of him, hollering at him. (Yes, we got him.) So I'm guessing the predator alarm is similar; I really didn't hear a difference, just knew it was coming from the wrong place.

 

[3peeps]

Some are better/worse than others, depending on your point of view.

Certain breeds are anecdotally known for creating a scene after laying.

Sometimes if it caries on too long, I go out and busy them with a bunch of "salad" or scratch.

Also, I notice that mine carry on longer when another hen kicks them out of the nest box right after they lay.

 

[Jolyn]

Honestly before i got chickens i had no clue that they made such a ruckus when they laid. However who could blame them.....having to push something that sized out every day!!! I would be squawking too.

I can hear mine when i'm in the house, windows closed and air conditioner on. When i hear them i usually say "Thanks for the egg".....Haha!

 

[crtrlovr]

mine will "announce" when they've laid their egg, and they'll also "sing" as they stroll around the yard, searching for yummies or bits of grass, just going about their day. I love to hear their little almost "humming" tunes as they stroll. Since it's been so bloomin' hot here, they haven't been singing much lately...

 

[Mikeeeeeeeeee]

Oh, the singing.
Barred Rocks will tune up for about a minute.
RIR's squawk for about a minute too.
BO's...........my Lord, they carry on.

Here is the deal.
I open the coop door at 6 AM. They cant get out of the pop door fast enough.
Around 11-12 we open the run gate for their daily free range.

Now if a girl has allready laid her egg, she probably sang for a minute.
If she hasnt, and she has to lay during the afternoon she will begin singing, but in a slightly different tune and with more gusto.

Here is why.
The flock is gone, and constantly on the move through our five acres. The girls will come back to lay, and not know where the flock has moved to.
So, the song is louder, and longer.
You will hear Rocky deep in the woods singing back, as he is on the move back to the coop to get his girl.
She then knows where to go, and sometimes they meet halfway. Sometimes he makes it all the way back.

They are amusing critters.

 

[swtamour]

I heard that the egg song will taper off as they get older. Is that true?