Pullets have become VERY loud, are eggs to follow?

[slnorac1975]

I have 6 chickens, 2 RIR, 2 Barred Rocks, 1 Black Australorp, and 1 Americana and they are all 19 weeks old. In the last 72 hours they have become VERY, VERY loud. It starts with a deep rrrrrrrrr sound, which gets louder and then squawking, which is even louder. They have not laid their first eggs, yet. The combs on one red and one rock (the noisiest of the group) have become very red, in the past week.

Is this a sign they are close to laying?

Will they quiet down once they start laying, except for the post egg song?

Or is this just them being chickens? I picked the breed because they were billed as "quiet". I live on a smaller lot in a residential neighborhood and don't want them to upset my neighbors. And I can't keep the peace, yet, with eggs, because they haven't started laying.

Please help!

 

[duckinnut]

Well good news and bad. First the good eggs will be here real soon,my reds started about 19wks and the barreds were within a weeks time. Mine were eagerly checking out the nest boxes just before they started laying. Now the bad,my barreds are the noisy ones in the bunch excluding the roo. There are two of them that do the egg song for 15 min at a time. The reds are more to squawking just before they lay,just walking around making noise. But at least you will have eggs

.

 

[scooter147]

How often and when are they doing this?

 

[slnorac1975]

Off and on all day, but especially early morning. I have one on a next now-YEAH- but not th eone making all the fuss.

 

[scooter147]

I was just wondering if instead of the egg song it was the "THERE'S A PREDATOR, EVERYONE LOOK OUT!!!! song.

I only have one, a Polish hen, that squwaks before laying. I have 8 EE's in my flock and only two sing to high heaven after laying an egg.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Mine practiced the "egg song" before laying. It was absolutely shocking to me how loud they were. You sort of get used to it. I checked with my neighbors and no one seemed bothered by it. I have one that goes on and on and on after she lays...after anyone lays, really, but if I just give her a few dandelion leaves she quiets down.

 

[Pele]

Aw, your girls sound really cute. From what you describe, you are going through the 'teenaged girl with a cellphone' stage with your birds. It's a big sign that you'll be getting eggs within a week.

My own pullets are going through this stage too, and it's loud! Even the quiet breeds do it right before they lay. It's a good sign, but really nice when it's over.

However, I do have a little bit of bad news

. RIRs and Barred Rocks are NOT known for being quiet. My friend has several Rhode Island Reds that will make a racket for up to an hour after they've laid. Yikes!

Hopefully yours will be an exception to the rule!

 

[scooter147]

If I'm out and one of the hens goes beyond what I think is necessary in anouncing to the world their accomplishment for something chickens have been doing for probably thousands of years I will go in and pick them up for a minute or so. It seems to snap them out of the trance they seem to be in. I've been around chickens for 40+ years and if it's constant it really can grate my nerves.

 

[scooter147]

Quote:
I agree with the RRI and Barred Rock comments, especially the RRI which is why I have not had in my flock for years.

 

[slnorac1975]

We just got our first egg!!!!! But is wasn't from the Rock making all the fuss...