Question about the egg song

[Bhapimama]

just wondering ... Is the egg song just a new layer thing? Or a lifelong practice? Two out of my four hens have just started laying. The first (an EE) sang the song a lot - before and after laying an egg. She has chilled out a bit and sometimes doesn't sing at all when she lays. My Barred Rock is the second to start laying. She has a very private nest that she made deep in some bushes. She laid her fourth good egg (we've been having some trouble with soft shelled eggs, but that's another topic) today and today was the first time I heard her sing the egg song.

 

[Leighe]

just wondering ... Is the egg song just a new layer thing? Or a lifelong practice? Two out of my four hens have just started laying. The first (an EE) sang the song a lot - before and after laying an egg. She has chilled out a bit and sometimes doesn't sing at all when she lays. My Barred Rock is the second to start laying. She has a very private nest that she made deep in some bushes. She laid her fourth good egg (we've been having some trouble with soft shelled eggs, but that's another topic) today and today was the first time I heard her sing the egg song.

I think its a lifelong thing, usually they don't do it every time but I've always thought they start off doing it alot and then they only do it when they get older cause they've pushed out a monster, lol.....of course I'm probably just makin that up but I have older hens who sing still, lol.

 

[lazy gardener]

Some birds are more enamored with their singing than others. Some will sing any time ANYONE lays an egg, any time she lays an egg, any time she thinks about an egg, any time someone else sings about an egg. I do hope you have plans for training your BR to the nest.

 

[Bhapimama]

Some birds are more enamored with their singing than others. Some will sing any time ANYONE lays an egg, any time she lays an egg, any time she thinks about an egg, any time someone else sings about an egg. I do hope you have plans for training your BR to the nest.

Lol about the singing. As far as the nest... I was thinking of just taking some pruning sheers out there and cutting a path suitable for humans. Is this a bad idea? Our yard is only about 1/4 acre, there aren't too many other places she could hide.

 

[lazy gardener]

I would not want my birds laying in the yard. Too much opportunity for those eggs to attract the wrong kind of attention. IMO, eggs belong in a nest box. But, it that works for you... then go for it.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Most times over the years my hens have sung their whole lives. My last bunch of 12 sex links would make so much noise while laying that you always knew when they were laying from in the house & my coop is 100 yds. from the house.

 

[GC-Raptor]

Only two of my 16 month old Golden Comets sing. The other three are quiet and one of them is sneaky. GC

 

[FlyWheel]

I think it's a lifetime thing, even after they've passed into "Gallu-pause". My birds have always sung. They sing when they lay, when another bird lays, for no reason at all. One day when I was out building my coop all six of my mature birds broke into an egg chorus, even the rooster and nobody had layed anything (not even him)!

As it's been said many times - chickens are weird.

 

[Bhapimama]

I think it's a lifetime thing, even after they've passed into "Gallu-pause". My birds have always sung. They sing when they lay, when another bird lays, for no reason at all. One day when I was out building my coop all six of my mature birds broke into an egg chorus, even the rooster and nobody had layed anything (not even him)!

As it's been said many times - chickens are weird.

Lol that made me giggle