Rooster Communication . . What does this Mean?

[Peppercorngal]

I know Harvey inside and out. I know when he finds food and calls the girls to get it, I know what his alarm cry is and his crow, of course. Today I was filling the water containers and heard him on the other side of the run. I have no idea what this means, it sounds sort of like an egg song but it's not. I have never heard him do this before, ever. I'm glad I had the camera and was able to get this footage so you can hear. Anyone know what he is talking about or wanting or saying????????

 

[BantyChooks]

@Shadrach may have an answer.

I have heard that from my roosters now and then. I can't peg down a reason for it, but I have noted it seems to only occur in summer?

 

[Peppercorngal]

@Shadrach may have an answer.

I have heard that from my roosters now and then. I can't peg down a reason for it, but I have noted it seems to only occur in summer?

I'm wondering if it has anything to do with the fact that Harvey's son (3 months old on Friday) has started to crow and will move in on the hens when Harvey is on the opposite side of the free range area. Do you think it's a message for other roosters??? Because our free range area is so big Harvey has yet to see Jethro mounting his girls. I'm thinking he may go bonkers when he sees him. Today one of the other hens beat Jethro when he mounted one of Harvey's favorites! I just love watching them.

 

[centrarchid]

When I played video, my dogs in hearing range immediately ran to barn while barking, so likely a legitimate alarm call from rooster. The vocalization most similar to my ears to what a rooster produces when watching a threat that is on the ground. When my birds give alarm calls, my focus is not on the bird giving alarm, rather direction it is looking in.

 

[BantyChooks]

When I played video, my dogs in hearing range immediately ran to barn while barking, so likely a legitimate alarm call from rooster. The vocalization most similar to my ears to what a rooster produces when watching a threat that is on the ground. When my birds give alarm calls, my focus is not on the bird giving alarm, rather direction it is looking in.

I've definitely heard ground alarm calls that were very similar in character, but this particular call sounded slightly different in character to me. (Perhaps my ears are going. )

 

[m1chelle1]

yeah, agreed. sounds like an alert call, but in lower tones for sure. Might just be that he has a cold that has changed the tone of his normal voice, that would be my guess
Hes beautiful. I love boys

 

[Shadrach]

I know Harvey inside and out. I know when he finds food and calls the girls to get it, I know what his alarm cry is and his crow, of course. Today I was filling the water containers and heard him on the other side of the run. I have no idea what this means, it sounds sort of like an egg song but it's not. I have never heard him do this before, ever. I'm glad I had the camera and was able to get this footage so you can hear. Anyone know what he is talking about or wanting or saying????????

I would say he is responding to an escort call given by one of his hens.
Some sound more hysterical than others.
What happens is the hen makes the escort call and this is similar enough to the roosters response call I've heard here for me to be reasonably confident that this is what the call means.
It's a bit like the husband shouting yes I heard you dear to his wife when he's called for something.
This article explains a bit about it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-not-about-the-egg-it’s-an-escort-call.74386/

 

[Shadrach]

@Shadrach may have an answer.

I have heard that from my roosters now and then. I can't peg down a reason for it, but I have noted it seems to only occur in summer?

That could be because Spring/Summer is peak egg laying season and that is when you are most likely to hear a rooster respond to his hens escort call.

 

[Shadrach]

I've definitely heard ground alarm calls that were very similar in character, but this particular call sounded slightly different in character to me. (Perhaps my ears are going. )

No your ears are fine. The ground predator call can sound similar.

 

[centrarchid]

Not all alarm calls the same. They have different meanings. Mine give an alarm for owls that is very different from that for fox or hawk. Call given in video is not one that comes even close to what a rooster does when hens doing the "egg song". Dogs definitely say alarm call as they do not get excited otherwise.