The Egg Song

[Ascholten]

Hello everyone.
I have one hen, who will at about the same time every morning within say half an hour, do her egg song out in the yard under the bushes. Now Ive searched high and low there looking for a hidden (another hidden) nest, and yelled at her (like she gives a feathered flip) about you BETTER NOT be laying eggs outside the nesting box.

Nope, there are 4 for 4 eggs in the nesting box, so she IS behaving now on that front,but what would make them do the egg song? There was not another chicken doing it and she was joining in, just doing it herself?

Aaron

 

[ButtonHoarder]

Maybe she felt it coming then ran for the coop

 

[hannah and the chickens]

My hen sometimes lays her egg first, then runs back outside for her egg song.

 

[linguini]

Hello everyone.
I have one hen, who will at about the same time every morning within say half an hour, do her egg song out in the yard under the bushes. Now Ive searched high and low there looking for a hidden (another hidden) nest, and yelled at her (like she gives a feathered flip) about you BETTER NOT be laying eggs outside the nesting box.

Nope, there are 4 for 4 eggs in the nesting box, so she IS behaving now on that front,but what would make them do the egg song? There was not another chicken doing it and she was joining in, just doing it herself?

Aaron

Here is a most fascinating article about egg song in the forum:

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

 

[3KillerBs]

Nope, there are 4 for 4 eggs in the nesting box, so she IS behaving now on that front,but what would make them do the egg song? There was not another chicken doing it and she was joining in, just doing it herself?

The Light Brahma in my avatar feels the need to announce everyone's eggs -- even on days she doesn't lay one herself.

Then she tells us about her egg too -- both before and after laying it.

I think she just likes the sound of her own voice.

 

[CHlCKEN]

My hen sometimes lays her egg first, then runs back outside for her egg song.

Exactly.

Mine lay their eggs, then run out and sing their egg song. Sometimes it’s 5-10 minutes before the make the vocalization at all.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I have noticed the egg song being sung if someone is trying to lay an egg, then gets disturbed-or kicked off the nest. Also if they are walking around and see a predator.

 

[CHlCKEN]

I have noticed the egg song being sung if someone is trying to lay an egg, then gets disturbed-or kicked off the nest. Also if they are walking around and see a predator.

That would be an alarm.

 

[Ascholten]

In an odd way, I really love the girls but try NOT to have them get into too much of a 'signature sound' chicken song too close to the house!! The Egg Song is classical chicken. I do NOT need the Cockatoo learning it and he WILL, especially if he thinks there is a way for him to annoy me with it!!

I have a squeaky cabinet door, he mimiks it to a tee. Anytime I open any door or cabinet in the house he goes eeeEEEeekkkk Ill look at him and he laughs. The last thing I need is for him to do the egg song at 6 am because he want's attention :/

Aaron

 

[DobieLover]

The Light Brahma in my avatar feels the need to announce everyone's eggs -- even on days she doesn't lay one herself.

Then she tells us about her egg too -- both before and after laying it.

I think she just likes the sound of her own voice.

Is that girl the head hen?
Because it's not an "egg song". It's an escort call and she may be responding.

I have noticed the egg song being sung if someone is trying to lay an egg, then gets disturbed-or kicked off the nest. Also if they are walking around and see a predator.

What sounds like an escort call given a bit more urgently for lack of a better description is a general predator alert call. There may be something at ground level she doesn't know what is that she is alarming over it.