The Egg Song

[Mo_fawaazzz]

Why do chickens sing the egg song? Is there any breed that does not? I had a barred rock make my neighbors file a noise complaint. She used to cackle even when she did not lay an egg. The second I open the coop door, however, she is silent for the whole day. Do chickens sing the egg song to get out of their coop? Will tree-roosting chickens sing the egg song in mornings too?

 

[nuthatched]

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

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Mine do it when something startles them abruptly, usually when they're separate or looking to lay, which then induces the rest to join in until the older males realize it wasn't a threat and everyone is 'good'

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Female chickens are the ones that produce the egg song. They do it before they lay an egg to tell their flock members, especially the rooster, that they are going to lay an egg and therefore will be vulnerable during that time. Because of them being vulnerable, the rooster is supposed to sit with her while she lays an egg. After she lays the egg, she get off the nest and begins doing the egg song again—this time to tell the rooster to escort her back to the flock, to alert the other hens that she is done laying, and to scare off any predator that could have sneaked up on her while she was not looking. Not all roosters will accompany their hens, especially if they have too many hens to take care of. Similarly, not all hens will do an egg song. I have a few hens that do a chittering noise instead of an egg song, and the male never accompanies them as a result. When a hen begins doing an egg song, the rooster will do the egg song reply, which sounds similar but has less notes. It essentially means that he is aware of her egg song and knows she is about to be vulnerable for some time. It is like him reassuring the hen that he will be there to protect. Other hens often begin doing an egg song when one hen starts, even if they are not laying themselves. The particular reason for this remains unknown.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Mine do it when something startles them abruptly, usually when they're separate or looking to lay, which then induces the rest to join in until the older males realize it wasn't a threat and everyone is 'good'

Hens do an egg song when they have to lay an egg, or after they have laid the egg. They do not do that call for anything else. There is one call they do that sounds extremely close to an egg song, and that is what I believe you are talking about. It happens when they are startled by something, especially an unknown loud noise. But it not an egg song, it is a completely different sound with its own meaning. It just sounds alike to our human ears that do not pick up on frequencies that chickens are able to perceive.

 

[springvalley123]

Hens do an egg song when they have to lay an egg, or after they have laid the egg. They do not do that call for anything else. There is one call they do that sounds extremely close to an egg song, and that is what I believe you are talking about. It happens when they are startled by something, especially an unknown loud noise. But it not an egg song, it is a completely different sound with its own meaning. It just sounds alike to our human ears that do not pick up on frequencies that chickens are able to perceive.

I agree. It's hard to recognize the difference between egg song and the alarm even having heard both of them. Almost a feeling.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Hens do an egg song when they have to lay an egg, or after they have laid the egg. They do not do that call for anything else. There is one call they do that sounds extremely close to an egg song, and that is what I believe you are talking about. It happens when they are startled by something, especially an unknown loud noise. But it not an egg song, it is a completely different sound with its own meaning. It just sounds alike to our human ears that do not pick up on frequencies that chickens are able to perceive.

Then mine must just use the alarm sound. It's the same sound for my birds, when laying and when spooked

 

[Mo_fawaazzz]

Female chickens are the ones that produce the egg song. They do it before they lay an egg to tell their flock members, especially the rooster, that they are going to lay an egg and therefore will be vulnerable during that time. Because of them being vulnerable, the rooster is supposed to sit with her while she lays an egg. After she lays the egg, she get off the nest and begins doing the egg song again—this time to tell the rooster to escort her back to the flock, to alert the other hens that she is done laying, and to scare off any predator that could have sneaked up on her while she was not looking. Not all roosters will accompany their hens, especially if they have too many hens to take care of. Similarly, not all hens will do an egg song. I have a few hens that do a chittering noise instead of an egg song, and the male never accompanies them as a result. When a hen begins doing an egg song, the rooster will do the egg song reply, which sounds similar but has less notes. It essentially means that he is aware of her egg song and knows she is about to be vulnerable for some time. It is like him reassuring the hen that he will be there to protect. Other hens often begin doing an egg song when one hen starts, even if they are not laying themselves. The particular reason for this remains unknown.

chicken language is so cool

 

[mallard_maniac]

chicken language is so cool

bit zetty

 

[Mo_fawaazzz]

bit zetty

your ducks are a bit zetty