Well, someone was clearly out in the coop murdering my chickens slowly, or at least that's what I thought. One chicken was screaming so loudly, over and over, and I thought she'd screamed herself hoarse. This went on for at least 5 minutes before I could get out there. Low and behold, it was my young black australorp on the nextbox. Hmmmm, first time egg layer, I thought....
I went back into the house to give her some privacy and she continued to scream and carry on for 30 minutes! She was louder than any rooster I've ever heard. After she stopped, a second one started up. Screaming just as loud! I'd already taken the BA's egg, so I knew it wasn't her, and sure enough a dominique was in the nest screaming bloody murder! She must have carried on for 10-15 minutes too. After the noise calmed down, I went out and collected her first egg too.
My first layer (a production RIR) was quiet as a church mouse from the very beginning. But these new layers sound like they're being killed. Is this typically just new layer anxiety, or is this what I should expect from them every day? I went from 1 layer to 5 layers in this last week. I think I only have 2 screamers so far though. Are they going to stop?
I went back into the house to give her some privacy and she continued to scream and carry on for 30 minutes! She was louder than any rooster I've ever heard. After she stopped, a second one started up. Screaming just as loud! I'd already taken the BA's egg, so I knew it wasn't her, and sure enough a dominique was in the nest screaming bloody murder! She must have carried on for 10-15 minutes too. After the noise calmed down, I went out and collected her first egg too.
My first layer (a production RIR) was quiet as a church mouse from the very beginning. But these new layers sound like they're being killed. Is this typically just new layer anxiety, or is this what I should expect from them every day? I went from 1 layer to 5 layers in this last week. I think I only have 2 screamers so far though. Are they going to stop?
