The pre-egg song?

[navasima]

I brought home a 1 year old Samo/sex link cross today. She was with rather (ahem) overzealous roosters and as a result looks alot like a Skeksis (sp? Dark Crystal...). Anyway.....she was bawking around and fussing - just like my Leghorn before she lays - she picked out "her" nest box and got all ready, bedding on her back and all, sat there for about 10 min. and came out of the box bawking up a storm!...nothing....she got back in the box a minute later, jumped out a minute after that - totally quiet - and there was a nice, large, light brown egg. So - a pre-egg song, but not post egg? Is this just the norm for some hens?
Thanks for any input...

 

[Beaker Duck]

Yep, for some that is normal. Each chicken is totoally different- some don't sing the egg song, as they find it a boring chore. Others make a bigg fuss so that the others can hear because they want the others to STAY AWAY (LOL). And then you have those that need an audience, because they are drama queens. If they stat singing the egg song, and the others don't come running, they will go back out and find the others, and demand they come watch!
And then there are the ones that sing like they are laying a double yolker-- and it's all a false alarm!

 

[centrarchid]

Goto post #91 in following thread (https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6480070). Deals with egg song in free range setting.

 

[debs_flock]

My leghorn always sings before and after. My barred rock, never makes a sound at all.

Deb

 

[LT]

Just like Deb said. I have one girl who could alert the whole valley with her production, pre- and post-, but two of my EE's never make a "peep."

 

[Fred's Hens]

I cannot always tell if the "call" is fear, nervousness, an intruder alert, sense of abandonment, "get out of the box, I need to use it", or egg laying related.

 

[debid]

I only have EEs laying and they sound like children are being tortured most of the time. It's not really an egg song, more like an opera with an egg somewhere in it.

 

[galanie]

Fred's Hens :

I cannot always tell if the "call" is fear, nervousness, an intruder alert, sense of abandonment, "get out of the box, I need to use it", or egg laying related.

x2 and

so true​

 

[9Catsz]

Quote:
LOLOLOL!

 

[daver]

Fred's Hens :

I cannot always tell if the "call" is fear, nervousness, an intruder alert, sense of abandonment, "get out of the box, I need to use it", or egg laying related.

I can't tell either, however Sunday morning the whole flock was going off and it sounded like the danger signal. W ent out, walked around the pen, nothing. Went in and checked the coop, nothing.

Later, heard it again. Went out to check. One hen on the single nest, two waiting in line and the rest in the run, all singing the egg song.

This went on for three hours, sheesh, such drama.


Dave​