When will they trade "peep" for "cluck?"

[mlheran]

This may be a dumb question -forgive me!- but I haven't been able to find any info about chicken vocalizations. I have 11 chicks right now (ranging from 4 to 6 weeks) and have been listening to the variety of noises they make, but am wondering when the pullets will start making "clucking" noises -or "buk-buk", whatever you call it.

Every now and then I hear a weird squawk that almost sounds like a parrot, but I never catch them in the act. Could that be one of the cockerels trying to crow?

I'll be so happy when they sound like real chickens -right now all their peeps sound like some of the wild birds, so I'm constantly imagining one of them got outside!

 

[speckledhen]

That squawk is probably one of the cockerels trying to crow! Mine sounds like one of those party horn noisemakers you blow! It is hysterical and now that he's found his voice, he is really using it! You're in for some funny times, if that's what you're hearing.
I'm trying to remember when mine started to sound like chickens and I think it was around 12-13 weeks old or so. I have a group of 10-wk olds now and no chicken noises yet at all. Well, if you count the honk of the boy trying to crow!

 

[Llysse]

You know what I'm surprised about is that the little ones seem to actually have tiny little songbird trills, too, along with their little peeps... so musical and sweet. I'll miss that when it goes away.

 

[2mnypets]

I have to say that the lil chirps from the chicks have definitely gotten my Canary to sing like crazy. He loves the company and vocalizations. Poor thing is going to be lonely I think when the chicks move to the coop.

 

[mlheran]

Quote:
Mine do, too! In fact, I was up at 3am the other morning and could hear the sweetest little sleepy trilling from the back porch -I didn't dare open the door and disturb them, but I stood listening at the door for a full fifteen minutes! It was so delicate and pretty -I never knew chicks could make noises like that! I'm thinking of getting a baby monitor now just to keep tabs!

Quote:
LOL, that is a very accurate description -mine makes a very odd "awk" that sounds very much like it's spoken through a cardboard tube! All the chicks stop peeping when they hear it, like they're thinking, "what was that?!"

I'm enjoying all the exciting and interesting things these chicks do as they grow -seems like there's something new every day!

 

[cookinmom]

I'm glad this question came up. I was wondering the same thing. My chicks are 5.5 weeks and still peeping up a storm. I'm glad they still have a while for that. They do make some sweet little trills sometimes too. It's very cute.

 

[SunChick]

I don't think my buff orpingtons and austrolorp reached chicken "puberty" until close to 15 weeks. I was greatly surprised at the coop one day when they no longer cheeped and made weird bawk/trill combos instead. So sad...loved those little trills. They were also a lot friendlier when they were younger, perching on me. Now we are counting down to the first new pullet eggs!

 

[4H kids and mom]

My chickies are into the trilling thing now. They all do it, and its so cute! I like when they're bedding down and they're doing it so softly! Melts your heart!

My chicks dont really peep anymore. Is that normal for 5.2 weekers? They trill, and the boys are making some 'odd' sounds that made me think someone was in the coop with me and had coughed! But mostly, they're just not real peepy much now. Hmm...

 

[jomercer]

My black australorp pullet had a grown-up bukbuk voice at 8 weeks, but the rest of them (golden comet, EE and SLW) continued to cheep until about 12 weeks. The BA was also fully mature-looking with smooth glossy feathers and a broad beam.

The three are more or less adult-voiced, except for the SLW who continues to cheep peridoically at 14 weeks, but all are still narrow backed, scraggly, and gangly-looking.

The GC and SLW are in a nasal honking phase that I hope they grow out of soon--it's rather annoying.

The SLW is always first to check into the coop in the evening, whereas the GC stays out for 5 minutes later than the others by herself in the dark pen.

I just love those little night-night murmurs they make as they settle down.

 

[LizGled628]

I love the peeping! My girls have just started mixing some funky squawks in every now and then, and they are nine weeks old. Especially if you have to pick them up, or if you have caught them in the act. I had to grab one of BR out of my neighbors yard and see was using her big girl voice to tell me exactly what she thought of it!