Why and how do chickens purr?

[harmona1]

The silkie I just got last week purrs. I love it!

 

[gryeyes]

I've always called it "trilling." My chicks and adult chickens trill when they are content. I so love it when they do it right next to me or ON my lap or in the crook of my arm as they drift off to sleep.

 

[Graureiher]

My roo does this when he finds a great spot for a nest. He sits like a hen and purrs and purrs, trying to get the hens to come and see what he's found. They almost always completely ignore him, poor guy.

 

[Dowie]

Quote:
My roo gets no respect either. And he makes...not purring noises, but noises of great delight. He is frequently ignored.

 

[fishnet1971]

well at least you all know you are not a psychotic nutcase thinking you are hearing things. My DH told me I was just 'hearing things' when I told him about it. Until I taped it, no one believed me!!!!

stupid nonchicken owners.... shame on you....

 

[pgpoultry]

2 of my 5 boys purr regularly when they are happy......when dust bathing, when with their favourite hens, when the sun shines etc....regularly..... and NOT auditory hallucinations.

 

[fishnet1971]

Iwould LOVE to hear the boys purr! you need to tape it. I cant picture the boys doing it. Only my girls.

 

[gryeyes]

Because we've been discussing this, I really enjoyed listening to the chicks in the brooder settle down last night and start trilling. I have two older chicks, D'Uccles, who get on my shoulder and snuggle into my neck and hair, and they fell asleep there, trilling. (after checking my earrings for the umpteenth time, just to see if they were edible YET).

Bliss.

 

[Speck & Gerard]

i have 12 pet chickens they grew up in my bedroom and when we got the chicken coop built i migrated them out there, they are always purring(trilling) when they snuggle up to me or each other. 4 are roo's and the rest of course are my girls. i did notice the other day both of my wild roo's who fight from opposite sides of the fence were competing with each other on who could crow the best and then they'd start purring, i'm thinking it was to attract the hens. since speckles is always trying to steal guito's hens. i just told my little 3wk. old chicky goodnight a little bit ago. her response to me was to purr a little purr and slip back into deap sleep, it's gotta be a good sound, i've been with my chickens since before they were hatched and spend most of the day taking care of them and just hanging out with them chillin' i can usually tell what they're thinking or how they're feeling before they can and i'm positive they're very content and satisfied and feeling all cuddly when they start up with the purring (trilling) such a comforting sound

 

[KimberlyK0509]

This is such an old.post but i just had to add. First, this site is amazing. As being a 1st time chicken mother, this site has saved me numerous times from being up sh creek without a paddle, hiben great dos and donts info, helped build my coop, and kept me sane. Second, Im glad i found this post. My chicks are 3 weeks old and have been doing this weird 'tremble' for the past 2 weeks that i was beginning to think was them being frightened, but i noticed they did it as they were falling asleep in my hands. Then my 13 yr old neice states 'i think they r purring!' what a genius this girl is. They don't make.noise just the tremble. Can't cait until they do purr with the noise. Thanks BYC for yet another great lesson.