Solitary chicken - need advice

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

I went chicken picking this morning, and am posting different posts so that they are easier to find in the search by topic.

 

My next question is - can you determine what a chicken is 'saying'? A chicken ran over to me this morning and appeared to be 'growling'. I was told that it was a happy noise, and also meant it was close to laying.

 

Are there several easy to identify noises chickens make, such as:

 

Back off!

I love you!

Give me food!

I vant to be alone!

I'm frightened!

Ooh! I find that very soothing!

I'm about to poo!

I'm about to lay!

I'm just chatting!

 

Because chickens always speak with exclamation marks! No seriously, are there identifiable 'verbal' communication sounds?

 

Anna x

[choppish]

this is what i can make out from mine..

 

 

Back off! bok bok Bok BOK BOK!!!

I love you! i don think they do love me!

Give me food! coo cooOO COOOOOO

I vant to be alone! no noise- they just run

I'm frightened! bok bok bok or grrrrr grrrr gRRRRRr

Ooh! I find that very soothing! sort of chattering noise

I'm about to poo! no idea

I'm about to lay! no idea

I'm just chatting! cluck lcuck chatter cluck

[jomaxsmith]

Mine make a sort of gurgling noise most of the time and it changes in pitch and intensity when they are interested/worried. They do the Bok Bok BOK for laying and alarm.

 

Jo

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

That's very helpful! Thank you! I can almost see both the chickens AND you making the noises. Those are some very distinguishable sounds, boks from clucks. I think the 'grrrrs' will confuse me a bit. I understand that a freaked chicken will put its 'hackle feathers' up which should help a bit with determining whether it is happy or scared!

 

Anyone care to further ennuciate some chicken speak?

 

Wouldn't a sound clip file be handy!

*Hint hint to moderators or Barbara...*

[dancing cloud]

Mine have a real bark if someone tries to muscle in on the nestbox when they're in there (not good on sharing).

 

BAWK! bok, bok, bok, bok = alarm call (loud)

 

Pook, pook, bok? = Joy passing the kitchen and checking in - any treats?

 

Pook, pook ,pook = Chance (who always sounds apologetic)

 

Assorted shouts and whistles = human's home, it's playing out time!

 

Loud pawk, pawk, pawk (usually Hope/Dandelion) = we can hear you're in there and we want to play out - now!!

 

Purring sound = happy chickens

[chelsea]

I love the chortling gurgling sounds they make. Ella especially makes this noise when she eats, I think its a sign she is enjoying what she is eating!

[Rhapsody]

..........and dont forget

PRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOoooo= Predator in the sky/ Cabbage Crates at 12o'clock chaps!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

"I've laid an egg, Mum!"

 

Bok bok bok BOKAAARRKKK

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

This gets better and better! Thanks all!

 

Rhapsody, I notice a theme with your chickens. You haven't tried to give them studs or put leather in their nesting box, have you?

[Chickaboo]

All for of mine had completly different distinguishable voices (if that makes sense!), but yes they have different noises for different situations, and my two seem to talk to each other - especially when they are sitting chilling out they sometimes have a two way conversation

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

I spent most of yesterday practising my bok bok boking, and it seems I can now speak some hesitant chicken. They are here, and some gentle boking got them coming over to say hello. I feel like a freak. But in a good way.

[Happybunny]

My cockerel makes a particular noise whenever someone turns their back on him or walks away - does anyone know why they do that?

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Maybe he's cross because you're not backing away from him - he obviously thinks he's royalty .

[sihill]

My Cockerel makes a special puk puk puk noise when he finds a tasty morsel for one of his ladies.

He also says bockle bockle when he is in a good mood, and obviously also crows!

My Leghorn Bantam says what what what?

and My Japanese Bantam says min min min.

They all say weeeeeeeee when relaxed, and all shout bok bok bok if they can't find me or feel in danger.

 

Sam

[Woodcat]

ours have a particully ominus noise which sounds a bit like ooooooooooh but a bit more chickeny and it means oooh there is somthing that looks interesting and new in the garden. they did it when next door took out a fense panel to re paint the back of the shed and by the time we got out he was having to beat them off his paint pot cause they thought it was edible

[..lay a little egg for me]

My goldline does the "I've got a tasty treat and you haven't" noise:

 

Bwaaark, bwaarrk, bwaark, bwaark!!

 

None of the others do this though...

[sheik]

Luna has started making a plaintive, high-pitched cry that I swear means she is lonely and wants the other two chickens to come and join her.

The reason is that Pootle is broody and spends all her time on the nest and Flumpy seems to be having some egg laying problems lately, and takes a *long* time to lay.

 

So, poor Luna is left on her own in the garden for hours at a time, and obviously doesn't like it.

 

The other day she walked right up the ramp to the Eglu and made her new cry at the other two - she didn't want to get in herself as she'd already laid.

 

So, my interpretation is that it means "Come out and play!"

 

/\dam

[emmaw298]

this is making me cry with laughter!! its so funny to think we spend all this time deciphering what our chickens are saying!!

mine generally make a chattering sound amongst themselves and a nice soothing sound when they are happy and eating warm porridge. When I go into their pen area they all make a high pitched ooooh noise that I think sounds like 'oooooh, what she got for us today???' Sometimes I think they sound like a bunch of old ladies all gossiping together going 'oooh I say!' whilst peering over spectacles and knitting.

do you think we're all weird??? would never dream of telling my non-chickening friends any of that!!!