clucky h Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 Are any of you lovely Omleteers fluent in chicken? I'm curious as to what they might be saying... In particular, I have one hen, Audrey, who often stands around emitting what can only be described as a very loud whinge, a sort of 'Wark wark wark WAAAAAAAARK!'. It sounds like she's holding forth about the lamentable state of the world and disapproving of the boisterous behaviour of her companions, but I worry that she might be in pain (shows no sign of being so). Does anyone know what that might mean? Thanks, h Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgieB Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 Hi Clucky h, My hen Matron made what sounds like the same noise (hard to tell unless you hear it) when I brought home 5 new ex-batts. It sounded like the equivalent to us shouting 'arghh I'm so angry!'. I am spoiling her with a bit of extra sweetcorn at the moment to try and cheer her up...and to lessen my feelings of guilt in her having her space invaded. Have you noticed anything different to the surroundings since she started making the noise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky h Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 Ooh, GeorgieB, are they settling in well? (Apart from Matron being upset, of course.) Hmmm, I might have to think about that. Recently we made their run much, much larger but she seems happy with that. We did have to treat her for an impacted crop for three days, this involved olive oil syringing and mornings in the cardboard box sanatorium to stop her stuffing her little face so much, and she was REALLY cross about that. But I can't remember if she was warking before that. I'll go and look again and think some more. Thanks very much for your helpful advice. hx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ness3103 Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 tia does that if i'm holding any of the others, i think she's although she's not keen on being picked up so i think she's bit of a diva she also does it when i'm poo picking, i feel like i'm getting a right telling off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky h Posted June 19, 2009 Author Share Posted June 19, 2009 Heh, you know Ness3103, I think it's the same here. She 'warks' when I put her down after picking her up. (As in - How dare you!) She 'warks' when I pick up one of the others. (Could be - Give ME attention! - or - Get your hands off my friend!) She 'warks' when she sees me in the kitchen, or if I've just given them some treats. (As in - Bring me more food, large servant creature!) So maybe it's just a diva noise? Anyway, at least it doesn't seem to mean that she's ill or in pain, so I feel much happier about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wooky Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 Heh, you know Ness3103, I think it's the same here. She 'warks' when I put her down after picking her up. (As in - How dare you!) She 'warks' when I pick up one of the others. (Could be - Give ME attention! - or - Get your hands off my friend!) She 'warks' when she sees me in the kitchen, or if I've just given them some treats. (As in - Bring me more food, large servant creature!) Ha ha! I can relate to all of that. Especially feeling like a large servant creature! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgieB Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 Hi Clucky h, I also have one (Hattie) that makes whinging noises about everything! I was digging some of the garden up this morning in search for worms for them and Hattie was right on top of my pitch fork grabbing most of the worms (which Matron then moaned about) and Hattie was still whinging even then! I can hear her now as I type... So yours could just be a 'vocal' hen too. Ooh, GeorgieB, are they settling in well? (Apart from Matron being upset, of course.) The new ones are still pecking at one another (no surprise though after just 5 days). They have practically the whole garden to roam in though so they are able to get away from each other. One in particular who I've called Tottie (as she Totters around a lot- escaping from the rest) gets picked on by all the others, poor thing. Despite there being 4 feeding stations for 7 hens she still finds it hard to get a look in. So I have been going out regularly to make sure she can eat (keeping the others away) and sneakily giving her bits of sweetcorn too. She loves me now (cupboard love - as they say) and follows me everywhere, bless her. Matron is not at all impressed as her status of boss now appears to have been taken from her by one of the new ones (really surprised me that she took Matron on in her own territory) on just the 2nd day of them being here too. Wasn't nice to watch as they were jumping on each others backs and also looked a bit like sumo wrestlers (bouncing off each others chests). They didn't do any damage to one another fortunately but I felt really worried at the time. Matron now moves out the way when she comes near. Sorry for waffling on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 One of ours (emily) regularly wakes us up with....... I've laid an egg I've laid and egg I've laid an egg ........you get the picture over and over - for what seems like ages When you go and shoosh her up she utters ......... Aren't I clever! (honest) We're getting good at chicken interpretation around here! My daughter swears that Chirp cries when she puts her away - she reckons that as the green stick goes inthe lock she watches her and says- oh no don't do that - pleeeaaaase! Mad as hatters - all of us! Louise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 tia does that if i'm holding any of the others, i think she's although she's not keen on being picked up so i think she's bit of a diva she also does it when i'm poo picking, i feel like i'm getting a right telling off Rose shouts at me when I poo pick - I think she's saying "Forget doing that, go and get me some treats immediately". I'm so glad I'm not alone Ness! Donna, however, is so much more polite and always say BokBok which sounds like Thankyou when you let her out to free-range. Very sweet indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky h Posted June 20, 2009 Author Share Posted June 20, 2009 GeorgieB, I ASKED you about your chickens, you're not waffling on at all. It sounds like a right soap opera! Poor Tottie. And poor Matron, her empire crumbled. I hope things calm down soon. Chicken sumo wrestling - do you think it would catch on? I've laid an egg I've laid and egg I've laid an egg DebsL - BokBok does sound so much nicer and more polite doesn't it? I wonder what it means? They seem to say it a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgieB Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 After peeking in the doorway of the cube last night and seeing that 4 of them had snuggled up together in the nest I realised there is actually room for more. So have arranged to adopt another 3 ex-batts from Ian in Coventry tomorrow. They are rescuing 500 this weekend. Pretty sure there is a fair few that still need homes though. Hope they don't have to wait too long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky h Posted June 20, 2009 Author Share Posted June 20, 2009 Blimey GeorgieB, you'll be able to start a football team soon! Good for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgieB Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Blimey GeorgieB, you'll be able to start a football team soon! Good for you. Just picturing that in my head now... I'd rescue them all if I had the room/money. I'd love to be a coordinator for the BHWT I hope the 7 we have don't all gang up on the 3 new ones. Any idea yet about why Audrey's making the waarking noise? I noticed one of my new girls makes a noise that sounds like a wheel needing oiling...creaky squeeky kinda sound. They all seem to have their own individual noises though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ness3103 Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 i think we need a chicken dictionary with meanings for all the warks and boks one of mine makes a weird whistling sound from deep in her throat sometimes, it starts off quite low pitched and ends on a high note and tia occasionally makes a growling noise when i'm poo picking, i don't think she approves and is telling me off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky h Posted June 21, 2009 Author Share Posted June 21, 2009 GeorgieB, I'm sure they'll all settle in, although there might be some more sumo wrestling before peace breaks out. Lucky little hens. It breaks my heart to think how battery chickens live. Sophia wanders about squeaking a lot; she's the boss hen of our four. The others don't do it. I'm not sure what it means either; it's odd because she sounds as if she's feeling sorry for herself but I don't think it's that. Perhaps she's muttering her plans for world domination to herself. Keep an eye on your new girl - she may be a closet meglomaniac... I think Audrey's waarking is just because - I hate to say it - she is a grumpy hen. I always feel sorry for Audrey because she's the stereotypical slow fat kid at the back of the class, last to cotton on that there's food around (which is odd since she is considerably burlier than the other hens), unable to work out how to get into the hen house for days and days when the others were skipping about. I think she must be compensating by shouting. I really, really can't find anything wrong with her nor can I think of anything - apart from life in general - that is annoying her. The others don't bully her. If you've got any suggestions for chicken therapy for Audrey, I'd love to hear them! Ness3103 - a chicken dictionary would be eggsellent (hahaha). And a growling chicken? Are you sure she's not a small feathery dog? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ness3103 Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 you could be right, i think she's a rottweiler in a chooks body when i put pics on facebook, everyone said that she was their favourite, because she was so petite and pretty and looked really sweet. looks can be deceptive she's extremely feisty and very vocal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgieB Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 Clucky h, that's interesting that you say that your boss hen squeaks as our hen that squeaks is the new boss girl too. Did you have Audrey before the others? She may just be like Matron and need time to adjust to them. Sorry I'm not very helpful with this. Where are all the chicken therapists when you need them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky h Posted June 21, 2009 Author Share Posted June 21, 2009 GeorgieB, you're being VERY kind and helpful, thank you! It would be odd if the squeaky thing were related to being boss hen - certainly the noise Sophia makes is quite a weedy sort of noise, not powerful at all! We got all four of our hens at the same time, from the same farmer, so the situation is a little different from Matron's. Audrey was perhaps the youngest, she was the slowest developer. I wonder if shouting is her way of making a mark? How are Tottie and Matron getting on today? [Toys with idea of binning "Ooops, word censored!" job and retraining to be a chicken therapist] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgieB Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Yes our boss hen Maggie (as we've named her- after Maggie Thatcher) is the same, her noise is also weedy sounding, so strange that the leader of the flock doesn't make a stronger noise really. Tottie and Matron seem fine, all considering but Maggie is not well by the looks of things. Sleeping a lot today (although tail up and drinking) but not eating and also doing very stinky yellow poohs (hoping it's not Blackhead). Just wormed her with Flubenvet but will see how she is tomorrow. I'm off to buy some electric fencing as getting up at 6am every morning to let them out the Cube is really taking it out of me...I don't half miss the Eglu at times. My girls just let themselves out...wonderful! [Toys with idea of binning "Ooops, word censored!" job and retraining to be a chicken therapist] Great idea, go for it I say. Think you'd make a fortune what with the amount of people keeping hens now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky h Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 we've named her- after Maggie Thatcher Heh! Does she have a special chicken handbag! Sorry she's poorly though. Is she any better now? I hope it was just something she ate passing through. Audrey has been waarking a bit less recently. But now Ginger has started, if she can see anyone in the kitchen. That is definitely 'Bring me food NOW minion!' in chickenese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
