4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Chortle Chook]

Sometimes one of my chickens will set up this loud Parp, Borp, Parp, Borp going up and down the scale. Then one by one all the others take up the call till the noise is very loud indeed. It can go on for more than 5 mins. Is it an alarm call? I know I find it alarming but so far there has been nothing I can find that could be threatening them - no fox or anything. It always has me rushing out if only to try and quieten things down for the sake of the neighbours.

 

Is this what people call 'Bocking'?

 

I thought it might be an egg call but today it happened when they were all eating their chicky lunch. I'd love to know what it means.

[percy049]

Me too! Our girls have been doing it a lot more lately...

[Egluntyne]

It probably is an alarm call. Could be a rat, a bird, a cat or anything out of the ordinary.

[percy049]

I think now we've got 2, when one cant see the other, they call to find eachother

[sari]

Mine are usually calling when a fox or cat is in the garden, or can hear next door's boys palying.....or a bird/leaf/breath of air has blown past their run...

[bevmatt]

Ours do it as an alarm - literally a pigeon flying over or ducks seems to the main culprit at the moment. I thinks its because they are flying in and taking their feed at the moment..

[LeeMeadfan]

Mine were making a racket the other day - turned out to be a cat on top of the summer house roof.

 

Interesting as we have a cat who they either take no notice of or if he's getting too close etc Scarlett will run at him - he soon moves!

 

Plus they're fine with the neighbours 3 cats.

 

This one though is horrible - she'll poo on our and our neighbours grass, spray, throw herself at the windows when our cat is looking out etc in other words a bully.

 

Have to say though that Smokey (our cat) is becoming more territorial (we had him in September) and will run after her.

 

They also did what I call 'Giraffeing' - where they stand still making the alarm call but stretching/elongating their necks!

[Chortle Chook]

Thanks everyone Looks like I should continue to rush out when I hear them all doing their crescendo Parp, Barp noise. I have a horrid feeling it might well be a rat.

[docsquid]

It's sometimes an alarm - last time they did it was for a sparrowhawk (not that I'd fancy the sparrowhawk's chances with our lot!), but sometimes if one lays an egg, she starts off and that starts them all off. Then it progresses from "I've laid an egg" to "We want GRAPES!!!" and only stops when I open the back door and either tell them to shut up or provide them with the appropriate treat!

 

Little minxes

 

I would still check if they are all Bokking at once, though - it could be a predator.

[daxigirl]

Ah the beautiful language of Chicken, who'd have known they'd be able to converse so easily.

[Chortle Chook]

What amazes me is how easily, really, these funny birds can make themselves understood by us humans. Sometimes they remind me rather of Klangers (for those of you who are old enough to remember these that is ).

[docsquid]

humans. Sometimes they remind me rather of Klangers (for those of you who are old enough to remember these that is ).

 

- that was one of my favourite TV Shows

[Chortle Chook]

My OH and I sometimes talk chicken to one another as a joke, the way my sister and I used to talk Klanger to eachother when we were little. (OK so we are a bit barking )

[Mulberry]

Some examples of calls...

 

http://galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au/Calls2.2.html

[oneyolktoanother]

as we have parrots in a avairy mine then to do it even more when the parrots come out and squack, it's like a chorus!!

 

but what does make me laugh is when our house rabbit comes out with me and all stare and run up and purr, he's not that fussed with them though!!! he's more of a mommy's of boy

[percy049]

we let our chickens in today... percy the budgie was squawking like mad that we werent paying attention to her! she did try giving 'kisses' to violet when we held her up near to her cage!