[Sue33]

morning all, another question  one of my RIR (23 wks old) seemed to purring yesterday, or it could have been growling?  Is this right?   We have just introduced two littl'uns and she is a bit nasty to them, nothing too bad just a bit of bullying, no pecking.  At the time tho she was eating not paying any attention to the babies.......... just wondering!

[Vember]

Sounds like she was trying to stop them going near her food Sue

The only other time I've had growling/purring is with broody hens or mummies with their babies

Sarah

[Sue33]

oh dear, she did it to me the other day when I picked her up, she's not the most friendliest one of the bunch so I guess that's her way of telling me to back off    she didn't flap around or peck or anything tho.............. one of our other ones is so friendly, follows me all round the garden and loves to sit on your lap!

[Aunt Sally]

They purr when they are happy. particularly while they have a dust bath.  Growing is just waht Vember said.  It's a warning,  broodies do it if you try to move them.

[Sue33]

can a chook be broody if she hasn't laid any eggs yet, the other one is laying every day pretty much but this one hasn't laid an egg yet, I did find her in the nesting box a couple of times yesterday, (and she made the noise!) left her to it thinking I might get an egg but nothing, maybe she's having trouble with it, being the first    I can't wait till all four of them are laying, I know the two littl'uns will be a while yet tho.

[LittleRedHen]

I'm so glad you asked this question, as my hens "churl" to each other all the time.  In fact, they are so loud just churling, that I can hear them up in my bedroom first thing in the morning.  No loud rosey, just that gentle churling.  They churl to my husband and I too.  I think they are asking if there's any treats for them.

[Aunt Sally]

It's amazing how many different noises chickens make isn't it 

I think a broody growl is probably pretty much like any other 'be off with you' growl. 

[wadz81]

I put a post on about this and then remembered I'd seen something on here my girl was doing when I was giving them treats at tea time so perhaps thats what it was a warning we  can't catch her to see if she's ok will try again tonight