[HENrietta]

A couple of our hens are quite noisey at certain times in the day. Its mainly mid morning and i think it may be just before they lay. Does anyone know why this happens the rest of the time they very peaceful.?.

Thanks 

[poultrygeist]

Hi henrietta.

I've always thought of it as just an individual thing. Ours have been fairly quiet all winter but a couple are now airing their lungs at every opportunity.

I've read that it's a throwback to when they were jungle fowl and had to lay in a secluded spot away from the flock. When they emerge they want to re-establish contact with the rest so they give a few almighty yells. Sadly, they don't realise that everyone within 500 yards doesn't need to know they've laid an egg!

Not sure how you'd stop it, other than asking them nicely.

Rob

[treacleminer]

Pride - they want you to know how clever they are

[HENrietta]

Well i am very proud of them, they are so clever. I really like the noise, i just hope its not a distress call out. I think i would know if it was. Thanks all.

[poultrygeist]

It does make you wonder when they lay the double-yolkers  :blink:

[HENrietta]

Actually its funny you should say that, as the most vocal girl (flora) layed a double yolker after laying her first 4/5 eggs, and she lays pure white ones they are amazing!

[matilda duck]

Out of my 9 hens 2 are veryvocal!!!

Charlie does the! I've laid an egg" noise.  No bother

Doris does the" I think i'm going to lay an egg"......  "No false alarm" ......." Yes I'm going to lay"........"I'm laying an egg".......".I've laid an egg "  well you can imagine :blink:  bless her!!!   Yet all the others are silent and just go about their daily duties

[Caralou]

The boss in my girls, Dolly, makes noise to tell me to let her out in the morning, noise to thank me for letting her out, noise when she is about to lay, noise after laying, and noise to tell me to lift her into the coop at bed time (lazy s*d!). Thankfully the neighbours think it's lovely hearing her, even now that Dolly has started her let me out of the run noise at 5am!

[LittleRedHen]

Our Repecka announces every time she lays an egg, when she wants out of the hen house in the morning (6 o'clock), and now everytime someone ELSE lays an egg!  We've been frantically trying to destract her as we are not sure how our neighbours take to our hens yet and we are in the middle of an estate.  WE enjoy or announcements, though!  What a character she is!

[compostqueen]

I got the same problem and I think yonder cockerels crowing sets them off.  Mine make a right racket at next door's cat and the pheasants that often blunder about the garden.  I often have to go out and restore order 

[chickenlady]

mine only announce an eggie (at 6am  ) if another girlie has gone in the coop whilst they are laying! they make the same noise if something startles them such as a bang or the dog running into the garden!

[wadz81]

One of my new girls always shouted at the cat as she walked past but she doesn't bother now but they all shout and tap on the door in a morning 6 am at the moment my neighbours seem to love them and throw greens over for them phew!

[ness]

I've only got 2 hens but 1 has gone broody (and is on some fertile eggs   ) the remaining one is INCREDIBLY loud.  She shout at us, she shouts when she lays and she almost crows sometimes.  I think shes lonely  , and the only thing that distracts her is a few treats (healthy ones ofcourse  ) Living in a city I'm just hoping the neighbours are deaf or very tolerant!
Hopefully when her friend (with chicks fingerscrossed) returns she will quieten down again.
I just think some hens are a bit "gobby", just like some people!

[andreadon]

our originals make the "where are you?" "i'm here!" noises when they're out in the garden (if one of them goes behind the car  )
and rita, the ex-batt shouts at everything - just goes around going "squuuaaarrrr!"
it sounds very distressing, but she's fine - i think it's because she must have yelled a lot in the cage, and it's a habit now (rather like one of those old ladies who can't stop talking....)

[Tickhunter]

Glad somebody else asked this question as we noticed these strange noises since yesterday.  As I am off sick at the moment, I have plenty of time to watch the ladies in action and I think I noticed that Passanda who we believe is the main layer - makes loud noises just before and after she is about to or has laid an egg....pretty good for us as we know that that is the time to go and collect it.  As we have no neighbours its not really bothering us yet.  Its very entertaining and funny actually.  I will keep an eye on them for the next few days to see if this is indeed what they are up to.