When we first got chickens, I had no idea the huge variety of vocalizations they use in their daily goings-about.
So, I thought I’d do my best to capture as many chicken calls and sounds as we can and post them here, along with what we think they mean. If we get it totally wrong, please let us know in the comments below!
Two Young Roosters in a Crow-off (Our two young roosters are learning to crow. These guys are 22 weeks at the time of this recording – one has been crowing for about 4 weeks, and one is just starting. I think you can tell which is which…)
Mama Hen ‘Talking’ to Her New Chicks (This was a recording of our Lucky Wattles with her little brood in June 2012)
Buff Orpington Rooster Crowing (This is what we awaken to every morning… and many times throughout the day. I love the sound, though I know many aren’t so enamoured with rooster sounds. Good thing we live far away from the nearest neighbour!)
Rooster Feeding His Girls (These low tones are the sounds our rooster makes when he has ‘found’ food and is calling the hens to come eat. The other sounds are happy hens eating the organic lettuce trimmings we got from our local health food store.)
Just Laid an Egg (Two hens announcing their new eggs as they move off the next – or rather, the vocalization they apparently make to lead any predators away from the egg… I sort of like thinking they’re proud of themselves… 😉 The beginning of this recording was outside the coop, so the vocalizations aren’t as loud. The clicking you hear is the electric predator fence that runs around the coop that we leave on if we’re not outside, are away, or at night).
Warning Call (Rooster and hens – see if you can pick out the rooster.)
‘We Want to Free-Range’ or ‘We Want Treats!’ (This is the sound the hens make every time I approach the coop run.)
Waiting for a Nest Box (The first vocalization on this recording is a hen waiting at the edge of the communal nest box for her favorite space in the . The low, rumbly tones later in the recording are the hens actually in the nest box, laying. Or telling the other one to back off – I’m not sure which… 😉 The tapping sound throughout is rain falling on the roof of the coop.)
