Let's Talk Chicken



Do you know Chicken Talk?

 

Did you know that broody hens talk to their babies inside the egg? Wonder what they say? Probably the same as human mommies....”it won't be long” or “I know it is getting tight in there”. What they are doing is bonding, so that when they are hatched the chicks know who mom is and can locate her in the flock.

 

If you are a chicken keeper you have spent time in the coop watching and listening to your chickens. You know when they are content and when they are upset about something. Listening to them and watching them can be a relaxing pass time for us outdoor types. Chicken can be make us laugh.

 

On our farm we would joke with the grand kids when we would hear the hens say what sounds like, “laid an egg, laid and egg”. And the roosters, cock a doodle do, is, “I'll get you, I'll get you”. Referring to the rooster that wants to spur you when you step into the pen.

 

There are a lot of people that have their interpretation of chicken language, lets see how much we know. Researchers have found that chickens make up to 30 different sounds. And these sounds can actually vary with the breed of chicken. Maybe they are speaking in their country of origin. There is even a name for the language chickens speak, “Chickenese”.

 

Chick Talk

Soft chirps, irregular peeps =” I am happy and content”

Trill soft warbling = time to settle in “all is good”

Panic loud quickly repeated chirps = “something is wrong”

Loud single chirps = calling out for “help, look at me, help”

Fear filled chirps = “something is about to eat me”

Startling chirps = “you scared me”

 

Hen Talk

Clucking-short, low pitch = “get here now, stay close”

Short, high pitch, three clucking sound = “found food, come and get it”

Hushed soft sound, vibrating errr = “danger near, gather up, stay down, be quiet”

Singing loudly, bak, bak, BAK = “I laid an egg, I laid and egg”

Broody Hiss while sitting a nest = “my eggs..back off”

Broody growl = “I am going to hurt you if you touch my eggs”

Singing rapid high pitch notes = “happy, happy, happy”

Low pitch, repetitive clucking= “stick together, I am here, (call back and respond)”

Roosting call, low pitch, rapid call at nighttime = “time to roost, go to sleep”

 

Rooster Talk

Excited, tuck,tuck, tuck = “I found food, I found food”

Courtship croon, purr like rumble = “oh, mamma, oh mamma”

High pitch chirp, alert = “look up, something coming, look up”

Startled squawk, loud = “danger! Danger!”

Crowing loudly at anytime = “I'm the Man! Look at me, I'm the man”

 

Predator Calls

Quick repeated notes = “pay attention, something coming”

kuh, kuh, kuh, kuh..KACK! = “DANGER here!'

 

Injured Chicken

Other wise know as screaming = “Aw,Aw” distress or caught by a predator, “AwAwAw...Awkkk!”

 

I hope you enjoyed this chicken talk. I am sure you have lots of your own interpretations of what your chickens say to you since we build our own language with animals close to us. They may tell you when they are hungry or when their water is out. They may do a little dance for you as you enter the coop. They may thank you with a sound when you give them treats. You may have trained them to respond to things you do with and for them daily. Enjoy this connection, it is what makes chicken keeping fun and a healthy life.

 

For some added humor...check out this website. 
http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Chicken_(language)