The Egg song, it’s not about the egg; it’s an escort call.

Excellent in-depth article! I'm just a beginner, but I've read a handful of books on chicken behavior and never learned this. Thanks for sharing!

Loved the article. Your observations and theories are interesting and make sense. It doesn't seem as loud in our coop since we lost one of our roosters and are down to just one.

AWW

I've always felt there had to be more to the egg song than it being a celebration, for lack of a better word. My Betty frizzle was a sole hen when she started laying and my dog would rush to her coop at the sound of the song. The dog was looking for cats but Betty was happy to follow her from the coop. Thank you for sharing your amazing observations with us ... this is what real science is all about!

Great article that provides information on what the egg song truly means. It should be noted that not all roosters will accompany a hen when she is laying her egg－mine will make the egg song reply to the hen, but he will not escort her anywhere and he will ignore her while she is laying. It is only when she gets off the nesting box and makes her egg song again that my rooster pays attention, and he goes over to wing-dance at her, often not trying to breed. Also, one of my pullets will ignore my cockerel's attempt at finding her nesting sites, and she will choose herself and run away from him if he gets close. Every chicken is an individual and does not follow every standard set for them.

Edit: I also should note that another one of my pullets, a Rhode Island Red Bantam, never does an egg song and instead makes a chittering noise while laying her egg, and screams occasionally because I am sure laying an egg would be painful. The cockerel in her pen also ignores her and does not sit with her on the nest. Meanwhile, the Silver Sebright pullet in the same pen does make an egg song and the cockerel will accompany her. As I mentioned before, every chicken has their individual preferences, so I assume that my Rhode Island Red Bantam prefers if the cockerel does not sit with her for whatever reason.

Correct. When my hens get done laying. They cry out for Roster Roo and he runs bk to the coop waits for them to come out and takes them to the other hens.

I had asked about the egg song on the forums today, and was referred to this article. What an interesting concept! I have noticed one chicken calling when the other was in the nest box. She stops if we (or her chicken friend) come back outside. Perhaps she is calling for assistance!

Brilliant insight - love this!

Incredible! Good job. I hope to be mating my girls. I hear my neighbor's free-ranging flock and the egg song is a regular event. Thanks!

Wow. I am so impressed by what you've discovered. I think as often as I can I may go out to the hens when they're calling for an escort, enter the pen and go to them if need be to see what happens.

Great observations! I appreciate that the theory was backed up by personal experience and experimentation.

Very informative, thank you. I have a roo that always clucks and digs in the nesting boxes, right before the he's go in, then everyone starts doing the egg song. I always thought it was so cool but never knew the reason behind it; now I know!

Well thought out.
Clearly written.
Work could be submitted to a professional organization of ornithologists who study behavior.
Brava!!!

Rereading this article brings a smile, again! I loved the story about the rooster and hens, photos of them IN the nest together, and can now relate to their funny behavior even more so as we notice and report things to one around our flock. First of course I noticed the singing and seeing Cash the main rooster streaking across to escort the happy hen leaving the hen house. This very week Johnny, the other rooster, was seen hanging out with the one hen that stayed behind and they both were in the nest…..too sweet! He once was the one in charge before his eye was injured by Cash during a fight over who was in charge, and became the top “dog”. Thankfully, gradually, over months Cash has lightened up, and they have apparently decided two guys are better than one and actually are agreeing to work as a team!! Thanks for sharing what helped me understand a lot more about the BYC behavior happening here.

Fascinating observations and full of behavioral information. Thank you for sharing your findings!

Very entertaining read. Thank you.

Wow, I don't even have a rooster and all my hens preform a little "egg song" when on the nesting box. Great Article! Contains personal flock experince!

Thank you for making this article I was very fun and full of information that I did not know. I have noticed that when my silkie hen Charlie would lay blue would be close. And now I know why. Thanks.

Thank you for this article! Very well written.

Great article, and interesting test of a theory. Good use of scientific method and logic. Nice use of pictures to illustrate your points. this is an interesting article that may change folks' minds about what that egg call is all about. thank you!