Chicken Language

[BobsChickens]

I've always wanted to learn chicken language and talk to the girls...so far, I know that purring means that they're happy. Anyone else know how to speak Chickenese (or Gallish, as I like to call it)?
(I'm new to BYC. I hope I posted in the right place :3)

Plus, I don't have roosters or chicks so I can't observe their sounds. All my chickens so far are (I think) Red Stars that we bought from Olivera Egg Ranch (not as bad as some commercial egg farms...but still really smelly and caged chickens).

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Hope this helps...

Cackling/Singing/Announcing-The one time that your hens will make a lot of noise is after they have laid an egg. Nobody is for sure why they do this but some people think that the hens are bragging and telling everybody that they have laid another treasure. Or that the hen is drawing the attention of others to her and not her egg. (In the wild they would do this to protect their egg.) Other people think it is a cry of relief!

Clucking-Both hens and roosters make a clucking and chuckling sound all day. It means they are happy and content. This is also how they communicate to other chickens.

Crowing-A rooster crows at the crack of dawn every morning and throughout the day. This is partly why the are not allowed in some cities. All roosters’ crows sound different. They vary from loud, soft, short, long, harsh, shrill and so on.

Growling-All chickens make some sort of growling sound. Hens commonly growl when laying an egg and are disturbed. They also growl when defending their chicks. This sound can be followed by a peck or attack. (Yikes!) Roosters will growl at other roosters or creatures to stay away from their hens.

Peeping-All chicks make a peeping noise to talk and communicate with their mom and siblings.

Snoring-OK, most people will think I’m crazy for writing this but I was curious about what chickens do when they sleep so I stayed out in their coop one night and two of my chickens make a snoring or purring sound while sleeping!

Squawking-Grab or scare a chicken suddenly and they will more than likely give out this loud cry, if they are caught by surprise. A rooster or hen will soon come to the “squawking” chicken’s rescue and usually attack the intruder.

 

[BobsChickens]

Thanks! My chickens make a purring sound when I hug them and put them on my lap
It's the most adorable sound, in my opinion, that my chickens make

 

[B-Goock]

Mine made all kinds of noise when snow was on the ground and they refused to come out. They just would come to the door and look down at the snow and complain. They do the same thing if my boys and I have been gone all day and they want out. If we are home we let them out pretty much every day. They have a 8x16 run they always have access to but it doesn't have all the yummy stuff they find in the yard, field, and small woods.

I've also heard the hens make low quiet clucks when I get home in the dark and get the eggs late. I know they know I'm there and the way they do it sounds like a question.

 

[BobsChickens]

Haha, my chickens yell at me to let them out of the coop too, if I hadn't already that day. My girls are really spoiled

 

[azygous]

Did you know chickens have syntax, and that chicks just hatched already speak the same language as the adult chickens?Syntax is when you string words together to convey a message. Chickens do that with the tone and accent on the notes they string together. Yes, you can learn it, but it takes a practiced ear and spending enough time around chickens to associate the notes with events and such, kind of like learning a foreign language by submersion in a culture.

I first discovered chickens had syntax when I was holding a two-day old chick and my cat strolled into the room. The chick piped up with a five-note phrase that was identical to the same phrase the older chickens rattle off when they see the cat. I had also noticed that they have a similar five-note phrase for when they see me coming, but the accent is on a different note.

I had occasion also to hear this five-note phrase uttered in a very quiet and erie tone when a black bear approached the chicken run, and threatened us all. Ever since then, I know my chickens will tell me when danger is approaching long before I am aware of it. There is also a five-note phrase for friendly animals such as squirrels and wild turkeys and deer that sound all together different in tone and accent than the one warning a bear is coming.

I've tried, but I can't speak this language back to the chickens. I just can't seem to reproduce what I hear. But it's enough to be able to know pretty much exactly what they're saying to me.

Oh yeah, the chatter they make when you come into the run and they expect you to produce treats, that's one everyone understands!

 

[Sarevan]

When I hear "Tek tek tek" I go and check as the hens make that noise followed by a soft grunt when one is having a problem laying an egg. I massage the belly and the egg will come out. I know they are having a problem as the part of the egg that is partially out is already dry. The hen is standing upright or propped up like a penguin trying to get the egg out. After the egg comes out she will do a loud bawk and then go about her business after everyone else bawks back at her.

 

[B-Goock]

I watched a show on body language and one of the studies they used were chickens. They had a certain sound and posture from the chickens indicated things like if a predator was on the ground or in the air, etc. Alot of the different noises they do are fairly similar in tone of what people do.
Mine don't like for me to put anything on them no matter what. Funny they read my body language and most let me pick them right up under normal circumstances. but... Like when I treated their legs for mites. "he's got something weird there in his hand!" "Nothin doin pal you ain't sprayin that crap on me!" "Treat? Sure I'll take it and run". The complaint tone of "leave me alone" was very clear. Or when I would have to corner them to put it on them you could hear the "I'm scared" tone. I felt bad but hey medicine is never fun. Sorry girls.

So in my rambling I think tone of voice so to speak can tell you alot of what they are saying.

 

[BobsChickens]

Thanks you guys! I got to see my hen laying an egg today, it was amazing (I'm weird) :O
Tone definitely tells you what they're thinking, I agree.