chicken "purring" - should I be concerned?

[6of6chicks]

I'm new here, and sorry if I'm posting a lot, but I'm so excited to have found a place where I can ask all my random chicken questions and no-one looks at me like I'm crazy!

I just went out to check on my girls. It's their first day with some serious run time (they're 5 1/2 weeks old) and all morning they were super happy. But when I went out just now they were laying down, all piled up, and making this weird purring sound. The piling up isn't unusual - they do that all the time. But I'd never heard that sound before. I don't know how else to describe it - it was just like a cat purring, only with their high, cheepy chicken voices. They all seemed to be doing it. Everyone's eyes were open, but they were totally unresponsive. I tried talking to them, clapping, even opening the run door and going in. They didn't budge. It was like they were catatonic, which freaked me out. I went in and got some fresh corn kernels, and THAT got their attention. Suddenly they were up and moving around like normal.

I searched the forum and got mixed results on what the purring means. Were they happy? Content? Scared? Communicating with aliens?? I'm not fluent in chicken yet, so I'm totally lost!!

 

[azygous]

Were they in a depression in the dirt? Were they sort of lying on their sides with wings kind of out of place? Did they look like they could be injured or dying? was dirt being flung about? All that would describe chickens taking a communal dirt bath.

They go into a super blissful state, and even enemies who are always picking on each other are at peace right next to each other.

 

[6of6chicks]

They were lying together on concrete. The 8' x 8' run is dirt (for now), but they can also go under the coop, which sits on concrete. They weren't on their sides, just settled down all bunched up together in the corner. Until today they've been confined in the coop 24/7, with short periods of time in the run or tractor while I cleaned the coop, and they lay together all piled up all the time. I've just assumed that's normal (?) since they did that from day one.

What was weird was that all their eyes were open and they didn't respond when I talked to them. They were like purring, zombie chicks. It was the fact that they didn't respond that freaked me out. There wasn't anything to alarm them, so I didn't think it was a fear response (?). It's a beautiful day, and even though it's hot (Texas, 90 degrees), they were in a patch of sunshine. No-one was panting acting overheated.

Do chickens just zone out like that? Is that normal? And is the "purring" (like soft cheeping stuck on an endless loop) normal?

 

[azygous]

Yes, they're acting like the flock animals they are. They derive a sense of safety and contentment from being in contact with each other. Big chickens do it, too.

Listen to them when they're getting ready to bunch up and go to sleep. They make the same sound.

 

[springhill]

My two hens and rooster started purring/soft clucking yesterday for the first time and I discovered when I got home that one of the hens laid her first egg. I observed the exact same behavior today. I stuck around to watch them and, as I suspected, an egg was laid shortly thereafter. Perhaps it the chickens way of comforting each other??? Maybe you have an egg coming?

 

[6of6chicks]

My two hens and rooster started purring/soft clucking yesterday for the first time and I discovered when I got home that one of the hens laid her first egg. I observed the exact same behavior today. I stuck around to watch them and, as I suspected, an egg was laid shortly thereafter. Perhaps it the chickens way of comforting each other??? Maybe you have an egg coming?

Thanks for the thought, but no - my girls are still too little for eggs (6 weeks). I've seen them doing the zombie/purring thing a few more times since I started letting them in the run. I'm guessing they are supremely happy because I did hear it when they were dust bathing (which, in itself was a little startling to see the first time - I thought my chicken was having convulsions! lol).

Probably was a stupid question to begin with - or maybe I should have called it the "zombie chicken" thread, lol! I'm just very new to chickens, and really had no clue what was wrong with them!

 

[springhill]

Oh gosh- I completely missed the age in your original post. Sorry about that!

I did notice some other posts asking about purring on the forum. They generally agree that it is a sign of contentment. Chickens turning to zombies, however, would be a thread I would love to see!!!

 

[Chicky Crazy]

My chickens do that I think it might be because they here something, cause they freeze. Maybe their just concentrated and enjoying themselves. Mine are perfectly heathy and I don't think it as something to worry about.

 

[kk+chickens]

i know this is super old, but i’d guess they were happily sunbathing