How do chickens talk? Here you will know all about chicken noises and sounds.
Chickens can produce many unique noises and sound calls. Research infers that the different sounds and calls signify many things, from food to danger.
Roosters and hens have the innate capacity to combine different noises to communicate with other chickens, just as humans do. They can customize the dialogue to fit a particular scenario, making them unique.
If you keep chicken as pets or for commercial purposes, those are among the most vocal domestic animals you can have. They work as a unit and employ strategies to keep tabs on each other, and they achieve this by vocalizing their location.
The unique sounds of each chicken allow them to call for help or warn other chickens or even their masters of impending danger. There has been a longstanding misconception regarding chicken noises and communication that makes people almost anthropomorphic.
While we embrace different opinions and the right to personal views, science has repeatedly proven that human assumptions about birds’ inability to communicate are ill-founded.
It is noteworthy that various chickens have distinct vocalizations, and thus, it’s easy to pick out particular individual chickens from a crowd of birds.
We have compiled a list of the most common chicken sounds you will likely encounter when you raise chicken. This will help you understand what chickens are communicating about and the most common noises and sounds you will hear.
14 Most Common Chicken Noises and Sounds
Below is a list of amazing chicken noises and sounds that you can understand and talk to them.
1. Alarm and Alert Chicken Sound
For people who have dogs and cats for pets, it is common to have heard chicken noises and sounds the rest of the presence of a dog or cat. The alarm calls that a chicken usually produces vary depending on the threat level.
Still, you should be keen to learn the different alarm vocalizations to ascertain what the chicken is trying to communicate. The different vocalizations can communicate a ground-level threat or signal an aerial raid from the predatory bird.
The alarm call is typically followed by a series of repetitive clucking noises for a ground-level threat. The noises can be fast-paced and loud; the closer the danger, the more constant, louder, and insistent the noise gets.
A fox or a big cat could trigger it. During an air attack by a falcon or any predatory bird like a hawk, the warning sounds are much louder, and the alarm call might mimic a siren.
It is characterized by a loud shriek and the chicken running for cover beneath a nearby shelter. Roosters are usually the most common to sound the alarm, but other dominant chicken flocks without a rooster can make the sound too.
Also read: List of top chicken predators
2. Broody Hens Sound
Broody hens often maintain a temperamental demeanor and might appear hormonal. It goes on until after their chicks are hatched.
They are generally territorial and will not yield the nesting box to other chickens. As a result, hens rarely leave their nest. An approaching animal might be met with a hissing sound followed by a growl.
If you get too close for comfort, the chicken noise is frequently accompanied by a sharp peck that will hurt. When hens eventually leave the nest to gather food, they typically puff up and walk around hissing and growling if you happen to approach or be in her path.
The other chickens understand this and typically give the hen the space until after their chick is hatched.
Also read: How to break a broody hen?
3. Baby Chicks Noise
The adorable baby chicks make as much noise as the adult chicken. They might not be as vocal as adult chickens, but chicks have an array of sounds, with each unique noise signifying something different.
Baby chicks can make happy, startled, fearful, distress, pain, and contentment noises, and it is up to you to learn all the different chicken sounds, especially if you rear chicks away from the rest of the flock.
Distress – Chicks usually peep while in distress, and the pitch is generally higher. The peeping is typically repetitive and can be pretty constant. Chicks often produce a distress call when they are feeling hungry or cold.
Happy – Chicks will often let out a soft peep to show contentment. This is common when they are nesting beneath the mother hen or when they are full from feeding.
Startled – Chicks can be quite mischievous, especially the male ones. If one chick sneaks up on another and happens to peck them on their body, they typically let out a high-pitched peep from the unsuspecting chick. It is common if a chick strays from the mother and wanders to another group of chicks.
Fear – Whenever chicks are snatched away from their mother, they let out a high-pitched peep that can be repetitive and fast-paced. It means they’re fearful and will only calm down when they return to their mother.
4. Chicken’s Eating Noise (Sounds During Feeding)
It is the most common noise that chickens make, usually when they are feeding. There is a collective murmur of contentment, usually characterized by vocalization and happy chatter, when chickens are foraging and eating simultaneously. It also signals to other chicken that the food is on the side of the eating chatter.
5. Crowing Sound of Rooster
Roosters are synonymous with crowing, but sometimes dominant chickens can also crow. During the break of the day, a rooster will crow, a circadian rhythm that other crows in the neighborhood often answer.
It is usually a wake-up call that signifies the start of the day’s activities, usually hunting worms or bugs. The crow can also signal territory and dominion over the hens.
In the case of several roosters in the same pen, the dominant rooster crows first, and then the rest follow in order of seniority. Roosters will often ‘cock-a-doodle-do’ throughout the day to announce their presence.
6. Mom Hens Noise (Mother Hen Clucking)
A broody hen settles into a routine after some time sitting and nesting her eggs. In this condition, the chicken makes noise and sound to speak with her unhatched chicks by cooing and murmuring to them. It ensures that she bonds with the chicks even before they are hatched.
Once the chicks are hatched and timidly move around, mother hens will make a ‘tuk tuk tuk‘ noise that urges the chicks’ food to be around and that it is okay to eat. This chicken noise is similar to the one made by roosters to announce dinner calls.
When the chicks are much older and start to move around more freely, the mother hen tries to instill safety rules and usually uses two distinct sounds. A low pitch clucking signifies to the chicks that they must stay close to their mother.
The second is a ‘rrrrrr‘ sound that alerts the chick to run for cover, and they can only come out when the mother hen signals that it is okay to do so.
7. Nesting Spot Rooster Noise
Roosters might almost be considered romantic because they usually task themselves with finding suitable habitats for hens to rest.
When a rooster discovers a convenient nesting place, he tramples the spot and rearranges the foliage, which acts as the bedding while clucking.
After he’s done, he invites the hen over for inspection, and if she is pleased with the work, she lays down and rests, but if not, hens usually walk away.
8. Food Call
Roosters are at least tasked with hunting for suitable food for the flock. He has to seek tasty food for his hens.
When he locates food that might be suitable for the flock or the hens, he lets out a ‘tuk tuk tuk‘ sound similar to the one used by mother hens.
It signals the flock to swoop in and eat to their full. Afterward, when the chickens are done eating, roosters will be left eating the leftovers if there are any lefts.
The most dominant rooster is tasked with feeding the whole flock, and the less dominant usually follow close behind.
If the food is insufficient, the dominant rooster usually continues searching for good feeding spots and the hens and flock and will not rest until the flock is fed; then, he can eat.
Also read: Complete guide to chicken pecking order
9. Lonely Call
Lonely calls are pretty unusual for the chicken to make. When a hen makes this sound, it usually means that she seeks the attention of a rooster.
The lonely call is generally accompanied by a loud and insistent call, which catches the roosters’ attention if they are many.
Still, the dominant rooster always gets to answer the call. The rooster might accompany the hen for some time to ensure she is okay, and then he might return to the flock.
10. Angry Chicken Noise
High-pitched, incessant peeps that might be repetitive might be a signal that something is wrong. When chickens are angry, they will let out this noise, which means they are uncomfortable due to several scenarios.
When the brooder is too hot or too cold, it might also be that the food trough has run out of food, and the chicken is still hungry.
An angry call could also be because the water trough has little or no water or the water is dirty. If you pay attention, you will figure out the problem and remedy it.
Also read: Know all about aggressive roosters
11. Foraging Sounds
When a flock of chickens is walking around, they are usually foraging the ground cover looking for bugs and worms.
A soft murmuring sound usually accompanies the foraging. Chickens will most likely vocalize their locations to keep tabs on each other.
12. Egg-Laying Noise
Egg-laying chicken noise is usually called the egg-laying song. The loud noise usually sounds like ‘buk-buk-buk-ba-gawk‘ with the ending having a deep emphasis.
It can get quite noisy in the chicken coop if several hens are laying eggs simultaneously. The ‘buk-buk-buk‘ sound can also be made by a chicken whose nest box has been taken over by another hen.
The distressed hen usually walks around clucking like this until the intruder hen moves aside. It could also get aggressive when the intruder does not move, and it can get pecked depending on the dominance of both chickens.
The complainant usually walks up and down around the occupied nest until it gets what it wants.
Also read: Guide on chicken egg laying age
Also read: List of best egg laying chicken breeds
13. Excitement Chicken Noise
Chickens are pretty social and are very active in the morning after the wake-up call. They might bid each other good morning, as well as their masters.
After opening the coop, chickens usually look to be chattering with each other. It is much louder in the morning compared to when they are going to sleep.
14. Roll Call
Most roosters will do a roll call in the evening. They keep at the entrance and cluck persistently until the whole flock is safely inside.
FAQs About Chicken Noises and Sounds
Why Is My Chicken Making Noise in the Backyard?
All breeds of chicken make noise. It is more alarming if chickens do not make noise, as it may signify injury or illness. The reason chickens are noisy is that they communicate through noise and chatter.
Trying to quiet the chicken is not advisable, as these vocalizations and noises always inform about something.
The unique noises usually signify something different, and one should always be looking to ascertain what each sound is communicating.
They are a noisy bunch, especially the dominant roosters, which is why they are not allowed within city limits due to their crowing.
Can I Keep My Chicken Quiet?
It is not advisable to keep chickens quiet. The different vocalizations and chatter will always inform the master if something is wrong with the chicken or if they are okay.
Noise is their medium of communication, and it should never be muted. The Australorps are a much quieter breed of chicken if you need quieter chicken.
They are usually more reserved than other chickens, but exhibit the same habits of chatter.
Also read: Know all about no crow collars
Why Does Chicken Make Noise at Night?
Naturally, chickens follow a circadian rhythm and should be quiet at night. They are mostly inactive during the night, but if they are awake and noisy, there is something such as a threat causing distress.
It could be due to the presence of a predator, insufficient water in the water trough, injury or sickness, the coop temperature being too hot or too cold, and also if new chicks are familiarizing themselves with a new coop.
I hope this guide help you to understand your chicken’s noises and sounds.