Chickens are birds that are reared domestically that cannot fly. Chickens are very useful to man. Some humans keep chickens as their pets while others breed them to consume them and the eggs they lay. A “hen” is referred to as a female chicken, a “rooster” is known as a male chicken, young chickens are referred to as “chicks” while a variety of chickens is called a “flock”.
If you are one of those people who own chickens, you must have heard them make some disturbing noises that you may not like. Do you want to know why your chickens make loud noises in the morning? I will tell you. Chickens make loud noises in the morning to tell whoever cares to know that they are awake. They also make loud noises in the morning to inform you that they are hungry and want to be fed with food and water. Additionally, they make loud noises to let you know that they are ready to get out of their coop and run around freely.
Chickens make different sounds and each sound has a particular purpose. You can learn about some of the sounds your chicken makes and what they represent by listening to them.
RELATED: Chickens Disappearing During Day
When your chicken makes a coop kind of noise, it shows that they are awake and that is their way of saying good morning to each other and you, their owner. They also make this coop noise when they want to rest for the night. The coop noise is louder in the morning than at night.
Your broody hen will make broody growls when you try to push it away from its eggs. She is trying to tell you not to come close to her and her eggs. To depict her defense, she will puff up her feathers and try to peck at you to stay far away from her.
Your chickens will also make egg songs when they are about to lay eggs. The egg song is a very common noise among chickens. You might hear your chicken calling while it prepares a nest box for its eggs. The pitch of their noise gets heightened when another broody hen tries to occupy their nest box.
There are other noises chickens make when they are about to mate, there are other types you hear when they are happy, there are also noises they make when they are in distress, they also make some type of noises when a sense that a predator is about to attack them.
Take your time to listen to the different kinds of sounds, so you can help your chicken out when anything happens. Chickens are not loud for nothing. Each of their noises carries a message that has a meaning if you take your time to simply listen to it.
What sound does chicken make in the morning?
“Crowing” is the sound chickens make in the morning. Roosters usually crow at dawn. Although they crow at different times during the day because of the influence of the crowing of other chickens and light too. Most times, the circadian clock in roosters still has a way of dominating the attitude and crowing of other chickens.
You should also know that a rooster crows because of the internal clock in it that makes it look forward to sunrise. They anticipate sunrise to get a head start on their daily quest for food and defense of their territory.
Also, if there are other roosters around your vicinity, they may trigger other roosters to crow early if their internal clock is a bit earlier. Roosters crow at sunrise to set up their territory. So, when a rooster crows, he is communicating with other roosters that if they trespass, they will get a fight in return.
Also, a rooster crows loudly way beyond his territory to notify others of his presence. A hen shouts when she sights a hawk, to inform her chicks to go and hide in a safe place. But a hen only cackles when she sees a human that doesn’t seem like a threat.
How do I stop my chickens from crowing in the morning?
Usually, a rooster crows up to 12 to 15 times a day. It is very difficult to stop a rooster from crowing but you can control the noise it makes by changing the lifestyle of your rooster. This change can be done by tieing a collar around its neck or changing its cool into a blackout box.
How can you stop your rooster from crowing?
- One of the reasons why your rooster crows is when you don’t provide it with food and water. To reduce the frequency of your rooster crowing at night, ensure you fill its cool with enough food and water before your bedtime.
- Reducing the size of the flock of your roosters is another way you can curb the frequent noises they make. Usually, roosters crow to establish their dominance over other roosters. Let each rooster occupy one roost so you can reduce their crowing.
- Leaving the door to the coop of your rooster open will expose them to predators. And this will trigger them to crow at night. To avoid that, keep your rooster in a dark and closed coop at night. Exposing your rooster to light is another thing that makes them crow, that is why keeping their coop dark is important.
There are also certain things you can do to help minimize the crowing of other chickens that are not roosters. Check some of the tips below.
- Provide them with a comfortable cage where their safety is secured from possible predators. This way, their cackling will reduce.
- You can entertain your chickens with toys as well. These toys will be a source of distraction that will aid a reduction in the frequent noises they make.
- Fill the flocked area of your chicken with sand, wood ash, and dry dirt. This will help keep your chickens calm and relaxed. Thus, minimizing their noises.
- Provide your chickens with enough chicken feed and water.
- Learn from the experience of your friends who also have chickens as pets. The staff of the local farm store where you purchased the chicken can also provide you with tips on how to stop your chicken from making noise.
RELATED: How Do Chickens Show Affection To Each Other
What is the loudest chicken breed?
Roosters (cockerels) are part of the loudest chicken breed. They are usually noisy. Most hens are at their loudest immediately after laying an egg. Some hens are louder than others.
If your hens are in an urban environment and your neighbors become uncomfortable with their loud noises, you should learn how to use certain techniques to help lessen their loud noises.
Research has it that noise levels are more down to individual chickens than species of birds. Also, the environment you keep your chickens in can also affect their noise level. If you keep your chicken in an environment with a lot of space in it, they will reduce their noise.