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All new chicken owners have the same questions: why are my chickens so noisy in the morning? Disrupting your sleep and leaving owners to wonder what they could be trying to communicate, so why do chickens make noise so early? There could be several reasons.
Chickens are social animals that check-in with other members of there flock, and the morning is when they wake up. Also they they are dehydrated and hungry from not eating all night so want to get attention to be fed. Also they want to leave the pen and get some exercise.
You understand why chickens are so noisy? They are really smart creatures, but it’s important to know as a chicken owner what chicken noises mean or more detail.
Read on to find out, also the different types of chicken noises like the famous CLUCK and SQUARK. Who doesn’t want to know what a chickens Cluck means?
Is your chicken coop insulated? Are you risking death or serious injury to your chickens if the coop is not insulated? See my post here to know for sure.
What Do Chickens Makes Noise In The Morning?
Chickens Make Noise To Check In On the Flock
The first and simplest reason your chickens may be noisy in the morning is that they are awake and are checking in on the other chickens in the flock.
Chickens are very flock-oriented and are incredibly social creatures. They take care of the other members in their flock and like to know where all of the members are at the start of the morning, just like humans!
Checking in on the other chickens is particularly crucial for the chickens at the top of the pecking order, which is the status of a group of humans or animals, usually chickens!,
The “top chook,” or highest-ranked chicken in the flock, is in charge of the flock’s safety and well-being, watching out for predators and guiding the flock to safety if there is danger. Your top chook is likely to make noise in the morning to ensure the rest of the flock is awake and safe and to know where each flock member is located.
Hungry or Thirsty
Like babies, chickens know how to get attention when their needs are not met and make noise until they are fed or given water, especially if used to eating early in the morning.
But can a chicken drink too much water? As anything too much is a bad thing, check my post to find out for sure.
So to stop your chickens waking up in the morning, slowly increase the time you feed them if your unhappy with them making a lot of noise is there used to eating super early.
Want to Leave the Coop
The term “cooped up” doesn’t come from thin air! After spending all night in the chicken coop with the other chickens, it is understandable that they would want some space to run around freely.
Just like humans stretch their legs, chickens will need to get out some of their pent up energy in a larger area, imagine if you were stuck in a coop all night? You would want to get out too! No wonder they are so noisy.
I know your chickens are super loud, but I bet your curious about why, to know the 11 reasons why chickens are so loud see my post.
Female Chickens Sing A Egg Song
If you have hens, you also have eggs. Your chickens can lay eggs as often as every 26 hours, so it’s likely your chickens are so noisy in the morning because they are singing their “egg song.”
Egg songs are the noises a chicken makes when laying an egg and can be sung during any part of the laying process: as they are getting ready to lay an egg, when they are in the middle of laying the egg, or even as a celebration after laying the egg.
If the egg song is being sung in preparation for laying the egg, your chicken is likely waiting for a nesting box to lay her egg or is angry that her favourite nesting box is taken.
Chickens will make their voice heard when they are upset or agitated, and if their space is being occupied by another chicken, they will cackle about it until the other chicken leaves and they can lay their egg.
After laying the egg, the chicken will likely sing another egg song, and the other chickens in the coop might even join her!
There are two reasons the chicken might sing after the egg is laid: either as a celebration for laying the egg or in an attempt to find the rest of the flock if they’ve gone away while she laid her egg. Either way, a freshly laid egg is definitely cause for some noise!
Do you know if chickens need light at night? You might be giving your chickens too much light making them irritable, see my post here to know for sure.
What Do Chicken Noises Mean?
- Chickens crow to establish dominance and the top chicken is likely to crow throughout the day to establish control over the flock
- Chickens cluck when they talk amongst themselves, it is common throughout the day.
- Chickens growl when they feel threatened.
- Chickens Squawk when they are surprised.
The noises can vary in type and volume, so it is a good idea to know what each of the sounds means and what your chicken is trying to say.
To hear the different chicken noises and what they mean first hand I highly recommend the chicken YouTuber Robert Höck video down below of the chicken language. He goes into AMAZING detail and it’s a must-watch to understanding your chickens! You would be CLUCKING mad to miss it!
Crowing
Crowing is the “cock-a-doodle-do” sound that comes to mind when most people think about chickens’ noises.
Although your chickens will crow in the morning, they will likely continue to crow throughout the day as well. The crow is a sound that establishes dominance, and the top chook is likely to declare his status over the rest of the flock all day long.
Clucking
Clucking is the softer noise that the chickens make as they go about their day and walk around in their coop. It’s essentially the sound of the chickens chattering amongst themselves. This sound is nothing to be wary about and is very common throughout the day.
Growling
Chickens may growl when they feel threatened or like their space is being invaded. If someone disturbs them as they are sitting on eggs or bothers them as they are eating, they may emit a low, brooding growl. If the aggressor doesn’t heed the chicken’s warning and back off, it may result in an attack from the chicken growling.
Squawking
This sound occurs when a chicken is startled or scared. A chicken may squawk if grabbed or touched unexpectedly or if the chicken just didn’t see you or another chicken coming.
This sound is nothing to be concerned about, but it is good to try not to startle your chickens anyway. Other chickens may flock to the scene after hearing the squawk, and it can be difficult to calm all of the chickens down
Having a dominant alpha chicken is important as the hens look to the number one male chickens for guidance, if the head chicken is calm the hens are calm. To learn more about your flock’s dynamics and why you should have roosters, as well as hens, check this post from hobby farms to learn more..
Chicken Make Sounds To Alter Food Sources
Roosters and hens will both alert the flock to food sources by emitting a “perp-perp” sound. Roosters, especially the top chook, have a responsibility to their flock to direct them to food sources, and hens will do the same for their chicks, so it is likely to hear these sounds during feeding time.
Do you bath your baby chickens? Be very careful doing so as it could even kill them! To know more see my post on the topic.
Chickens Sound Predator Alarms
Remember how the rooster protects the flock? They emit a “rebel yell” when there is a threat or predator nearby. These sounds are different from squawks but are loud, sudden, and alarming so the rest of the flock can run to safety in their coup.
Chickens Make Happy Peep Or Humming Sounds
Chickens also make other low, contented sounds throughout the day as communication with one another. These chicken sounds can be likened to humans chatting with friends or even singing to oneself.
These sounds can vary but are likely consistent and are nothing to be concerned about. Baby chicks will peep, hens will hum, or the chickens will murmur to one another.
So if your chickens are making these sounds you should be proud as a responsible chicken owner! Remember how bad chickens are treated in industry farming so you eating your food ethnically which can only be a good thing.