Help! 4 lovely ladies just moved in, coop and all

Delfina · 02-08-2013, 12:52 PM

You have hens.... that was the "egg" song which god only knows why they feel the need to screech after laying eggs sometimes. Hubby refers to it as the sore butt screech since the few times it was SO loud we rushed over to see if someone was dying we found a ginormous double yoker egg.

There is no mistaking a rooster. I have 4 (all bantys) and they are LOUD and incessant! Mine don't crow at night but from sun up to sun down they sure do.

As far as the neighbors... I wish mine crowed all night. Our house was designed to withstand the world ending (why, I have no idea, bought it like this) and we literally cannot hear them inside our house. Neighbors however are in a really cheap mobile home with their chicken killing dog. Would serve them right to never sleep again....

Celeste · 02-08-2013, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delfina

As far as the neighbors... I wish mine crowed all night. Our house was designed to withstand the world ending (why, I have no idea, bought it like this) and we literally cannot hear them inside our house. Neighbors however are in a really cheap mobile home with their chicken killing dog. Would serve them right to never sleep again....

Oh how I sympathize with you. Lol!!!

Dreamcatcher Arabians · 02-08-2013, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delfina

Hubby refers to it as the sore butt screech since the few

Dreamcatcher Arabians · 02-08-2013, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by egrogan

Funny you are all talking about roosters, I had a moment yesterday where I was seriously wondering if one of my hens was actually a he. I think the Rhode Island reds have just started laying again this week, and I came home from a ride to hear a holy racket in the coop. One of the Reds was in a nesting box chattering up a storm, and the other was trying to push her out, while making a really strange call I haven't heard before. It was sort of a bock....bock....bababoooookkk kind of noise, and to me sounded like what I imagine a crowing rooster sounds like. Now, I have no experience with roosters, so I'm not sure what to think, and yesterday was the only time I'd heard it.

Today when I went to let them out of the coop, there was again one Red in the nesting box, but sitting on two eggs. So, I don't know who else laid this morning. But, there was no more strange talking this morning.

As far as the evil dog-blegh, husband chased it away from sniffing around the pen the other day. Everyone was unharmed, but I'm so sick of worrying about it!

Chicken singing the "Egg Song":

Penelope sings the egg song - YouTube

egrogan · 02-08-2013, 05:48 PM

You guys are awesome- that video completely nailed what I heard! And also made my poor dog jump off the floor and come shooting across the room :)

After producing 3 eggs today, the ladies stayed outside all day and braved the beginnings of "Nemo"-aka winter storm of the century. It's not going to be so fun to wade through 2 feet of snow tomorrow morning to get to their coop, but I have a feeling they're still going to want to try to go outside. Will be a good photo op- who wouldn't love looking at chickens frolicking in fluffy, fresh snow!?

Delfina · 02-08-2013, 05:52 PM

Mine won't wade through snow. All 19 will come partially down the coop ramp, look at the snow and scurry back into their heated coop, huddle under their heat lamp and mutter, mumble and complain....

egrogan · 02-08-2013, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delfina

Mine won't wade through snow. All 19 will come partially down the coop ramp, look at the snow and scurry back into their heated coop, huddle under their heat lamp and mutter, mumble and complain....

Yep, we'll see how tomorrow goes. They've been out with snow on the ground, including today when the first couple of inches of this storm fell- they really did seem to prefer being out and I sort of had to shove everyone inside when it started getting really heavy. But, we certainly haven't seen anything like what's predicted for tomorrow yet.

Dreamcatcher Arabians · 02-08-2013, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by egrogan

And also made my poor dog jump off the floor and come shooting across the room :)

The New PSY - Oppa Chicken Style! - YouTube

egrogan · 02-09-2013, 05:24 PM

So definitely no going outside today! The snow was about as bad as the forecasters expected- close to 2 feet overnight, but the wind gusts continued to be 40+ mph all day long, making the wind chill -5F. We did manage to shovel out the "chicken yard," but when this all starts melting, the coop is going to be flooded! There just was nowhere else to put all the snow, so we tried to move it back the best we could so they can get out again tomorrow.

Can you all talk to me about laying for a minute? Today, for the first time, we got 4 eggs, which means everyone laid. Was this just because being shut in the coop literally all day got them feeling "inspired" to lay? Or, do you think this means someone is laying outside somewhere more private? I have been getting 3 eggs about every other day for the past week, but two is more typical. I do think the Rhodies just started laying this past week- I don't think they really were when they first moved over here.

Celeste · 02-09-2013, 06:10 PM

They could be laying outside; however, mine have started laying a lot more lately. They almost stopped when the days were getting shorter. Now that they are getting longer, they are laying again.

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