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Foraging Songs and Other Noises

We’ve had chickens for 25 days now. They’ve quadrupled in size, at least. They live in a storage box in our guest room, and in the morning I can immediately tell when something is wrong based on the sounds they make. A loud high pitched peeping usually means that someone has found a way to tip over their water. It reminds me of an alarm clock’s beeping.

Sometimes there’s a shrill startled cry from several chicks at once. It’s most likely cause is Malta or Bee testing out their skill in imitating a wrecking ball. They’ll zoom through the brooder, wings outstretched, directly into the rest of the group. Vin can cause the same reaction, but she doesn’t need speed or flight. She has her size and is best compared to a bulldozer.

My favorite sounds are when I hear them scratching the ground, peeping frequently and quickly. It’s the sound of contentedness. It’s a neat little song they all sing together, in complete harmony with each other and the world. I was amazed at how young they were when it started. Their instincts are surprisingly strong.



The weather has been warm enough this week to bring the flock outside most days. I’ve set up a small run using a dog playpen in the grass. It’s large enough for them to have room to sunbathe, explore the grass and dirt beneath it, and test the strength of their wings. I can’t wait until they can be outside full time. They are quickly outgrowing their box in the guest room. This week, Malta’s wing strengthening practice paid off and she can easily flit up to the edge of the brooder. If my attention is removed for a moment while the cover is off, she’s out.

Denna sunbathing

As the brooder gets too small for them, they sing their foraging song a little less while inside. It’s one of the reasons I’ve prioritized getting them out in the grass so often. I love watching them scratch and sing. So does our neighborhood hawk. Most mornings in the spring you’ll hear a Cooper’s Hawk cak-cak-cak and find him perched in the same large tree in one of the top branches. He has a view of 8 backyards from there, including ours. The chicks are small enough now to be an easy meal. When they’re bigger they’ll still be potential prey, but not nearly as vulnerable. The run I’ve set up is covered with an old chain link fence we had on the property. I feel confident it will be sufficient protection in an attack, but I’m still nervous. I’m usually outside if the chickens are, and my heart takes a little jump every time I see a swooping shadow. I wish we could have a rooster to help me protect them.


Can you spot the Cooper's Hawk?

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