[northfifeduckling]

Every now and then the chickens seem to break out into a random shouting match - the cockerel joins in and sometimes even the neighbour's hens. Does anyone know what this is about? And - ducks compared to that are vvery quiet creatures!

[Sylvia]

Usually an egg laid, a time for group celebration Or a cat or straying dog spotted or even a fox

[daddymatty82]

warning or celebration?? can usally tell which it is by how mad they get

[northfifeduckling]

the warning sounds different  - must be a celebration then as they go on for half an hour or so until they are exhausted, then start again once recovered! No eggs to celebrate, I checked!

[Brijjy]

I have found that the different breeds have differing amounts of noisiness. The pekins get hysterical over the slightest thing eg a pigeon flying over but they quieten when I go and talk to them. The appenzellers are very vocal generally, just chatting and chuckling to themselves. The dutch bantams are also quite chatty. It tends to be the bigger the bird, the quieter they are. However the chinese geese are the noisiest of all and shout at anything new in the field and if anything gets moved.

[plumseverywhere]

I've got a white star who celebrates her eggs for a good half hour each time. Then each time one of the others lays, the white star celebrates that too. she's soooooo loud!! now she's started laying in the pregnant goats' shed - said goat is scared silly of this noisy white flappy thing!! (so am I)