Say WHAT? A Video Guide to Understanding Chicken Chat

Chickens have a language all their own. and while they may not use a language we are  familiar with, by paying attention and tuning into our chickens, we can understand a good deal of what they are trying to communicate. One German scientist, Dr. Erich Baeumer, is said to have documented at least thirty sentences, which are part of a universal chicken language.1  Whether or not you believe those claims, anyone who keeps chickens can attest to understanding various, unmistakable vocalizations made by their flock members. I know I can.

"Chickens have a complex communication system...[h]ere are some of the calls that you can learn to understand. waanh-hunh: "I’m curious", bu-bu-bu-bu-buh: "Hello", k-k-k-k-k-kh: "I’m happy!", tw-tw-tw-tw-tw: "I’m on the nest..."2

I took the following video clips of my chatty chickens over the years, there is no question in my mind that chickens communicate in an organized, recognizable way.

This is (St)Eve, a 6 day old chick who was not at all pleased to have been separated from his peers or his mother. This 'pieep, pieep, pieep' sound is distinctive; whenever I hear it, I know that a chick has either become 'lost' from his mother, is cold or in need of help. Click HERE to read more of this post on Community Chickens.

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