Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-07-29
THE LANGUAGE OF CHICKENS
Queer ways In Which Barnyard Fowls
Communicate with One Another.


chi ok is well known to those interest
ed in the hatch and waiting TO care
for them. and the mothers assuring
'cluck, " ''cluck' (the rallying CALI,
is kept up as long as they need her
care. AS the chicks grow larger tho
piping is succeeded by chirruping
note. When settling to rest under
the mothers feathers there is light
trilling song OF satisfaction. but hear
! how quickly this is changed TO a cry
OF alarm if hand IS thrust under the
hen to pull out chick. The declara-
ton of the hen is also very decided.
even if it is not accompanied with D
sharp peck to enforce it's meaning. A
very amusing change OF topics may
be produced by throwing q largo
beetle before the chicks not only will
these utter shout OF surprise but
the hen will also give her advice in a
voice that says, LOOK OUT be care
fulr' Change the subject by giving
them little nicely and see how
quickly madam's voice changes to n
note that brings up all stragglers to
participate in the treat
> There seems to be a perfect accord
between the notes of the hen and the
understanding of her family states the
Rural New Yorker How well the little
things know q note OF warning at the
approach OF a hawk or any other
dangerous enemy; see how quickly
they obey and take shelter under the
mother who keeps up her defiant
defamation till danger is past She
has a word OF warning also for any
little waif that may perchance peep
into the coop. Sometimes with the
FIRST brood in spring, the mother will
be inclined to leave them before they
have age or confidence enough to care
for themselves. in which Gaze the for
lorn. whining note pining for her
Is perfectly Ineligible to any one; so
is also the sad, pining cry OF a sick
chick; one accustomed 10 the care of
the little things can almost tell If it is
the cry OF death. Who could believe
that the first croaking and gurgling
as heard in the voices OF b1llfrog
and peacock. would ever eliminate
in that clear ringing crow which, in
ancient times (when there Were no
clocSs) summoned all good people to
10 get ready for another day? As Gill
bert White has il, The cock has been
distinguished in all ages as the coun-
tryman's clock or alarm. The poet
too compares him to Waterman
The crested cock whose clarion sounds
The silent hours.
As he develops sufficient Importance
: he sends forth notes of invitation tc
: the gentler sex TO come and share
: some dainty morsel or perhaps to see
how nicely he can bolt it himself.
: No sounds made by poultry are so eX-
| pressive and almost human as those
made when an intruder approaches
their roosts at night Step lightly tC
their house and you will hear faint
tr.lling noise made by the cock first
and answered by the hens. This long.
drawn out tremulous sound seems e
! say. Listen. What is that strange
l noise?" Should you approach near
: enough to alarm them. a sharp tut
3 tut is instantly given as warning o.
danger. Catch hold OF a bird and 6
! piercing cry is given with a strong.
, powerful voice which cannot be mis-
J taken for any other sound The
q former par of this nocturnal per.
I Torrance is very prettily described
r by Simeon Pease Cheney in an arti
$ Gle ''Barnyard Solos," 1t is giver
( with descriptive musical notes will
< minute analysis. But these notes are
: not in one sense musical. so that {
[ piano could initiate them The
, only instrument that can define sucl
peculiar expressive sounds is the VIC
: lin. ard that in the hands OF Ole Bull.
9 The loquacity of the cock is as
q tonishlng If one listens attentively
a When siding up to hen he has
a coaxing. whispering delivery, o.
a when he finds good place for u nest
, his fine muttering invitation to a heI
: is exceedingly characteristic So i:
4 the talk of n flock asking for fooC
4 when starting with their feeder L
the corn crib The eye of the cock i
t continually on the alert for an enemy
: so solicitous is he for the safety o
: his harem The appearance OF
e hawk is announced in decided terms
I instantly calling the attention OF al
!; the farmyard inhabitants.
) The pullet whom about to lay utter,
b very pretty cackle; If disturbed OF
q her hest she uses an entirely diiferen
expression. but when the egg is lait
what rejoicing! which is choruset
by all the family.
t These sounds do.not include all tn,
Il language Of poultry: there is probabl.
: n reserve for remarkable occasions
g ] was once witness to one unusua
j demonstration; while engaged in
9 quiet occupation in an out building
q ON warm. sunny day | heard from
n the poultry a very peculiar noise
I such as / had never heard before
a hurried out TO ascertain the cause
d when / found lot of hens all form NJ
9 II circle around live snake cole,
y up not knowing how to escape.