Do chickens snore?

I walk down to the hens. Time to close them up for the night. It's dusk and the bats are out. Next door's barbecue has fizzled out, all that remains is a lingering hint of scorched sausages and charcoaled burgers.

I pass by my kitchen garden where I have worked all day. The pricked out spinach seedlings, still a bit sorry for their move are beginning to perk up while the onion sets look like they have been in situ all their little lives.

I look up into the darkening sky as a bat flits on silent wings above my head, twisting and turning around the greenhouse then disappearing over the hedge. I turn and follow the path along the lawn. Toys nestle amongst the columbine and carex grasses where they were abandoned during an earlier game. I must remember to tell the boys to collect them in. I stop briefly to look at the borders, and sigh at the thought of the enthusiasm of the weeds and the slothfulness of the perennials.  A day like today induces a wonderful surge of springlike growth - but it seems the nettles and the dandelions are quicker to capitalise on the warmth and light than the plants.


I duck my head under the tree who's branches reaches across the path as I enter the next part of the garden. I can feel a slightly furrowing of my forehead, this area is in desperate need of rejuvenation. Perennial mounds of various shades and shapes are growing, threatening to take more than their allotted space. Here the weeds struggle to find elbow room between the heavy weights such as the rudbeckia and giant scabious. I stop to muse the annual angst I have of which part of the garden to tackle first, when I hear a strange sound.

I stand statue like, straining to hear a warbling, rattly sound. All  I can hear is the distant sounds of a dog barking and a car driving.
Nothing.
I turn back towards the hens. That sound - I hear it again............ a rattly, short snorty sound, then a whistle, not a human tune but a reedy bird sound.

Rattle, whistle, silence, rattle, whistle, silence.

I stop again, to concentrate on the sound.

Rattle, whistle, silence, rattle, whistle, silence.

The sound appears to be emanating from the hen pen. I walk a little quicker, but as silently as possible. As I reach their shed the sound stops briefly. I hear a hen-grumble, a rustle of bedding and then it all settles down. Then as I open and step into the pen, that sounds starts again.

Rattle, whistle, silence, rattle, whistle, silence.

By now I am at the door, carefully as I can, I open it, and peer in..........there in the gloom 4 pairs of little beady eyes stare back at me. One of the hens gives a little chicken-chuckle, a bit more settling down then silence. Nothing. They stare at me as I stare at them.

Still nothing.

I begin to feel silly, they begin to feel uncomfortable. I shrug, wish them a good night, switch on their light, lock their door and leave. As I close the pen gate.........................


Rattle, whistle, silence, rattle, whistle, silence..................


Which begs the question................do chickens snore?