Chickens make a wide range of noises, from sharp alerts to soft chirps, each offering a glimpse into their emotional state. But have you ever wondered what those sounds really mean? A new app, created by researchers at Dalhousie University’s Agricultural Campus in Truro, N.S., aims to unlock the mysteries of chicken communication.
The app, called Cluckify, uses bioacoustic science to interpret the various sounds chickens make. According to Suresh Neethirajan, a professor involved in the project, chickens, much like humans, have distinct personalities and emotional ranges. They express everything from contentment and joy to frustration and stress through their vocalizations.
Cluckify’s goal is to bridge the gap between chickens and humans, offering a tool for backyard chicken owners, farmers, and anyone interested in better understanding how these birds communicate. The app identifies around 45 different sound categories, including social calls, rooster calls, and even the unique sound a mother hen makes to call her chicks.
In addition to helping users decode their chickens’ emotions, the app also includes fun, interactive features like the game “Guess the Cluck.” Neethirajan believes that understanding these sounds can lead to improved animal welfare. “Knowing whether a chicken is happy, frustrated, or content allows for better care, which ultimately benefits both the birds and the farmers,” he explains.
Happy chickens are more productive, and fostering their well-being can result in more sustainable farming practices. Looking ahead, Neethirajan envisions the app’s technology being integrated into poultry farms. He imagines a future where “chicken translators” are installed in barns to monitor and interpret chicken sounds, providing farmers with a dashboard that translates the vocalizations into human-understandable messages.
This innovative technology could transform the way we care for poultry, offering new insights into their lives and improving their overall quality of life.
