Eclipse

Pat Foreman, co-host with Andy Schneider on The Chicken Whisperer radio program, http://www.blogtalkradio.com/backyardpoultry, recounted her chickens reaction to the lunar eclipse of the night before, http://www.mreclipse.com/LEdata/TLE2010Dec21/TLE2010Dec21.html, in the December 21 broadcast. Although they weren't able to see it, they seemed to react to it.

At her home in Virginia, Pat wanted to see the eclipse. The sky was clear enough for her to see the beginning, but then the clouds rolled in. By the time of totality, around 3:13 am, the clouds obscured the spectacle.

But then one of her roosters began to crow. Then the other crowed, in response. They alternated crowing for about five minutes, then stopped. Pat was concerned that some predator was threateneing the flock, making them crow, but nothing was there. After she talked about it on the program, two listeners sent messages that their roosters had crowed to the dark moon, too.

Anyone else hear from their roosters that night? I was away from home, so wasn't able to witness what my Dorking had to say on the subject. The solstice is the turning of the year, the beginning of longer days that indicate to chickens that it's time to start laying again. Day length is significant to chickens. Perhaps they have other ways of sensing such an important astronomical event.