by Jennifer Sartell of Iron Oak Farm
Sometimes when I’m writing these posts I forget that many of our readers are new to chickens. Or maybe want chickens, or are simply interested in chickens and are still in the learning phase of their venture. I’ve had chickens for more than half my life which makes me really close to the subject and many things that seem obvious to me, might not be as obvious to someone who’s just starting out. I had an “aha” moment about a week ago when one of my readers asked: Do roosters only crow in the morning? Evidently, she has an opportunity to add a rooster to her small flock, but is worried about noise. She thought that if the crowing was done by late morning, her neighbors might not mind the noise.
Unfortunately, to answer her question, no…they do not just crow in the morning. When I first got chickens I too believed this. In fact, it was part of the persuading factor in talking my mom into letting me keep a rooster. But when our young cockerel started spouting off at all hours of the day and even the odd crow at night, especially when we would come home late and the headlights of the car would shine through the coop window, we thought…maybe it’s a phase. Maybe it’s only because he’s young and confused, or maybe we just have an odd overzealous roo. It wan’t long before his brother started his own version of cock-a-doodle-doo…morning, noon and evening that I realized (much to my mother’s dismay) that the classic rooster crow that wakes the farm for another day, doesn’t stop at sunrise…the nursery rhymes fail to mention that!
Roosters crow all day long. Some more frequently than others. Our roosters right now are what I would call moderate crowers, kicking things into high gear in the spring. They’ll go an hour or two without a peep and then one or two will go off. I’ve had bantams in the past that won’t give it up and go on and on all day…personally I think it’s a size complex. What they lack in size they make up for with noise.
Different things seem to stimulate a crow. Usually perching up somewhere high always warrants an announcement. I notice they give a few extra flaps of the wing and then sound off. Other rooster’s crowing usually sets up the scene for a vocal competition and you might get a round of calls from all the boys. In the evening, as the roos are rounding the girls up to go in for the evening, many crows will be heard. Other things like loud noises, being fed, mating, sun rise or even a flashlight at night in the coop can send them off.
Roosters lower in pecking order will often be discouraged from crowing by other roosters. More than a few times some of our younger roos will attempt to crow only to get chest punted by one of the older boys cutting him off short. This behavior is important for pecking order within the flock and tells the young rooster where he belongs among the other males.
A young rooster will also work on his crow and fine tune it (usually) by the end of his first year. When they first start out, they sound like they’re dying. Many of the early attempts sound pretty pathetic and lack the robust confidence that older roosters display. They will relentlessly practice their vocalizations until they seem to settle on “their” crow and it stays pretty consistent throughout their lives.
Each crow is unique to that rooster. I’ve come to know our roosters so well that I can tell who’s crowing without even seeing the bird. I’ve experienced throughout the years that while each bird has his own song, there seems to be an overall trend from breed to breed. Bantams tend to be high pitched, as do our Easter Eggers (though not as high as a bantam) Our Sussex’s have a deep growling crow that lingers long and drawn out and our Black Copper Maran has a very traditional cock-a-doodle-doo.
Another reader asks if it’s true that a hen will crow?
Personally, I have not experienced this within my flock. In my heart, I must admit that I thought perhaps people who claimed their hens were crowing simply were unaware that they had a young rooster on their hands who hadn’t yet developed into a strapping lad. With some breeds, it’s difficult to sex chickens even into their crowing months. Or I thought that they were mistaking the loud noises that hens will sometimes make as a crow.
So I went on you tube and searched for “crowing hens”. Boy was I wrong…yup, they crow! No mistaking! A full grown, egg laying hen in one of the videos let out a classic cock-a-doodle-do complete with extended neck, feathers raised and all.
I did some further research and found that a crowing hen is somewhat of a rare occurrence and it usually only happens within an all female flock where one hen works her way up the pecking order ladder and declares herself the rooster of the group. I’ve always kept a rooster or two, so this might be why we’ve never had a crowing hen.
I find it interesting when I read about people who find a rooster crow an annoyance. Not only do I personally find it to be a charming sound, but most of the time, I’m so used to our roosters that I don’t really hear them all that often. We had a grandfather clock when I was growing up that chimed every 15 minutes. Overnight house guests would always complain about the clock when they were trying to sleep…I never really noticed it. Our rooster crows have become a similar background noise that I don’t really hear anymore unless I pay attention.
Now things might be different if you live in close proximity to your neighbor’s coop, or have a particularly boisterous roo. But for the most part, the call of the rooster will keep well in my heart as the nostalgic sound of some of my favorite farmyard memories.
Do you have a quirky crowing story? Share it by leaving a comment below or visit the Community Chickens Facebook Page.
19 Comments
I’ve kept chickens since 1975, except for the first few years on my own & thought the grass was greener in the concrete jungle. We keep Cuckoo Marans & Ameraucanas in the coop and chicken yard. There’s also a couple of Kelso hens. Good layers but they’ve been free ranging for about 3 years since the other hens loathe them. Yesterday, I thought I heard a young roo in the front yard, but I only saw our 2 kelso hens. Today was a repeat, except I saw her raise her head & neck feathers, thrust her throat & stood high on her toes as she crowed like the juvenile roo she isn’t. Wow! … Why? … What next?
My boys just do it in the morning never have heard them do it any other time but the neighbors blank banty crows all day.
Why do roosters turn nasty? I have had two roosters, one has been put down very relutenly, and another that is doing the same thing. The first was a jersey giant raise with love from two days old. The second is a splash bantam silkie who attacks me every time he sees me. Both were handled quite a lot. Is this normal a nd should I give up on roosters?
No hens do not ‘change sex’. Certain medical conditions like an ovarian cyst, tumor or diseased adrenal gland can cause them to develop physical characteristics that will make them appear male and she may begin to crow, but she remains genetically female. So, while she may no longer lay eggs and on the outside takes on the secondary sexual characteristics of a cockerel, she will not develop the primary sexual organs.
Hens can change sex. Usually happens in older birds who aren’t laying. They stop producing estrogen, testosterone takes over and they develop male characteristics like wattles,crowing and attempting to mate with other hens.
I have a 6 year old hen who has decided to crow every morning at 4.30am. Doesn”t bother me but the neighbours are a bit upset and I definately don’t want to get rid of her so this morning I isolated her from the rest of the chooks. I am hoping that after a week or so of being away from the others she might slip a peg or two down the pecking order and won’t be so dominant!! I’m not an animal psychologist but fingers crossed!!
Key West can hold all your noisy roosters. Last time i was there they were walking all over.
Roos are illegal in my city due to “noise control” yet I still hear them from time to time. Could it be a mocking bird?
I’ve had a few roos over the last few years, my first, a barred rock, had a very classic, pleasant crow. The americana had a crow that was a little more annoying, plus, his favorite time to let out a big one was 3AM! he’s gone now, not because of the crow but because he attacked one of the new hens and broke her wing. off he went! we also had two barnyard cross breeds that turned out to be roos- one had a crow that sounded like a laughing mariachi singer- “ah ha, ha ha ha”. made me laugh every time. we just raised up three new red star hens, and at about 5 weeks, one started honking like a duck. i was worried that she would turn out to be a roo, but no, she’s just thinks she’s a duck!
I have a hen that crows..shocked me when I was hearing it..mine are all over a year old, so I know there isn’t a roo hiding out in the coop..maybe if I get another roo the hen will go bck to her more girlish sounding ways?
I have found that Roosters crow as a territorial thing. Each has a unique crow like a finger print and when one crows the others in the neighborhood answer. The reason is to keep tabs on each other. The crow tell the distance and direction of their rivals and if one gets to close a fight will ensue. It is just like IFF (Identification Friend Or Foe)which the military uses to track the enemy and tell good guys from the bad.
I am very new to chickens (just approaching my third month) and I have two roosters – a Barred Rock (Rocky) and a Porcelain OEGB (Spike). Rocky came to me at about 18 weeks old and his crow was pretty much established. It’s your typical cockadoodle do. I’m unsure how old Spike is but his little crow is just adorable. I say he sounds like a full-grown rooster who has gotten into the helium – just as bold but very high pitched. Both of the boys seem to get along (each has his own hens) yet they do seem to compete in crow-offs during the day. They usually end in a draw. I love to hear them crow. To me, a rooster crowing (and hens clucking) are very soothing sounds that make living in the country just that much better.
in the third picture what type of chicken is is
That’s a mille fleur d’uccle roo š
I have three roosters. My old Barred rock rooster, a younger mixed rooster to help him to fertilize the eggs, and they get along great, and a black Australorp rooster in another pen who loves to fight the younger roo through the fence. I had a hen crow on me last year! If I had not been looking at her when she did it I would of thought it was a younger rooster starting out crowing. So it does happen!
I know, I wouldn’t have believed it…actually I didn’t believe it until I saw that video. Chickens are so funny!
I love hearing our roosters crow. We have 2, one fully grown(George) and a 6 month old black australorp(MisterMister). When MrMr started crowing, at about 4 1/2 months, I laughed every time, it was so pathetic sounding, like a little boys voice cracking. He just about has it down pat now, with the occasional little hiccup.
Ha! I love it! š
My daughters young roosters started crowing a couple weeks ago, One does it like you would expect, the other tips his head sideways and lowers it almost to the ground when he crow’s. It is very funny to watch.