2 yr old Hen... CROWING?

[MamaLisa1976]

Hi all,
The weirdest thing just happened to me... I'm enjoying a cup of coffee and wrapping some gifts for a baby shower; got my screen door open to let the fresh air in since it's a nice cool morning. We have 3 hens currently... one is Aurora, from the "first batch" of chicks, about 2.5 yrs ago, another is Clover, from the "second batch" last year, and we have a "crazy hair" one that was already full grown from this year.

The first batch included a rooster. That rooster was REALLY MEAN so we donated him to a farm to fertilize eggs that are used to educate kindergarteners. The second batch included a rooster. That rooster was cool. He didn't attack us every chance he had like the first rooster did. Unfortunately, predators got some of our chickens, so all that is left, are the 3 we currently have.

So I'm wrapping gifts, sipping coffee, and watching my chickens peck around in the yard outside the door. Suddenly I hear this BIG NOISE from one of the hens, and I looked outside, and there's Aurora, neck stretched tall, and flapping her wings, like a rooster would do. The noise sounded similar to a rooster crow. It was VERY loud, and I had never heard it before. I watched her for a minute and she did it again! She is behaving like a rooster, it is so strange!

My question is, do hens NEED a rooster in the flock to kind of show 'em who's boss? Is Aurora behaving this way because she is the "oldest" (do they even KNOW who's oldest?) and has taken over "Matriarchy" of the flock? I've never heard of this in my life. But I'm new to chickens...

Thanks all...

Lisa

 

[tmarsh83]

A barred rock that I have that's a year and a half old did this for a couple weeks this summer about the time the roo from this year's batch of chicks was maturing and starting to crow himself.

It didn't last long and she hasn't done it since.

 

[MamaLisa1976]

That is so weird... we haven't had a roo around for probably 4 months! I tried to get it on video but my phone was full. :\

 

[tmarsh83]

I got mine.

https://instagram.com/p/BFba4Acq0zu/

 

[MamaLisa1976]

That is hilarious!!! She busted into helicopter mode as she did it!! LOL this is so strange!! What is going on!? I saw your comment about the bathroom policies... same thing I thought!! LOL!!!!!

 

[tmarsh83]

She did it off and on for a couple weeks.

Then it stopped. She and the Cochin roo have an uneasy ceasefire currently, but he's for sure in charge.

I think it was her making a power play as he was maturing. But I'm not a chicken psychologist.

 

[kgb6days]

My Leghorn girl is pretty vocal and sounds like she is trying to crow sometimes, especially when she wants in HER egg box and another hen is in there. The people living behind us have roosters, and they "talk" to each other sometimes too. She's so loud I worry about her disturbing the neighbors sometimes

 

[MamaLisa1976]

Wow!! That is crazy. All of our hens were always pretty quiet, just the occasional clucks...
...your hens actually have their OWN nests? We've provided a nest for each hen, but they all like to lay in the same nest! LOL

 

[kgb6days]

Wow!! That is crazy. All of our hens were always pretty quiet, just the occasional clucks...
...your hens actually have their OWN nests? We've provided a nest for each hen, but they all like to lay in the same nest! LOL

Well I have 3 boxes for 8 hens, but they are such creatures of habit they will use the same box every time. They will not go into an empty box even if the egg is nearly hanging out - they just pace back and forth waiting on "THEIR" box. Prima donnas

 

[MamaLisa1976]

I asked a friend who has chickens also, and she found this interesting tidbit of info.... not sure if it's a "don't believe everything you read on the internet" thing... but fascinating!