A hen that crows - need advice

[cluckmecoop7]

So this morning one of my hens, Blamo, crowed! It was not a very smooth crow....but still, I would have thought it was a rooster!
In my area I'm not aloud to keep roosters.....but she ISN'T a rooster! So I can keep her, right? (I don't think I'll get reported though, I have nice neighbors.)
I could just show the people she lays eggs! Well, I can't get rid of her.

Good I have advice?

 

[rosemarythyme]

As long as neighbors don't mind it shouldn't be an issue. Regardless if you're allowed roosters or not, most areas also have noise ordinances, so if she does become a nuisance yes, they could cite you even though she's a hen.

 

[aart]

I wouldn't worry about it, she's a hen and the rules are for roosters not hens.
Technicalities are nice sometimes.

I'd bet a noise ordinance would/will trump any proof of chicken gender.

 

[BY Bob]

How old is this bird?
Any chance for video?

Had a 2-3yo hen crow for a few months over winter break.
Duets with cockbird every morning then she stopped when she came back in to lay.

My Lilly does it on rare occasions. So it is hard to catch video but you can hear her in this video. She is alpha hen is over 6 years old and lays 1 egg a month which she did yesterday.

Here is Lilly.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I won't let them take her from me!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I won't let them take her from me!

Well, that's easy to say, but generally you'd be subject to fines and/or legal action, depending on your area. If you're willing to retain an attorney you could try to fight it as long as you can prove that 1) she's a she and not a he (easy) and 2) that she's not breaking any noise ordinances.

You said your neighbors don't seem to mind the chickens so hopefully that remains the case. Or maybe the crowing is just a phase as hormones surge in spring and she'll stop on her own. As long as you don't get reported then there's no issue!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Thanks for the information.

Yeah, I won't do this:

Them: "Hello, we got a noise complaint......(talking).....so we need you to get rid of that rooster."

Me: "She's not a rooster. She's my pet hen. I will not give her up."

_______________

Well, maybe something like that. Besides, my closest neighbors have/do:

#1 neighbor: Has a dog that barks every morning and runs a chainsaw so much!!
#2 neighbor is gone almost all day.

My first thought..... Oh my gosh! They let their dog play with a chainsaw?!?!?!

I had to read the post multiple times, but I see. This missing an hour of sleep is really taking a toll on my brain. Actually, who am I kidding, this is normal for me, hahahaha!

Edited to add: Blamo? I love her. She is so beautiful. Wasn't she getting picked on or am I getting mixed up? Seems like I remember her having an injury to her wattle. Sweet girl. She is gorgeous

 

[Rosebud25]

You can always offer some eggs to the neighbors occasionally. That helps. I would go around at Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas to give each neighbor a dozen eggs when I lived in NJ. No neighbors ever complained about my chickens.

 

[aart]

How old is this bird?
Any chance for video?

Had a 2-3yo hen crow for a few months over winter break.
Duets with cockbird every morning then she stopped when she came back in to lay.

 

[aart]

She is one year old.

Was she laying before this last winter?
Is she laying now?

It is possible that she is going through a sex change, I have heard that happens sometimes, but that is EXTREMELY rare. It is probably this thing that happened to one of my LF hens. In the absence of a cockerel, some hens (usually the top hen) get a rush of hormones that makes it act like it is the rooster, my LF hen even went as far as to mount and "mate" with the other hens.

It's not really a 'sex change'.
It's a hormone balance change.
Hens only have one ovary...simplistically, if it stops functioning testosterone over balances estrogen and physical characteristics can appear(male plumage, larger spurs) and behavior(crowing).
Even laying females can mount other birds as a dominance behavior.