Barred Plymouth Rock crowing hen! How to stop it?

[Neilette]

My 15 week old Barred Rock pullet is crowing! Arg. It's a pitiful sneezing sound*, and definitely not a rooster crow. But it's obnoxious, so I worry about upsetting the delicate neighbors.

She's suddenly come out on top bird amongst the adolescent crowd, her face has gone bright red, and she runs around with her eyes wide and mouth agape like she's sthuper serial you guys.

How to make it stop? Right now I'm chasing her around the yard every time she crows like I would for an "assertive" rooster. I've read posts from people saying it will stop on its own. Or to add a rooster? I have 2 (accidental) cockerels in there with her and still she insists. One even crows in the morning. She's an inch from making it onto Craigslist, but will she continue to crow if she's introduced to a new flock? I figure she'll be knocked down at least a few rungs in a new flock, and the hormones will subside?

ETA: And here I thought I had a sex-linked chick who I wouldn't have to worry about crowing!

*It's like a French horn sneezing.

 

[Neilette]

Is there Anything Else I can do? ...other than rehome her?

 

[jenjscott]

are you sure she,s not a late blooming cockeral?

 

[Neilette]

Here's a picture of her.


Calm. Her tail was held low like this until she started crowing.


Sthuper serial.


She and Albert the EE roo make up "The Cool Crowd". I don't think I'm cool enough for that crowd -- look how they glower at me.

I just know they're talking about me behind my back.


The jocks run around together. Jeez, it's chicken high school at my place.


Photobombed!


Just for fun, all three of them together.

 

[PeepsInc]

It looks like he has sickle feathers in his tail. Rub the top of his tail backward, & you'll feel the new sickle feathers coming in.

 

[Neilette]

I value everybody's input and expertise. I'll keep an eye out against cockerel-ness. But her barring is sex-traited for female-ness, no? So advice about a crowing female? Is there no way to actively discourage hormonal crowing?

 

[Wolfwoman]

I read somewhere on here that if you separate her for a short period of time so that another hen goes to the top of the pecking order and then reintroduce her that it help?? Not sure tho...

 

[rancher hicks]

This seems to be more common than the literature has said. Unfortunately they only thing to do is rehome her and get a breed less prone to this type of thing.

On second thought it may not be crowing at all. I have two Dominiques and they are the noisest biddies I have. One of them will get in the coop in the evening and squawk her head off as if to say come to bed. It's not even dark, she's just bossy
One of them was walking around the yard squawking today as though there was a problem and there was nothing going on. I was sitting there reading Practical Poultry, she's just a big show off.

There again you may wish to trade her out for a nice Delaware or Buff Orpington or Cuckoo marans. All of which I have and much quieter.

Wishing you the best

Rancher

 

[Neilette]

Quote:
Ooh that makes sense. I'll try that.

 

[happyhens44]

sure is starting to look like a roo..... but i'm most likely wrong.