Can hens crow

[deidreschultz]

I know this is a bizarre question, but can hens crow.
I bought 8 chicks at the same time. 2 rir, 4 unkowns, and 2 silkies.
All but silkies were supposed to be hens even paid double price to ensure got hens. My rir name Edward and Bella (twilight) Ed got his comb and wobbles (i think that's what they are) the little red dangley things below the beak. That's when we knew we got 1 rooster. Then Bella crowed yesterday morning. She does have wobbles, but much smaller than Ed's. They did come alot latter than his too. We thought for sure she was a hen.The unkowns are just starting to get theirs. Then the silkies named Turkolou and pebbles. Turk has a comb and wobbles Pebbles has no comb and much smaller wobbles. So again thought for sure 1 each. They both crowed this morning. I will try to take pictures when I get home. I love them all, but I don't think 4 boys to 4 girls is going to work. Can you neuter chickens and at what age? I would really like to keep them all. They will be 13 weeks old this week.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

1. Wobbles = Wattles
2. You can neuter chickens. It's called caponizing, but is somewhat hazardous to do if the person doesn't know how.
3. Hens can crow, but they don't usually crow until later in life.

 

[racuda]

"A whistling woman and a crowing hen, Is neither fit for God nor men."

 

[Lover-of-Poultry]

Hens can crow but we always sent them off to the meat processing plant or we gave them away if they did. We wont keep them if they are like that.

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Yes they do and it's usually because there is no rooster around so the dominant hen starts "acting" like a rooster and may even stop laying.

In some places there is a superstition that a crowing hen means bad luck or bad events to come which usually leads to butchering the hen.

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

I have a hen who crows - and has spurs. She is about two years old, though - didn't start to crow until this year.

I would gladly get rid of her, because that crowing is a bit un-nerving, but hubby has decided she has to stay cause she became one of "his chickens" when she became his "mowing buddy".

Oh, and yes, she stopped laying - or else she is hiding them somewhere that I cannot find (they free range, but most everyone lays in the coop.)

So, other than being hubby's "mowing buddy" she is worthless as a hen and sort of creeps me out, to boot.

yeah, I'm a little superstitious - not overly so, but why take chances on a hen who doesn't contribute to the food chain? Perhaps if I liked her to begin with, I would feel differently, but she is mildly psychotic - and the only person she tolerates is hubby because he provides those cool fresh bugs who fly up when he mows.

She also has a habit of perching way up high on stuff and waiting until you are below her to fly like a madchicken down in front of you to "get away" from you. Usually I don't even know she's there until she does this - guess I need to look up more often

meri