Cockeral Crowing All Day Long

[heybarb]

My little OEGB cockeral is about 13 weeks old and has been crowing for about a month. He usually does 4 or 5 cockadoodle do's in each "session" and for the last month, he's been doing that a couple times in the morning and a couple times in the late afternoon/evening. Well, since we lost our top cockeral to a predator on Monday, he's been crowing all day long - every day! I had thought he was just warning the girls, or trying to see where everyone is, but even the girls are getting tired of hearing it. No one seems to be paying any attention to him at all any more.

Interestingly, I noticed on Monday evening that he's spending time in the nesting boxes with my little OEGB pullets at bedtime. He made a nice nest, sat down in it, then got up and went to another box to do the same thing. The little girls did follow his lead and at least two have been sitting in the boxes for a few minutes each nite. When I check on them after dark, everyone is on their roosts.

So, what do you think? Is it related to him "growing up" or do you think he might be stressed because of the death of Reggie? We do have another cockeral the same age, but he's real quiet and I'm not sure what his "status" is with the flock.

 

[chickenreferee]

I think it's pretty normal. He's working out his new place in the flock. Roosters crow for many reasons and not just in the morning and evening. He may be a little stressed, but I'd take it more as flexing his new found authority.

I don't consider myself an expert though so hopefully someone will come along with a better explanation.

Hello from an NC neighbor, btw!

 

[toritori]

We have 5 Silkies that are about a year old. (2 roos and 3 hens) Our two boys crow constantly. 5:15 am it starts and they crow the rest of the day. The girls don't even pay attention to them anymore. I think part of it is definitely for attention. If he can hear our voices, but not see us he crows until you go see him. We are to the point that we are looking for alternative homes for them because my husband is about on his last nerve. I sware that Harry, one of our roos, crows at my husband just because he knows it drives him nuts!

I'd appreciate any tricks to tone down the crowing!