Confused! Crowing...pullet???

[chuckachucka]

I have a pair of Pekin bantam chickens who are now 17 weeks old. It was obvious from an early stage that they were a male and a female. The male started crowing a month ago and the female's face has been getting pretty red lately, so I was looking forward to eggs soon...right??

Until this week something strange happened. Now, I have to keep the cockerel inside overnight because of the early morning crowing. I put him outside at around 8am. Yesterday, when I came out to open up the coop before letting out the cockerel from the house, I heard and saw my little Pekin pullet crowing!

It was a definite starter crow. She was sitting on a perch, neck extended, and making that first long shrieking crow that roosters make when they are practicing. So what is going on???

The cockerel feeds and attempts to woo her. She is DEFINITELY a girl. Except...she crowed yesterday morning and this morning.

Is it possible she was responding to the male who was still in the house at the time? He was crowing so was it some kind of weird reply? Did she miss him?? What is going on?? I've heard of older, dominant hens crowing and even had my top asil hen crow a few times last year. But I've never heard of young pullets crowing.

 

[Hybridchucks]

Some hens do crow if there isn't a rooster around.

 

[Hybridchucks]

Actually. I will shut up. haha

 

[chuckachucka]

Yes I've heard of, and had experience with, dominant hens crowing if there is no rooster in the flock, but I've never heard of pullets crowing if the rooster is away for a few hours!
So far she hasn't crowed while the rooster is with her, though.

 

[Hybridchucks]

Yes I've heard of, and had experience with, dominant hens crowing if there is no rooster in the flock, but I've never heard of pullets crowing if the rooster is away for a few hours!
So far she hasn't crowed while the rooster is with her, though.

its weird, whatever it means

 

[chuckachucka]

I'm hoping it means she just misses her man (and not that she's some kind of hermaphrodite!)

 

[Hybridchucks]

I'm hoping it means she just misses her man (and not that she's some kind of hermaphrodite!)

probably (hopefully)

 

[MageofMist]

I have a rooster and cockerel, but one of my pullets decided to join in the fun yesterday morning. The guys were crowing, and then suddenly the pullet who was perched on a chair flapped her wings and did a "Weee!" noise. Really made my day!

 

[JaeG]

I had an Orpington pullet who crowed a few times, always in the morning, but once she started laying she stopped. Who knows why!? Crazy chicken! None of her sisters did any crowing and we live in suburbia so there are no roosters anywhere near us for her to copy.

Your girl looks like a girl for sure. Her comb and wattles are still pretty small - nothing rooster-ish there.

 

[chuckachucka]

Thanks for the replies! I'm glad she's not the only pullet who has tried to crow.