crowing as a chic???

[Bayford21]

I bought 2 one day old chics. The guy said they were English game bantams. Well at four weeks old I was SHOCKED to find one crowing "squeaking" sure enough he began crowing. Still had fuzz on head and parts of body. I know they were day old because I picked them out and they had no wing tip feathers yet. Now they attempt to mount other biddies and stand up to huge roosters. They are so much fun to watch. Sweet dispositions too. I have a four month old rock that's not crowing yet so I found it strange these are such early birds. Has anyone had one Crow with fuzz still on it??

 

[chooks4life]

Quote: Sounds like they're a lot older than you were told. This bit I quoted implies that they had normal feathers on other parts of the body, not a complete coat of down. Not sure if that's what you meant but they could be up to six months old, going by your description. Some birds simply fail to grow, and remain chick size and mostly unfeathered at many months old. I don't know why but suspect (for obvious reasons) a pituitary insufficiency.

Some breeds, particularly heavy meat production ones, normally have very, very slow feathering, particularly if kept indoors and under artificial heaters, and may take months to reach the stage of feathering a naturally raised chick can have at a week old. Lack of wing tip feathers or size doesn't prove they're only a day or so old.

I have had very young chickens crow, and try to mate, and so have some others. I don't think it's a good trait per se, I'd expect as with most extremely precocious mature behavior in physically immature animals there is an underlying issue.

Best wishes.

 

[Bayford21]

Well written but totally off sorry, I guess i didn't describe it accurately. I have had livestock my whole life, I bought two one day old chics period. They are not meat birds they are bantams, tiny bantams. They were four weeks old when they attempted to crow, I was saying at the time they tried crowing they had fuzzy heads and patches of their body, like every chicken. With out a picture to point it out I have a hard time describing it.

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[Bayford21]

 

[Bayford21]

That was "saul" as a baby now a Healthy, strong, very small, cocky smart sweet bird. Sorry for my weak description I guess you would have to see him develop and act to get the idea.

 

[chooks4life]

I did miss that bit about them being 4 weeks old.

Quote: Yes, I have observed chickens at every phase. I responded to your question specifically:
Quote: I tried to help out with what I knowjust offered a few thoughts.

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[Gryphon]

I have seen cases of precocious cockerels starting up with roo behavior around that age. I think it may have been an Easter Egger, but I could be mistaken.

edited by staff