crowing hen-how to stop it?

[kingpincray]

HI I have a flock of 6 pullets that haven't started laying and one have started to "crow" recently

. Just once a day though. Is she becoming the dominant hen? Is there a way to stop her doing that, I mean crowing? I am in town and I don't t hink the neighbours will be too happy.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

Could it possibly be a rooster? Can you post a picture of them? Hens have what they call an egg song. When they lay an egg or they are getting close to laying an egg they will make loud sounds. Not as loud as a cock a doodle doo from a roo but they can be vocal.

Do you know exactly how old the birds are?

 

[silkiechicken]

First, since they haven't started to lay... are you sure it is a hen? Pics of this hen may help. Second... the only way I know of to stop a crowing hen... is to bring in a real rooster. Are you sure this crowing is real crowing? Could it be the egg laying cackle they are practicing?

 

[kingpincray]

The birds are 4 months old. I thought I got rid of all the cockerals when they were two months old and I am quite sure they are pullets but I could be wrong. Below is the picture and I am not sure which one is "crowing but I suspect the middle one is.

Well the crowing are not real full on crowing like the rooster's but softer. And quite different from the egg calls that my older hens make sometimes.

Sorry about the netting but they don't like the camera being near them. They are leghorn cross orpingtons and still waiting for the first egg. The combs are turning redder each day so any day soon I hope.

 

[Kittymomma]

Hmmmmmmmm, Any chance one of your near neighbors has chickens too?

 

[kingpincray]

no but i do have two seperate lots, the 6 and the other 2 that are laying at the moment.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

Those all look like girls to me. I have all large fowl birds except for one bantam. No roosters here and that little bantam insists on announcing quite loudly each and every egg that is laid on this property. She gets so loud at times it hurts my ears. My other birds cackle a bit but nothing like my little bantam does. Maybe she is just very very proud of herself growing up.

 

[kingpincray]

Do you know if they will stop at some point? She is quite nice looking and hoping not having to get rid of her.

 

[pattee]

I 'll tell what happened to my favorite hen....
she went from laying eggs to losing all her feathers and growing ROOSTER feathers... she will crow, will not lay anymore eggs, and isn't fertile.....
This happens to 1 in 10,000 hens... I wish I'd known...
I hope you have hens`
Pattee

 

[blurose]

Pattee, is that what they call a spontaneous sex change? I've heard of it in some fish and reptiles but not in chickens before. WOW.