Crowing hen

[JMarch]

We've got 2 white leghorn hens (egg farm rescues) that we've had for over a year and some production red hens that we raised from chicks. Today, one of the leghorn hens started crowing! I've heard that rarely a hen will start doing that in the absence of a rooster, but we've got a quite randy Production Red rooster who seems to keep our 8 hens happy or at least busy. Any ideas???

 

[Gonzo]

This is what came to mind with your post.... http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124529630 read this article, and see what you think..

 

[bock]

LOL! That is a bit odd!

 

[JMarch]

interesting article gonzo. I'm thinking after doing some research that with this hen (about 2 yrs old and has been a good egg layer) is having some hormone imbalance. I read that leghorns because of their genetic predisposition to produce so many eggs have a tendency toward ovary and oviduct tumors- some of which can actually produce testosterone and cause changes making them more "masculine".

Our other layers are brown eggers and the number of white eggs from the leghorns has just about stopped.

Good news is that even though "Butch" and her other leghorn sister seem to have stopped laying, we've got some of her eggs (cross with a production red roo) hatching tomorrow (eggs pipping today already!)

 

[JMarch]

also heard that it's "bad luck" to have a hen that crows- we'll see!

 

[yakmama]

It happens! My uncle had a rooster/hen. LOL She laid eggs, but she also crowed and was super aggressive with the other hens.

 

[JMarch]

best I can tell, she's still laying. We started calling her "Butch"