Crowing hens/pullets?

[Keeperofmunchkins]

So I've been keeping chickens for a few years and have only had about twelve females from hatch to at least egg laying age that I have either sold/given away or still have to this day. Out of those relatively few, three of them have crowed at one stage or another!

One was a hen that crowed regularly after the age of one for a few weeks between weaning some chicks and resuming laying.
One was a pullet who started crowing occasionally around 6 months and didn't lay her first egg until she was almost a year old.
And the third is a year old hen who crowed every morning for a week or so a few months ago and just started again this morning.

They are all different breeds, the first a large fowl game breed, the second two bantams (Pekin Bantam and Belgian d'Anvers bantam). They are therefore unrelated. They are all definitely female because they all produced eggs. And the sounds they are making are definitely crows with full neck extension and wings down posture - it's unmistakable.
But everything I have read or heard about crowing hens indicates that is is extremely rare and usually only happens when there no roosters around!

Well I have a rooster. This morning my little Belgian bantam hen crowed right next to him!

So is this more common than we think? Or is there something in my water here??

 

[Roo5]

Happens all the time,not just a side effect from there not being male present.Also involves hormone disbalance, and I think a infection in the ovaries,but that usually causes the birds entire body to transform into a male disposition.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I started raising birds in the 70s. I keep a few hundred birds at a time so I've had quite a lot over the years.
Never had a crowing hen ever.

 

[Ribh]

One of my Black Australorps has started crowing ~ not a full bodied crow. More like a very young cockerel just starting out. I have an all hen flock.

 

[Sequel]

I had a Salmon Faverolles hen crow a few weeks ago! First was just some squeaky yelling and by the time I got around the garage I could see her standing on a roost in the run in full crow posture, belting it out like nobody's business! Just the one time, nothing since thank heaven for small mercies!

 

[aart]

Had a crowing hen once, during winter when she want laying.
Her and the flock cock had duets each morning,
and she did some other 'rooster duties' like herding the flock.
She stopped in spring when she came back into lay.