crowless rooster

[Debbi]

Interesting subject. I would almost bet, like you stated, that the crow is a hormonal thing. The louder the crow, the higher up on the pecking order kind of thing? I can't really go by that here, as I have 8 roos (again

), and the pecking order has changed very recently. They all crow loudly and frequently, but there are only two that do the breeding for the most part. The other thing you brought up was the henny feathering. Campines are also hen feathered, does that mean they have lower hormones and don't crow as much? I have no clue, never had them or Seabrights, but it may be worth a try. Also, in my thinking, the more close to being a feral breed, ie The Keys chickens, that is not the name and it escapes me right now, from the Florida Keys. They run feral and run in the towns without much notice. I would think being a feral breed, they would need to be quieter to survive, by not attracting predators? Just a thought, but maybe something to look into? Personally, I love the crowing...glad I live in the country!

 

[diornisextant]

My Malgache make the least amount of noise followed buy my O Shamos.

Malgache ? is that a name or a breed? Have you heard a ko shamo? I am looking to get one to add to the flock so it would be great if it were a quiet breed. Game breeds might be where it's at . In som song birds the song becomes very quiet whn in confrontation with a rival so it might be the aggressive temperament is linked to the quiet crow in some cases .

 

[diornisextant]

Interesting subject. I would almost bet, like you stated, that the crow is a hormonal thing. The louder the crow, the higher up on the pecking order kind of thing? I can't really go by that here, as I have 8 roos (again

), and the pecking order has changed very recently. They all crow loudly and frequently, but there are only two that do the breeding for the most part. The other thing you brought up was the henny feathering. Campines are also hen feathered, does that mean they have lower hormones and don't crow as much? I have no clue, never had them or Seabrights, but it may be worth a try. Also, in my thinking, the more close to being a feral breed, ie The Keys chickens, that is not the name and it escapes me right now, from the Florida Keys. They run feral and run in the towns without much notice. I would think being a feral breed, they would need to be quieter to survive, by not attracting predators? Just a thought, but maybe something to look into? Personally, I love the crowing...glad I live in the country!

I love it too but neighbors (even in the country) are not so fond all the time. I will have a small group or bantams that I intend to mix for fun including a sea bright. we'll see if there is any effect on the crow. My viable Serama hen grew a comb after brother sacrificed himself to the hawk god. She started yelling at everything too, very crow like. when I got a new roo the comb shrunk back and the yelling stopped. i think a lot of this involves status so breeding from the lowest on the totem may be the answer.
I would think selecting for late developers and then allowing to mature separated from each other so temperament could be assessed and minor variations could be noted selecting for the most passive and quietest bird each generation. they would have to be raised separated because if they are being dominated you have no idea what they are going to do when the thumb is removed. They would each need to believe they were the dominant rooster to attain the full development I would think before selection took place .

 

[diornisextant]

I can hear the hen type cackling and squawks in this crow. The crow is definitely modifiable. Just look at all the song variations in canaries. They all sing but some sing with their beak's closed and some with them open. Some are loud and some are relatively quiet and soft.

absolutely the point !

 

[punk-a-doodle]

I have a project bird in mind with one of the desired traits being a quiet or mute crow. There was a guy in Texas working on this, but I haven't been able to get ahold of him.

 

[diornisextant]

Anytime I see a post about quiet, loud or crow-less roosters I am redirecting people here so that this thread can get more notoriety, involving more people that breed chickens is the only way to get this done. It won't be quick but if foxes can be fully genetically domesticated in a single lifetime then a mute rooster should be a possibility in our lifetime with strict selection and a clear goal . Look at all the wonderful types we have created. and we are only selecting one trait this time, well maybe two, fertility would be important. The best part of this is that anyone can help (except the long crowers) and the pet chicken, mutt chicken and back yard breeders can have a part in something that will benefit man and chicken kind across the globe. And this is the very forum to bring us all together and accomplish it.

On thinking more about the long crowers they might be just the ticket actually. When introducing an extreme genetic trait at times what happens is the genetic variation rather than the single parameter is changed. Tall dog to medium dog may produce tall medium or short depending on whether a gene for tall has been passed on or a gene that varies the height and of course depending on the varied genetics of the mate. very simplified example.

It could be possible that long crowing variation has a short crow counterpart buried in the genetics available to select from . Any long crowers out there get the occassional quiet bird?

Lets do this thing!

 

[diornisextant]

I have a project bird in mind with one of the desired traits being a quiet or mute crow. There was a guy in Texas working on this, but I haven't been able to get ahold of him.

Keep trying Punk!

 

[diornisextant]

I just listened to that crow for the first time it sounds like a roller canary on acid and steroids

 

[Redcatcher]

Malgache ? is that a name or a breed? Have you heard a ko shamo? I am looking to get one to add to the flock so it would be great if it were a quiet breed. Game breeds might be where it's at . In som song birds the song becomes very quiet whn in confrontation with a rival so it might be the aggressive temperament is linked to the quiet crow in some cases .

Sometimes Malgache are referred to as Madagascars. I've never had Ko Shamos so I couldn't tell you what their crow is like. Since they are oriental gamefowl, they should behave as such. I believe they are also the most intelligent of all of the chicken breeds. My Malgache cock has learned how to use simple tools the way a crow or magpie would. It almost seems to me that these chickens can differentiate when noise is necessary and when it isn't for their survival. They have the ability to reason and they rely less on instinct than other chickens.

 

[diornisextant]

Now I have to have my Ko!
I find my seabright and my bantam EE to be a lot like that. very in touch with the surroundings and quick to learn new patterns and exploit resources. They remind me a bit of wolf dogs and hybrid cats in that . Domestication dumbs animals down, if there is no reason to think because this guy will do it for me then it's not worth the energy. communicate yes but reason, that is a wild animal trait. not domestic. well except those few exceptional breeds and individuals.
To know when to make noise or not is only helpful in an environment that does not promote noisiness . I'm not sure urbania is the right environment for that . with all the background noise it would seem more crowing would be a good thing. I notice my rooster crows at every odd or loud repetitive noise in the neighborhood- 2 day cares across the street and on the next block plus the autist facility next door, not to mention the loud family next door and finally the yowling Bengal that we live with. He is much less vocal when free ranging or in with his girls rather than in the house.