Distress call from Cockerel?

[Hermits Garden]

I'm not sure if it's a distress call, or not.

Some background: almost-five week old Delaware cockerel, has been outside in the coop w/ his siblings since he was four days old, off the heat at 3.5 weeks. They've all figured out how to get in and out of the coop, put themselves to bed at night, and love running around learning to be chickens.

But for the last week or so, Drumstick has been doing this call that sounds just like the ones they all made when really young and scared or cold or lonely. It's just him, and sometimes he is in the coop by himself, but other times, he has gone off by himself, and then does it.

I can't tell if he's calling the others, or if he's so dumb he doesn't realize he's the one who isolated himself, or if I'm misinterpreting his vocalization.

Any ideas? These are my first chickens, and Drumstick is healthy in every way, with an appetite like a tiny feathered ox.

 

[CoopintheWoods]

He's probably trying to crow! I've had plenty of roosters, and we've heard everything from a classic cock-a-doodle-doo, to whistles, to a strangled-sounding shriek they never grew out of.

Sometimes their skills improve as they get older. Sometimes not. Either way, good luck with your little roo!

 

[3KillerBs]

Young males learning to crow make the most amazing assortment of noises.

They crack. They squeak. They croak.

Ludwig, my Black Langshan rooster, could only manage to say "Awww!" when he was first learning.

 

[Hermits Garden]

Young males learning to crow make the most amazing assortment of noises.

They crack. They squeak. They croak.

Ludwig, my Black Langshan rooster, could only manage to say "Awww!" when he was first learning.

But he's not even five weeks old yet. Is he really trying to crow? It did become apparent even at 3 wks that he was a he...

 

[3KillerBs]

But he's not even five weeks old yet. Is he really trying to crow? It did become apparent even at 3 wks that he was a he...

Some start very young.

 

[Hermits Garden]

Some start very young.

I can't wait to find out if that's really what he's doing--it'll crack me up if he starts really figuring it out. At least now I'm not worried that something's wrong with him.

 

[Rose Quartz]

But he's not even five weeks old yet. Is he really trying to crow? It did become apparent even at 3 wks that he was a he...

It's possible. I've had some that started crowing really early. Or as you thought it could be that he was in his own world and didnt notice everyone else leaving and he's trying to get them to respond so he can find the flock again.

 

[Hermits Garden]

It's possible. I've had some that started crowing really early. Or as you thought it could be that he was in his own world and didnt notice everyone else leaving and he's trying to get them to respond so he can find the flock again.

That's what's so silly. Sometimes he goes off on his own and does it. Or he'll go into the coop and they're all outside. Today I was out there and heard a strange squawk, unlike anything I've heard from any of them--I hang out with them a lot, since they're my 1st chickens & I'm trying to learn. So it might well be he's trying to crow. I sure didn't know they could start at four weeks!