Do chicks try to crow at 4 weeks of age?

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Hi folks,
My eight chicks are almost 4 weeks old. They were all supposed to be female, but I've seen one of the Welsummers several times...or both of the Welsummers once each (I can't tell them apart) hop up on this log I have in their play pen and open up her (his?) beak really wide and make this gagging (crowing?) motion. She (he?) will do this three or four times and then stop.

Do you think I have a young rooster on my hands or a choking problem or something else I've not considered?

Thanks

 

[emys]

No noise? Then I would not worry at all. I think they are just swallowing larger dry pieces of something stuck in their throat. Possibly pine shavings.

 

[Nicole01]

Sounds like a little rooster is in your flock.

 

[speckledhen]

When they do that, it's usually because they're trying to swallow something. I've had chicks crow in the brooder at only five DAYS old and they do make a sound, something like "buh-REEEET!", but definitely a trilling sound.

 

[Chick Charm]

Yes roos can certainly go through the motions of crowing at just about any age. Your description indicates normal

chicken behavior though. Mouths agape and stretched neck is common among hens and roos though. Wish you the best!

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I love it...pretty much 50/50 regarding whether or not I have a rooster on my hands. At least I now know that whatever she/he is doing is perfectly normal and I don't have to jump in and perform a mini-chicky-Heimlich maneuver. I'm not sure what I'll do if she turns out to be a he...my husband agreed rather reluctantly to the idea of chickens but drew the line at a rooster. Maybe like Achilles father, I'll just dress him in women's clothing and hide him in the harem...that probably won't work past the first Saturday morning that he's awakened by crowing. Wish us luck!

 

[Tracydr]

I have an old English banty who started crowing at 6 weeks. I hear the fayoumis are the earliest at four weeks. I may be finding out soon because I have four fayoumi Pullets that are four weeks old today and I think one might actually be a rooster.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Probably a rooster. I've had a chick that was less than a day old crow after it hatched, and it turned out to be a rooster!

~ Aspen

 

[Habbakuk]

Quote:
Can I ask how you knew or thought they were supposed to be female?

 

[jwg423]

Welsummers can be sexed right away, the female has the dark line extending beyond her eye towards her ear is dark and very well defined. On the male, that same line is light and blurry. if you look at the triangle on the top of their head, on the female it is dark and clearly defined, the male's triangle is lighter and the edges are not clearly defined.
This should help you determine if it is cockerel. If you ordered all pullets the hatchery should have had no problem determining between the two so most likely you have pullets.