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Hen crows at 6:00 am, lays at 1:00pm...

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by StPaulieGirls, Aug 13, 2008.

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  1. Aug 13, 2008 #1
    StPaulieGirls

    StPaulieGirls Out Of The Brooder

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    Aug 14, 2007
    Oakland, CA
    I have to say, I find it a little creepy. Poppy has been crowing (and I mean crowing) every single morning and then laying in the early afternoon. I'm worried that my urban neighbors - who signed a permit for hens and not roos - are going to call in a complaint, thinking I got a male bird anyhow.

    She's lonely since her coopmate's death last week, so she's been crowing more each morning.

    Question: has anyone ever tried feeding a regimen of yams as "hormone replacement therapy" for their butch hens? I thought of yams because you can get stuff at the health food store for menopause because the food contains a lot of phytoestrogens.

    I'm going to start today - yams and more yams. I'm also going to put the dog out in the yard at 5:00 am, because Poppy thinks the dog is part of her flock. Maybe that will calm her down.

    Any other urban chicken keepers struggling with crowing hens? Sheesh, who'd have thought...

    Have a great day, all!

    - Kerri
     
  3. Aug 13, 2008 #2
    carousel

    carousel Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Jan 31, 2008
    NW Oregon
    I can't speak for everyone, but I'm going to rehome 2 of my hens because one is crowing in the morning (I'm rehoming 2 of them because they are best friends)
    I think your girl is lonley, I don't think Chickens like to be alone, ever!
    Because I live in town I don't have roosters, I know some hens will start to crow in the absense of a rooster. I knew this could happen someday.

    many years ago I had button quail, one older female lost her mate - they were my last 2 so I was down to one. After he died she called for him EVERY morning, it was heart breaking.
     
  5. Aug 13, 2008 #3
    CUDA

    CUDA Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Having a buddy probably won't stop the crowing, but I do recommend it as chickens are very social, and who knows, it may help calm her down!
     
  7. Aug 13, 2008 #4
    SpottedCrow

    SpottedCrow Flock Goddess

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    Jan 12, 2007
    Weymouth, Massachusetts
    I had a crowing hen. I put Slifer on a regimen of homeopathic Sepia and PhytoEstrogen. The only thing that happened was that she laid her only egg on the month she was on em..
    She still crowed and she still looked like a roo...BUT she was a true hermaphrodite also.

    Now for the past couple of weeks, my 5 year old hen Obelisk is trying to crow also...she doesn't do it all the time, but she still sounds awful...

    I had to keep Slifer inside when she was crowing. Or I had to keep her quiet...I learned to muzzle her...
     
  9. Aug 13, 2008 #5
    ksbmom

    ksbmom Out Of The Brooder

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    Jul 2, 2008
    Hi there! I'm new to this forum and new to chickens - we have a little flock of 8 (4 RIs and 4 americauans) who are just starting to lay. I thought I was the only one who had a chicken that was louder than a rooster! She is awful - I'm afraid the neighbor is going to complain. Just wondering....how do you muzzle a hen?
     
  11. Aug 13, 2008 #6
    SpottedCrow

    SpottedCrow Flock Goddess

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    I'll have to find my cable-y thing and do pics...I don't have Slifer any more, but I have lots of patiently waiting victims/guinea pigs...
     
  13. Aug 13, 2008 #7
    Chic-n-farmer

    Chic-n-farmer Showers of Blessings

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    Clark CO. IL 25 Chicken Years
    It is very common, in a flock without a rooster, for a hen to assume the role of rooster and even to crow.
     
  15. Aug 14, 2008 #8
    krjwaj

    krjwaj Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Jul 7, 2008
    Apex, NC
    This is so timely!!!

    Our pullet crowd this morning for the first time! We were thinking she might be a he.

    I didn't know that girls crow!! That makes me feel so much better!!! Thanks![​IMG]
     
  17. Aug 14, 2008 #9
    CUDA

    CUDA Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Michigan
    To be honest, it is quite rare for a hen to crow, it does happen, but it is quite uncommon...
     
  19. Aug 14, 2008 #10
    chicken_ladyGA

    chicken_ladyGA Out Of The Brooder

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    Jun 18, 2008
    Chatsworth,Georgia
    This makes me so thankful that I live where I do . Im used to hearing my neighbors roo's and my roo's compete lol !![​IMG] It can be entertaining.
     
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