Hens Crowing in the morning!

Hello.

Do any of you guys know why our 2 hens have started crowing to announce the morning? Every morning, about 7.30, just as it starts to get light, they're off!! My 5 year old girl asked me why they were barking. Barking? I asked. Yes, 'bark, bark, bark' bark' (in a chicken sound way). They squark like mad.

We've had them 7 months now, and they've never done this before.
They have a coop, and a run. The coop has a door leading to the run and I don't tend to shut this at night. IF I do shut it, they don't make a noise in the morning (Im guessing it's because it's still dark in their coop). But leave the door open, and they're up at 7.30, out in the run crowing away without fail. They have plenty of food, and water. No cats are about. And they're pretty quiet the rest of the time.

If I shut it, and open it up at, say, 8.45, when it's full light - they're fine. Just a few clucks to say hello.

I know it'll be the first question - so I can confirm they ARE hens. They used to lay eggs (but have just been through a moult and so we haven't had an egg for weeks).

The obvious solution is shut the door at night - but I was wondering if anyone could confirm the theory behind it all? Or suggest what's up.

So no eggs... and crowing in the morning...
Please tell me my hens aren't turning into boys!!

 

Thanks Hennysmom, sounds exactly like the sort of noise. (or at least how I would spell it too!!!)

Does anyone have any idea why they would do it? Like I mentioned, they never used to!