About 6 weeks ago, I brought 5 pullets into my flock, 4 of whom are about 14 or 15 weeks old now. I've never had any of the breeds before, but I was assured that they were all females. Then a few weeks ago, just before dawn, I was horrified to hear a strangled crowing sound coming right on the heels of my rooster's crow. (Sounded suspiciously like he did when he first started - and up until then, we had thought he was a female.) Anyway, Prince would crow, then ANOTHER bird would... sort of crow. This has happened at least three times in a few weeks. I was sick to my stomach. Devastated. I love my new babies! And my kids are so attached to them.
Now, I can't have two roosters. I would mean the end of my marriage, right then and there. Keeping the one rooster has brought enough marital discord to my home, but I adore him and he's good to his girls, so he stays. If I were to have a second rooster, it would have to be capable of paying his half of the mortgage.
So this morning, I heard the sound again. Prince crowed, followed by the awful strangled noise, almost as loud. One then the other, over and over. I crept outside and noticed that ALL of my new birds were outside in the run, leaving only my rooster and 3 laying hens inside with him. WTH? "Crooooow!" "Creeeeeaghh?" I peeked inside, and there's my roo, crowing. And lifting up her head to the ceiling is my alpha bird Sunny (far above him in the pecking order, mind you) starting her answering crow. I slid open the door, and she shut right up, trying to look innocent. The other 3 birds just looked at me, then looked at her, then looked away.
There I was, heartsick for weeks, thinking one of my new birds was a roo, and it was my alpha bird all along. I thought hens only crow when they have no rooster and feel threatened! It looked more like a pissing contest between the two of them. She's on the top perch, he's in the middle, he crows, SHE has to crow, too, just to keep him in his place. I'm relieved, amused, and confused all at the same time. When did she get so butch?
Now, I can't have two roosters. I would mean the end of my marriage, right then and there. Keeping the one rooster has brought enough marital discord to my home, but I adore him and he's good to his girls, so he stays. If I were to have a second rooster, it would have to be capable of paying his half of the mortgage.
So this morning, I heard the sound again. Prince crowed, followed by the awful strangled noise, almost as loud. One then the other, over and over. I crept outside and noticed that ALL of my new birds were outside in the run, leaving only my rooster and 3 laying hens inside with him. WTH? "Crooooow!" "Creeeeeaghh?" I peeked inside, and there's my roo, crowing. And lifting up her head to the ceiling is my alpha bird Sunny (far above him in the pecking order, mind you) starting her answering crow. I slid open the door, and she shut right up, trying to look innocent. The other 3 birds just looked at me, then looked at her, then looked away.
There I was, heartsick for weeks, thinking one of my new birds was a roo, and it was my alpha bird all along. I thought hens only crow when they have no rooster and feel threatened! It looked more like a pissing contest between the two of them. She's on the top perch, he's in the middle, he crows, SHE has to crow, too, just to keep him in his place. I'm relieved, amused, and confused all at the same time. When did she get so butch?
