My 4 week old roo is trying to crow.

[Barred Rocker]

I raised chickens with my grandmother when I was a kid for 20 years and now 25 years later I'm doing it again. I've hatched 3 batches of chicks this summer of Barred Rocks and Buff Orpingtons. I was fortunate that out of all the hatches, 20 chicks total, I only got 1 buff roo and 2 BR roos. The first BR roo came out of the first batch around 7/4/09 and didn't really display as being a roo till at least 3 or 4 weeks. The second,hatched 9/1/09, I could tell within a week and now at 4 weeks his comb is huge and something I have never seen before, he's trying to crow and isn't have bad at it either. I've got 4 other roos on the farm that crow like crazy so maybe they're inspiring him. I've just never seen a roo attempt to crow before 16 weeks. I have 2 others that started at that age about 2 weeks ago and they sounded horrible. Anyone else seen a roo this young do this or do I have a special one?

 

[meriruka]

Sounds like you have a prodigy!
I'm just so jealous that you only had 3 roos out of 20! No fair!

 

[speckledhen]

You've led a sheltered life! I've had them crow 5 days after hatching and a couple at 7 days old, but most crow here way before 10 weeks old. My very latest ever was 18 weeks. Isaac, my Delaware, crowed at 9 weeks. Of course, it sounded more like a kazoo.

 

[buck431397]

my 5 week old chick are making this crazy screeching sound, Is that a crow?

 

[Winsor Woods]

I've got an 8 week old cornish cross that started crowing. It took us a while to figure out what was going on because it sounded like bleating. I thought a baby deer or something was in the area and was terrified. That's how bad the crowing sounded. Finally DW saw the culprit in the chicken tractor. It was definitely a roo and all of his hackles were puffed up when he "crowed."

We've heard it many times since but it hasn't gotten any easier on the ears. LOL

Dan

 

[Barred Rocker]

wow, I never knew they could start so young. Maybe I never recognised any previously as crowing but this little guy has a good set of pipes and knows the tune. My wife named him Brewster and he's destined to be the roo of the flock.
I've got a mixed RIR/Silkie that started crowing last week at 16 weeks and I swear it sounded like someone was beating a donkey. He got better with a little practice. Thanks for the comments.