My hen is crowing, how can I get her to stop?

[hencognito]

Hello,

This is my first time posting. I have 4 backyard chickens: two Buff Orpingtons and two White Cochins. My biggest BO, "Frankie", has recently started to peck/argue with the other BO (the Cochins mind their own business), and has also started to CROW. (In the photo, she is the orange one on the left)

I live in an area that does not allow chickens, so my girls are living in secret. They get let out every morning and enjoying roaming the backyard, there is plenty of space. I know Frankie has always been the leader, but recently her crowing has become harder to hide and I'm afraid of annoying my neighbors.

Does anyone know of anything that may get her to not be so obnoxious towards the others, and to stop crowing? I was planning on giving her to a friend who has a bigger flock on more land, but she is my baby. But if I keep her, I risk getting in trouble by my HOA. I currently have her in a time out kennel in the garage (w/ food and water) and she hasn't crowed once since she has been out there.

 

[Chef JimmyJ]

What a coincidence and perfect timing. I have 9, 13 week old birds. 4 Gold Laced Wyandotte Pullets and 5 Black Jersey Giants, 4 Pullets and a Cockerell.The Boy, General TAO, started Crowing 2 weeks ago. End of last week, his Solo Act, became a Duet! The rest of the birds are distinctly Pullets yet One Lady has decided to sing along.
I don't need to stop her but like Hencognito's girl are Crowing Hens that common?...JJ

 

[aart]

This is my first time posting. I have 4 backyard chickens: two Buff Orpingtons and two White Cochins. My biggest BO, "Frankie", has recently started to peck/argue with the other BO (the Cochins mind their own business), and has also started to CROW. (In the photo, she is the orange one on the left)

How old are they? That bird does not look like a male.

I live in an area that does not allow chickens, so my girls are living in secret.

They wont be a secret for long, even female birds can make a lot of noise.
No chickens allowed at all or just no crowers?
Hope the consequences are not too great.

 

[hencognito]

How old are they? That bird does not look like a male.


They wont be a secret for long, even female birds can make a lot of noise.
No chickens allowed at all or just no crowers?
Hope the consequences are not too great.

They are three and a half months old. She is a hen, she is just the leader since we don't have a rooster, so she has been channeling her inner dude.

Our neighborhood HOA says no chickens, but I'm sure my neighbors know I have them because there are gaps between the fence. I just didn't want to annoy them with the crowing. There are several other families that I know of who have chickens, so I'm not the only one. My friend who has a farm on some land is going to take Frankie for me, but I am sad to see her go.

 

[aart]

They are three and a half months old. She is a hen, she is just the leader since we don't have a rooster, so she has been channeling her inner dude.

So about 14 weeks old?
Pretty odd for a bird that young to be crowing, unless it is a cockerel, or a hermaphrodite.
Any chance you can get video of it crowing?
I would love to see/hear it.

FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.

 

[keesmom]

Are you sure it is actual crowing and not an overly vocal bird that is nearing maturity? Pullets can be very noisy, make a wide variety of noises and some of that can be confused with crowing attempts.

What a coincidence and perfect timing. I have 9, 13 week old birds. 4 Gold Laced Wyandotte Pullets and 5 Black Jersey Giants, 4 Pullets and a Cockerell.The Boy, General TAO, started Crowing 2 weeks ago. End of last week, his Solo Act, became a Duet! The rest of the birds are distinctly Pullets yet One Lady has decided to sing along.
I don't need to stop her but like Hencognito's girl are Crowing Hens that common?...JJ

Do you have a picture of them? Crowing HENS aren't common, but aren't unusual. Crowing PULLETS on the other hand are almost unheard of. Most crowing "pullets" are slow to mature cockerels. Though like I mentioned above maturing pullets can make a lot of weird noises that may seem like crowing.

 

[NNYchick]

If you are worried about noise the crowing is the least of your problem. My girls are way louder than my boy. He may crow a few times in the morning and at dusk but my girls loudly vocalize (egg song, broody announcing her daily departure from the nest, favorite nest box occupied) all day and usually if one sounds off they all join in. I never did understand the band on roosters because of noise. The only time I had issues with crowing is this spring when I had 2 roosters and 5 cockerels they crowed back and forth non stop all day and night.

 

[Chef JimmyJ]

I will try to have my daughter take some pics. I am new to this but the 4 Gold Laced sure look the same. Plumage, Combs, Wattles, all look the same. It is Not a weird noise, she/he? is Crowing along with General TAO as I type and there is no mistaking, by the volume, and the Classic Tune, they are both Crowing...JJ

 

[Cryss]

Video? Upload to YouTube and give us the link.

 

[Chef JimmyJ]

Ok, I will try. The little Buggers often Shut Up, when we raise the Brooder lid to see who is Crowing. And...This Old Guy is not too Tech Savvy. Going to have to catch the Crowing when one of my Daughters is aroundto get the recording and such...JJ