Need to stop my hen from crowing

[doughouse]

So I have a hen who recently started crowing, and since we live in a place where roosters are forbidden we really need her to stop (if anyone complains I really doubt "but look, she's a hen! She lays eggs!" is going to cut it).

I've read this can happen when there is no rooster and the hen at the top of the pecking order takes on "rooster duties." They can even stop laying eggs. And the most common solution I've seen--removing the offending hen from the flock for a bit to let them establish a new pecking order, then reintroducing her--seems geared toward hens at the top of the pecking order. But she's definitely not at the top of the pecking order. I'm not sure she's even in the top half. She's a polish, the smallest hen we have, and she's definitely still laying eggs. I've seen her occasionally peck some of the lower hens, but my barred rock and wyandotte definitely run the flock.

So does anyone have any insight into what might be going on here? Any ideas on how to curb this behavior? And before you suggest it (because someone always does), we're vegetarians and we consider our chickens to be pets, so please don't suggest culling or eating.

Thank you!

 

[Painted Calls]

I'm not sure that there's anything you can do to stop her. I will say however, that it won't last forever. It will likely come and go. That's been my experience anyway.

She is a hen. What others think don't matter. If you are legally allowed to have hens, there's nothing they can do about it.

Can we see a pic?

 

[doughouse]

Can we see a pic?

Certainly! She's the little polish here.

 

[doughouse]

Well, thanks to some over-excited chicken math last year we actually have two more hens than is technically allowed, so I'd much rather avoid the city coming around altogether.

 

[nuthatched]

I'm sure a real rooster would blow her out of the water, but it definitely sounds like we have a rooster. I can hear her from down the street.

Eek. I was able to curtail an excessive eggsonger (even for other hens eggs!) With a long range squirt bottle or squirt gun. Perhaps it would work on a crowing hen.

 

[Aunt Angus]

She's adorable! And definitely a hen. I could see code enforcement coming to inspect your property after a complaint and accusing you of hiding your rooster. Maybe a video of an obvious hen crowing would appease them.

 

[nuthatched]

Is she very loud? I've had hens that crowed but she wasn't very loud.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I think @Overo Mare has a crowing gal. She might have advice

 

[doughouse]

Is she very loud? I've had hens that crowed but she wasn't very loud.

I'm sure a real rooster would blow her out of the water, but it definitely sounds like we have a rooster. I can hear her from down the street.

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

How beautiful. Looks like a picture out of a magazine!