This is the oddest situation ever. I'll try to make it short. I had 3 hens - all 3 years old. Two died unexpectedly, leaving me with one hen. At this point I had 3 chicks in the brooder and I was very worried about my one remaining hen (a BR named Maggie) being lonely out in the coop. After two days of being alone, she started to crow like a rooster every morning. Like a full-out-OMG-rooster crow that starts at about sunrise and continues on and off for about 2-3 hours afterward. I should state that my other 2 hens died from EYP and Maggie hasn't layed an egg in about 8 months now, so I assume she may have also had a bout with EYP and is now sterile.
I moved the chicks out into the coop with Maggie on about her 3rd or 4th day of being alone, but kept them separate by building a little "nursery" for them under the poop board. The idea was if she had chicken pals, she wouldn't feel so lonely and she''d stop crowing. It didn't work. My chicks are about 9 weeks old now and Maggie is still crowing. It's also important that I admit that I'm not really supposed to have chickens where I live
. It's only an HOA bylaw, but we can have horses - not chickens. I wasn't too worried about it bc all the neighbors are cool with my chickens and I've had them 3 1/2 years and they're quiet so no one minds.
Until now.
COOOOOOORRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Every. Single. Morning.
for hours.
It's insane.
I don't want to get busted by the HOA (who honestly never cared) b/c my "rooster" annoys them and my adorable little chicks will have to go. I'd be heart-broken.
So I started this ridiculous routine of taking the chicks out of the "nursery" and putting them in the coop at night and putting Maggie in the nursery. This stopped her crowing for about 4 mornings. I was ecstatic!! Then 2 days ago, she started crowing in the morning from the nursery box. Yes, it really is just as loud.
At this point, I don't know that I have any choice but to have her euthanized. I'm not a chicken farmer. I'm a chicken lover with pet chickens. I have done everything in my power to keep my chickens healthy and happy and I don't agree with euthanizing an animal just because it has become a pain - BUT - she isn't re-homeable... Can you imagine me asking around to see if anyone would like a sterile transgendered hen who thinks she's a rooster and crows all morning??? Not exactly got people banging down my door to give her a home.
I feel horrible about this, but I'm out of options. Coming on here is my last effort before I call the vet and make the one-way trip
Does anyone have any advice for me???
Thanks in advance.
I moved the chicks out into the coop with Maggie on about her 3rd or 4th day of being alone, but kept them separate by building a little "nursery" for them under the poop board. The idea was if she had chicken pals, she wouldn't feel so lonely and she''d stop crowing. It didn't work. My chicks are about 9 weeks old now and Maggie is still crowing. It's also important that I admit that I'm not really supposed to have chickens where I live

Until now.
COOOOOOORRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Every. Single. Morning.
for hours.
It's insane.
I don't want to get busted by the HOA (who honestly never cared) b/c my "rooster" annoys them and my adorable little chicks will have to go. I'd be heart-broken.
So I started this ridiculous routine of taking the chicks out of the "nursery" and putting them in the coop at night and putting Maggie in the nursery. This stopped her crowing for about 4 mornings. I was ecstatic!! Then 2 days ago, she started crowing in the morning from the nursery box. Yes, it really is just as loud.
At this point, I don't know that I have any choice but to have her euthanized. I'm not a chicken farmer. I'm a chicken lover with pet chickens. I have done everything in my power to keep my chickens healthy and happy and I don't agree with euthanizing an animal just because it has become a pain - BUT - she isn't re-homeable... Can you imagine me asking around to see if anyone would like a sterile transgendered hen who thinks she's a rooster and crows all morning??? Not exactly got people banging down my door to give her a home.
I feel horrible about this, but I'm out of options. Coming on here is my last effort before I call the vet and make the one-way trip

Does anyone have any advice for me???
Thanks in advance.