Roos, gone, hen is "crowing"

[Callender Girl]

Recently, I found a good home for my two roosters. Moses was sexed at the hatchery as a female. Billy, a Cochin Bantam who was bullied by another rooster as a chick, grew up to be a bully. He hated me, my sister and every pet sitter he ever met. Flogging, biting and side-eying me was part of his daily routine until I had to house him in a separate coop where I didn't have to handle him directly. Billy did like ONE of my friends, so there was always hope he would change. He didn't.

Moses was more mellow but he was a disruptive force in the coop with the pullets. And since, as an Ameracauna, I had hoped for a hen who would lay blue eggs, he was a bit of a disappointment to me.

Since the roosters have been gone, Squeaker -- one of my Iowa Blues -- has been doing her best imitation of a crowing rooster. Squeaks opens her wings, stretches her neck, fluffs out her hackle feathers and creates the most grating version of a cock-a-doodle-do. Then, she looks around as if to see if she can spot one of the boys, lured in by her amazing vocals.

While I'm sorry that she misses the boys, she will need to get used to it. Roosters are not on my want list at all.

 

[sourland]

It happens. Squeaker saw a job listing and applied for the position.

 

[Debbie292d]

Recently, I found a good home for my two roosters. Moses was sexed at the hatchery as a female. Billy, a Cochin Bantam who was bullied by another rooster as a chick, grew up to be a bully. He hated me, my sister and every pet sitter he ever met. Flogging, biting and side-eying me was part of his daily routine until I had to house him in a separate coop where I didn't have to handle him directly. Billy did like ONE of my friends, so there was always hope he would change. He didn't.

Moses was more mellow but he was a disruptive force in the coop with the pullets. And since, as an Ameracauna, I had hoped for a hen who would lay blue eggs, he was a bit of a disappointment to me.

Since the roosters have been gone, Squeaker -- one of my Iowa Blues -- has been doing her best imitation of a crowing rooster. Squeaks opens her wings, stretches her neck, fluffs out her hackle feathers and creates the most grating version of a cock-a-doodle-do. Then, she looks around as if to see if she can spot one of the boys, lured in by her amazing vocals.

While I'm sorry that she misses the boys, she will need to get used to it. Roosters are not on my want list at all.

Last week I had a lady here from Iowa to buy silkie chicks. She had to be in the northern part as she said it was a 4.5 hour drive. I should have asked which town she lived in. She might be an outlet for your next unwanted males, as I know she mentioned having other breeds. She wanted to get into raising silkies and apparently I was the closest she could find with good ones.

 

[Callender Girl]

I appreciate that you are thinking about me, but -- fingers crossed -- there will be No More Roosters. Ever.

I hope that plan goes better than my repeated determination (and subsequent repeated failure) not to add any more birds, ruminants or house pets of any kind

 

[N F C]

Glad you found good homes for your boys! It's always nicer when there is peace in the flock (and for the flock keeper).

 

[D1N0]

Recently, I found a good home for my two roosters. Moses was sexed at the hatchery as a female. Billy, a Cochin Bantam who was bullied by another rooster as a chick, grew up to be a bully. He hated me, my sister and every pet sitter he ever met. Flogging, biting and side-eying me was part of his daily routine until I had to house him in a separate coop where I didn't have to handle him directly. Billy did like ONE of my friends, so there was always hope he would change. He didn't.

Moses was more mellow but he was a disruptive force in the coop with the pullets. And since, as an Ameracauna, I had hoped for a hen who would lay blue eggs, he was a bit of a disappointment to me.

Since the roosters have been gone, Squeaker -- one of my Iowa Blues -- has been doing her best imitation of a crowing rooster. Squeaks opens her wings, stretches her neck, fluffs out her hackle feathers and creates the most grating version of a cock-a-doodle-do. Then, she looks around as if to see if she can spot one of the boys, lured in by her amazing vocals.

While I'm sorry that she misses the boys, she will need to get used to it. Roosters are not on my want list at all.

My hen did that to!

 

[Blackavar]

I have one that started crowing and mounting after my roo passed away.

 

[Buffbrahmabantam]

I’ve never had roosters any length of time but have had two hens that crowed so my hens’ crowing wasn’t related to getting rid of roosters. One did it frequently. The other I’ve only heard crow a handful of times in spring.

Fun fact - singing by female songbirds has recently been discovered by scientists to be a fairly regular thing. Females of many bird species sing, but they sing less frequently and more quietly than males and so it wasn’t recognized by humans until fairly recently.

 

[Blackavar]

I’ve never had roosters any length of time but have had two hens that crowed so my hens’ crowing wasn’t related to getting rid of roosters. One did it frequently. The other I’ve only heard crow a handful of times in spring.

Fun fact - singing by female songbirds has recently been discovered by scientists to be a fairly regular thing. Females of many bird species sing, but they sing less frequently and more quietly than males and so it wasn’t recognized by humans until fairly recently.

That's pretty cool. Biology is certainly not binary.

 

[SnackMeat]

I appreciate that you are thinking about me, but -- fingers crossed -- there will be No More Roosters. Ever.

I hope that plan goes better than my repeated determination (and subsequent repeated failure) not to add any more birds, ruminants or house pets of any kind

Oh, funny. I've told myself that too. Several times even. Let me know if you ever figure out how to make that stick.