Rooster varies wildly in how many times in a row he crows in the morning, why?

[CurvyCoop]

In the morning, when the hens are already up and about, I come and get my rooster Crumble (british araucana, approx. 16wks) from his rooster box. We have a short little cuddle on my lap and then he gets to join his girls. He usually waits till he's back on the ground to start his crowing, though sometimes I get a lap serenade. His crowing varies wildly though! Sometimes he crows 3-4 times in a row and then that's it for the morning. Usually it's closer to 10. This morning he went on for almost 20 minutes, I honestly lost count of how many times in a row he crowed!
Why is it so variable, what makes a rooster decide it's a low crow morning versus an all out scream your brains out morning?

Here's a picture of the loudmouth on my lap this morning.

 

[DobieLover]

He's an animal, not a machine. They crow for many reasons.
Your young cockerel may turn into a terror when the hormones really kick in with how comfortable he is with you.
Why are you keeping him in a box?? Why is he not roosting with your pullets?

 

[CurvyCoop]

He's an animal, not a machine. They crow for many reasons.
Your young cockerel may turn into a terror when the hormones really kick in with how comfortable he is with you.
Why are you keeping him in a box?? Why is he not roosting with your pullets?

I'm keeping him in a box at night because that way I can keep it dark and make him believe it's night a little longer. I pick him up off the roost with the girls after dark to put him in his box. For all he knows he goes to bed each night with the girls and wakes up in his box when I open it the next day.

 

[DobieLover]

I'm keeping him in a box at night because that way I can keep it dark and make him believe it's night a little longer.

But, why? Why not let him crow when he sees dawn is coming?

 

[CurvyCoop]

But, why? Why not let him crow when he sees dawn is coming?

Because I don't want to wake up at the crack of dawn? And neither do my neighbours?

 

[aart]

Why is it so variable, what makes a rooster decide it's a low crow morning versus an all out scream your brains out morning?

The boxing could have something to do with it.

I'm keeping him in a box at night

 

[DobieLover]

Because I don't want to wake up at the crack of dawn? And neither do my neighbours?

Has he woken you or your neighbors up?
I've had three roosters crowing in the coop. And one hen just to add some fun to the mix! They've never woken me or my DH and I've never had a neighbor complain. I think your cockerel is frustrated.

 

[CurvyCoop]

Has he woken you or your neighbors up?
I've had three roosters crowing in the coop. And one hen just to add some fun to the mix! They've never woken me or my DH and I've never had a neighbor complain. I think your cockerel is frustrated.

He has, if I don't keep him in his darkened box at night he will go off at first light and he wakes up both me and my partner as well as at least one pair of neighbours.

Why do you think he is frustrated?* He only spends the night away from the girls, He goes to roost with them in the evening and is out by the time I swap him over to the box. In the morning when I open the box he is often still sleeping and needs a minute to wake up. That's when I carry him over to the chair I keep in the run and we have a quiet moment of morning cuddles together. He hops off my lap whenever he feels he's done and scratches around a bit before he starts crowing. That's our general morning routine. He spends the whole day out with the girls together.

*I hope it doesn't come off as beligerent or obtuse or anything, I'm genuinely curious.

 

[DobieLover]

Why do you think he is frustrated?*

Just because he's in the box. Chickens don't sleep all night like most believe. They do sleep off and on but not all night. They preen and just hang out. I have a camera in the coop and no matter when I've looked in on them, many are still awake as I can see their eyes glowing.

All my boys start crowing before first light. I've been up well before dawn many mornings and with the windows open can just start to hear them at least 1.5 hours before dawn. They can see in the UV spectrum and will start crowing when they see the UV light. Or when there is a disturbance around the coop.

 

[Bird fanatic]

It could be messing with his routine of crowing being moved every night and morning maybe you can let him stay with the hens for the whole night for a week and see if the crowing gets better.