Rooster won’t stop crowing when it’s cold.

[flwrldy]

I have never used heat, even though the temps have been well below zero degrees here in NH, however the past week which has been brutal, my Rooster has started crowing non stop late at night into the morning hours. Not fun going out there at 2am. We have 24 birds in all, 18 of them 10 months old including 2 ducks and we also have one 3 and three 4 week old chicks. Four in all. One night however one of the 3 or 4 week old chicks that hatched from two broody hens, was stuck when it tried squeezing through the cage that I have them in with the mommas in the coop. (2 moms and 4 babies, all doing great) So he was alerting me of that and was fine once I freed the chick. Thank God or it would have died. However he is crowing almost every night unless I add heat, then he stops. I’m not sure what to do. I get concerned it could be for another reason, but he stops every time after I had heat. Last night it was freezing, and he started again. Also last night most have the hens were on the coop floor, and the rest on the roost bars. I do the deep litter method. I’ve never had them do that before, except the ducks of course. Rocky the rooster who keeps crowing was also down off the bars as well, and our impotent rooster who usual is any way. Only 2 roosters, but Popover like I said is impotent and really just a pet. He’s a polish. Once I added heat Rocky was quiet the rest of the night. I don’t know what to do. The coop is very large. It was a work shed that we had no use for, so we turned it into a coop with a large run. Probably bigger then most tiny houses. So maybe because it’s so big they can’t keep warm? I don’t know.

 

[Welshies]

Birds are fine up to -40°F without heat.
He is probably bossing you and knows he can. Just like a horse that screams till it gets food or a puppy that begs until you feed it.

 

[flwrldy]

I am going to kill him (not literally) if that’s the case! but since he alerted me about the chick I now worry and can’t sleep unless I go check. Monday temps are going back to normal for us, 30°‘s So hopefully he’ll stop. I might just have to let him know who’s boss too!

 

[aart]

That's a very nice little building.
What is it, maybe 10x10'?
What are you using for heat for the chicks?

Not sure about why he's crowing.

 

[chickens really]

I was told it's because when it's cold the air is dense and sound travels further. My Rooster crows too when it's really cold..Sometimes it sounds like a Coyote is right at my back door, or the train is coming through my yard..

 

[flwrldy]

That's a very nice little building.
What is it, maybe 10x10'?
What are you using for heat for the chicks?

Not sure about why he's crowing.

I’m not sure of the size I’ll have to ask my husband, but I think it’s bigger then that. Also you need a ladder to get up top. My husband stores wood up there, but we left no gaps big enough so the chickens can’t fly up there.
We used heat a few nights when it was super cold, but not usually or now.
He’s crowing again like every night/morning. I think like someone said, he’s trying to boss me around. He’s a super sweet rooster but this crowing at 2-3 am is crazy.

 

[flwrldy]

I was told it's because when it's cold the air is dense and sound travels further. My Rooster crows too when it's really cold..Sometimes it sounds like a Coyote is right at my back door, or the train is coming through my yard..

That’s what concerns me when he crows, that maybe something is trying to get in, but except for the night the chick was caught in between the brooder cage everything is fine. Temps are back up is 30° in there and he still throwing every night or morning to to 3 AM . Come to think about it, that was the first night I think when the chick was caught, and he’s been doing this ever since.

 

[flwrldy]

That's a very nice little building.
What is it, maybe 10x10'?
What are you using for heat for the chicks?

Not sure about why he's crowing.

I asked my husband the size of the coop. 11x16

 

[Johnny98]

Your setup is absolutely beautiful. Would love to see more pics of that if you are willing.

I have no advice for the rooster but hopefully he will calm down now that the temps have. If ya'll don't have neighbors that he is ticking off I would be inclined to ride it out and have a quick check when anxiety peaks.

 

[flwrldy]

Thank you. I will..
We do, but they said they don’t hear them at night in the coop, only during the day when they’re outside and the chickens are too. Yesterday I did notice what we believe to be fisher cat prints in the snow around the coop, so maybe that’s why he’s been crowing.