We've joined the club...

[JNorth]

We have a crowing hen! I got nervous this morning when I heard it since our neighbor down the way has a rooster, thought maybe he'd broken into the place to get a little action!!

But no, it was one of the girls. I haven't figured out who yet, but I have my suspicions... we've had one that has been the loudest since it was hatched!

So would this be an act of dominance? So far our flock has been so even keeled, no one bird has taken control. They don't fight over treats, food, water, roosting position or nest boxes.

I'm finding chickens to be more interesting that I could have ever imagined!!

 

[holyhart]

How old are they? Are you sure it isn't a cockerel? Unless these are older ladies who are already laying eggs, I think you should post some pics.

 

[devora]

Are you sure it's not an egg song? And, of course, it could be a roo. Do you want a rooster?

 

[JNorth]

I had considered the egg song since I did open the door on some egg laying in progress. Like I said, though I'm not sure who is definitely the one since both times I've heard it I was not able to see them (my eyesight sucks unless I'm on top of things....lol).

As far as their being a roo, I don't think that's possible. We got RSL's and other than slight color variations they all have the same look. Same comb and wattle and no difference in feathers. They are just over 19 weeks and we've been getting 4 eggs per day.

ETA: Ohh no, we don't need a rooster. I'm not ready for that!

 

[Bunnylady]

The egg song sounds sort of like, "ba-guck!" It has a sort of happy sound to it, and a bit less energy than the "ba-GAWK!" that is an alarm call. I have a bantam Polish that has what I consider her "pre-egg" song, a velociraptor-like screech that she sometimes does for hours before she actually lays an egg.

I had a Serama hen that crowed. She hatched some eggs one January in a cage in an unheated outbuilding, and I was afraid that the chicks would freeze if I left them out there. She'd worked so hard to hatch them, I hated just taking them from her, so I put her and her chicks into a large tote, and she became a house chicken for a few weeks. Many times during the day, I heard her crow, and even saw her a few times. Fortunately, she hadn't anywhere near the volume of the rooster! I'd never heard her do it when penned with him; my guess is that he wouldn't have stood for the "competition."