What's this sound?

[ArnoldoOfferman]

Hey everyone! New member here... did a lot of lurking and really like the camaraderie here.

We bought a new house so of course buying a chickens was the logical first step. We are friends with lots of experienced owners (I haven't raised chickens since I was 8, haha). However, we are keeping a close eye to make sure we have no roosters. It's not against code, but unfortunately we have neighbors within a quarter acrew and don't want to be "those neighbors" haha.

Our chicks are officially 3 weeks old! Today, one of them made this noise when we moved them to a temporary cage while I cleaned out their brooding area. I heard it every 2-3 minutes; they seem young to be crowing, and the person I bought them from said she never heard this noise, but their stetsons always grew quicker than others.

Does it sound like a very young rooster crow to you, or something else?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BAXj8QLK2VG/

Thank you!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Yep, thats a first attempt at crowing for sure. Sounds a bit like they're being strangled until they get the hang of it.

Looking at your chicks, I'd say you have at least 3 cockerels (the ones with the pink combs).

 

[ArnoldoOfferman]

Everywhere I'm reading says hens can have pink combs, too.. it wouldn't be until 3 months until they turn red. Am I missing something?

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Pink combs in chicks as young as yours is a very strong male indicator. Not 100% guaranteed that they'll be cockerels, but if they were mine, I'd peg them as boys.

 

[azygous]

Chick cockerel crows are sooo cute! And he even has the reddish head gear! No doubts! You win the mini-roo award!

 

[ArnoldoOfferman]

Problem is that I don't need to be pissing my neighbors off with roosters, lol.

The breeder said I'm welcome to exchange them for hens, which sucks as I raised these from day-old chicks. That being said, she also said to wait as they're all mix breeds and most likely her Stetson was the father. She said those chicks have always developed fast... I'm betting its a rooster, but hoping otherwise. Thank you all!

 

[MistyMountain]

I agree with the others, the black one is most certainly a cockerel, and I suspect two of the white ones are cockerels as well.

I hatched a chick last summer that started crowing at 1 week! Imagine a little ball of fluff stretching out and trying to crow! He developed a HUGE comb when he matured.