when do roosters start to crow and hens lay?

[eggsrcool]

When do roosters start to crow and hens start to lay? I have a 5 week old chick, which I think is a rooster and was wondering wether he would start to crow, but (s)he does have a father who is the 'boss' so would that change anything?

 

[Judy]

Lots of variation. You didn't say what breed; some breeds are much slower to mature than others. Probably an average for crowing is 8-10 weeks, and laying is 20 weeks. But some have reported birds doing neither til after one year, chicks have crowed much earlier (or an attempt at a crow,) and laid maybe at 14 weeks or so.