Why are they crowing in the dark?

[Kris5902]

I've never had cockerels before, so this might be a dumb question.... but Why are they crowing while it’s still full dark out? He (one Sapphire boy) started this morning at 5:45, really picked up about 6am-7, shut up again from 7-7:30 (going hoarse?) it’s “just” starting to get light outside, sun wont clear the mountain til 8am. Mr Maran, my dominant boy in the other chicken tractor just started now at 7:30. They have very different voices with the Sapphire doing a full cock-a-doodle-do, and mr Maran just going croo croo coo. Also why mostly just the two boys crowing? Not that I’m complaining cause I’ve got 15! I’m not letting them out in the dark, regardless of how much they ask!

 

[Chickassan]

They can see ultraviolet, so they see the sun way before we do.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

They also crow just to crow. Roosters have no sense of direction haha! Add guineas to your flock for a wonderful accompaniment to your crowing!

 

[The Phantom]

My boy crows at 2:00am. No where close to light.

 

[dalasgalas]

Mine used to crow randomly. Who knows why some crow.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

In addition to the UV thing, which means they can see the sun coming up WAY before we do... Thing is they may be crowing to ward off predators that are visiting. Or maybe they saw a rat. Or car headlights flashed by.

Mine crow when they hear the neighbors car start or if they hear us messing around in the kitchen.

So many reasons to crow that have nothing to do with sunrise.

 

[Melky]

I've never had cockerels before, so this might be a dumb question.... but Why are they crowing while it’s still full dark out? He (one Sapphire boy) started this morning at 5:45, really picked up about 6am-7, shut up again from 7-7:30 (going hoarse?) it’s “just” starting to get light outside, sun wont clear the mountain til 8am. Mr Maran, my dominant boy in the other chicken tractor just started now at 7:30. They have very different voices with the Sapphire doing a full cock-a-doodle-do, and mr Maran just going croo croo coo. Also why mostly just the two boys crowing? Not that I’m complaining cause I’ve got 15! I’m not letting them out in the dark, regardless of how much they ask!

Wow yours sleep in. In El Salvador the call is around 4:30 am. Coffee is not on till 5 am. They wake el gato.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Mine begin crowing about 2.5 hours before it's light out, and then about every half hour.

 

[Kris5902]

In addition to the UV thing, which means they can see the sun coming up WAY before we do... Thing is they may be crowing to ward off predators that are visiting. Or maybe they saw a rat. Or car headlights flashed by.

Mine crow when they hear the neighbors car start or if they hear us messing around in the kitchen.

So many reasons to crow that have nothing to do with sunrise.

They were crowing at a Raven prancing around in front of their tractors yesterday, during the middle of the day, but that was my Mr Marans (such a good boy!) In their night time roosting area they aren’t seeing any rodents or car headlights for sure! They are in the hayfield adjacent to my trailer. The Ravens haven’t even gotten up yet (they are my usual wake up call, prior to this early rising chicken finding his voice!)

I’m way rural here... just the cliff, the Two miles of driveway through our 600 acres, and then trees and more cliffs to the ocean. It’s a one way drive and I’m at the end of it! But I hear you on the messing around in the kitchen bit! Cows can see through polarized glass! They would watch us and plaintively moo while we made coffee in the morning.

 

[kwhites634]

I've never had cockerels before, so this might be a dumb question.... but Why are they crowing while it’s still full dark out? He (one Sapphire boy) started this morning at 5:45, really picked up about 6am-7, shut up again from 7-7:30 (going hoarse?) it’s “just” starting to get light outside, sun wont clear the mountain til 8am. Mr Maran, my dominant boy in the other chicken tractor just started now at 7:30. They have very different voices with the Sapphire doing a full cock-a-doodle-do, and mr Maran just going croo croo coo. Also why mostly just the two boys crowing? Not that I’m complaining cause I’ve got 15! I’m not letting them out in the dark, regardless of how much they ask!

Mine usually starts around 5:30 - 6:00, which is fine by me; I like the "music", it tells me that all's well in his world, & he makes a good, natural alarm clock.