Why do roosters crow?

[llombardo]

I have read up on this a little bit and learned about the internal clock, territory, etc.

This is what I am noticing...

There are a few roosters in the area and one if them(I thought it was one and my neighbor says it's another) has started(within the last week) crowing at about 5:15 and consistently crows every 30 seconds for a couple hours(I hear him throughout the day when I'm home and he seems to crow when he hears my car) this particular rooster was a stray I fed last fall until he hopped the fence and made his home across the way. I have noticed that I'm hearing more crowing coming from one of mine(I figured out it was the leghorn this morning).

Three questions...do they communicate from a distance(it's about 500 ft)? Mine doesn't do anything until he hears the other one. The rooster(the stray) in question is young, didn't crow until recently so about a year old. I know they start at different times,but is there a noticeable difference in how often they crow versus when they started crowing or is it completely dependent on rooster or breed? And last but not least, is it possible that they crow out of boredom or if there is not enough females? The one across the way has only one girlfriend and from what I understand she is missing some feathers. She stopped laying long before he came along and all of the sudden she laid again.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Roosters crow as a challenge and to compete with other roosters for the ladies. They do it to ward off predators. To announce their presence. To show how virile they are. To attract the hens. Because they heard something. They saw a shadow. A car drove by. Some headlights flashed. They heard the dishes clanging in the kitchen. Roosters crow to celebrate mating. And to shout their victory when they defeat an opponent. Sometimes they do it just because they want to. And I SWEAR I have had one crow JUST to make me mad! Yes, I saw one crow in response to a neighbor starting their car and a belt squealing.

They may crow out of boredom. There are NEVER enough females in the mind of a rooster. He is always out to spread he seed and attract as many to his harem as possible. (usually) There are (almost) always exceptions.

But yes, it is completely an individual thing... regardless of breed.

 

[Ducksandchickens]

Roosters crow so that nearby roosters know they are there and so their showing there presence.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Roosters crow to intimidate other roosters and to attract lost or lonely hens. When one rooster crows that stimulates the other roosters in the neighborhood to answer in kind. The crowing has the effect to warn other roosters to keep their distance.

 

[llombardo]

So is my little guy answering the bigger one? Not that the bigger one can hear my little guy...

 

[llombardo]

Our neighborhoid is about to get interesting....and in the middle of all that I have a very loud female duck...lol

 

[RWise]

My roosters certainly crow, it does not keep other roosters away. (anyone want a rooster?)
Why do they crow, because they can, I do not believe it is a warning to keep predators away, more an "all's clear". Calling to other roosters certainly, these are my girls, and I will kick your %%%, I hear others more than 1/2 mile away.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Roosters crow can be a way to communicate,claim territory,and soem even use to communicate with humans.When I would arrive home my leghorn would crow everytime.Roosters who live together,lots of time the most submissive ones won’t crow,or won’t do it as often as the rest.And some mature later on.Also a way of competition.