Why do roosters crow?

[Edward7]

Hi everyone. I'm kinda curious: why do roosters crow?

Please forgive me if this has already been asked.

I'm new to chickens. As someone raised in the city, the idea of a rooster saying a cheerful "cockadoodle doo!" once or twice to greet the sunrise sounded very romantic to me. Right? But the reality is, this young guy I have has some powerful lungs on him, his crow sounds kind of unpleasant musically, and he just goes on for a long time sometimes.

It reminds me of the dog next door when I was a child in the city. The neighbors had a Husky, but due to unforeseen circumstances, they were not able to walk the dog hardly ever, so they just kept him locked up in a tiny fenced area by himself all day, while they were at work. And he would howl for hours, not out of joy, but out of I think loneliness, depression and frustration.

This is how my rooster sounds. Even when he discovers the neighbors' yard, and is off having an adventure exploring, and has his "harem" with him, he will stop and let out this unpleasant, loud crow a few times, and I just wonder what is the point of it? (When I say "unpleasant" I mean the musical tones make it sound mournful rather than cheerful. It sounds like an animal is dying or feeling sorry for itself.)

I'm going to try to add more sound-proofing to the coop to further cut down on the early-morning volume. But I'm just curious, why do they crow at all?

• If it was purely to identify other roosters in the vicinity, then doing it once or twice a few times a day would probably be enough?
• If it was an expression of "joy", like a song bird at sunrise in the springtime, then I expect it would probably sound nicer?

Thankfully, he also makes those nice "chuckle" sounds to call the females over when he has a treat to share with them. So that helps me like him better. Also, I like the fact that that sound has a clear motive to it which I can understand. The crowing just seems weird and mysterious...

 

[MysteryChicken]

Crowing is to announce his presence to other roosters that maybe near by, & or to attract hens to the area. Crowing is also one way they'll display dominance towards other roosters.
When a rooster/cockerel crows out of order(Not their turn), a battle may follow suit.
Roosters will on occasion get into a Crowing War.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi everyone. I'm kinda curious: why do roosters crow?

Basically to tell other roosters "This is my territory. Stay out!"

his crow sounds kind of unpleasant musically, and he just goes on for a long time sometimes.

Many young cockerels have a very unpleasant crow, more of a croaking. The sound should change as they age but it may never be pleasant.

• If it was purely to identify other roosters in the vicinity, then doing it once or twice a few times a day would probably be enough?

Some hardly ever crow. Some crow a lot. Each chicken has its own personality. You can drive yourself batty trying to use your logic as to why they do some things. They have their own reasons but their logic may not work the same as yours.

• If it was an expression of "joy", like a song bird at sunrise in the springtime, then I expect it would probably sound nicer?

You obviously haven't heard some birds' songs. But his crow is not joy. It is a message.

 

[Mrs. K]

I love my roosters and their crows - but I love them way down at the chicken house, 100 yards away. I would not want one closer than that to me or my neighbors. I don't like a barking dog either.

Mrs K

 

[aliris]

Yeah I’ve been so wondering this too. It may be bribing me batty to wonder but he drives me battier. And he’s driving himself closer and closer to the stewpot. It’s just so counterproductive. He’s young, born maybe.., 6 mo ago? A female litter mate just had her first egg.

I keep hoping he’ll mellow. Realize he’s not threatened, he’s in charge. They’ll all get used to the mating thing maybe??

Husband seems to think he can soundproof the house “more” which seems ludicrous to me - he’s outside most of the day?!

Is he frustrated the girls don’t want to do more mating? He hasn’t really learned “gentlemanly” behavior -a lot of creeping up on them from behind and ignoring the “no means no” maxim. I try to help with that but… I’m not a rooster or role model or teacher. Can humans teach a cock to be, excuse me, less of a d*<}?

For reference, the flock gets more and more tight, they really do like being more of a single group. Less cattiness, hang out together… it seems like things are _better_ having a too around. But the crowing is incessant.

Collar seems cruel - any ideas? Why why why???

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Yeah I’ve been so wondering this too. It may be bribing me batty to wonder but he drives me battier. And he’s driving himself closer and closer to the stewpot. It’s just so counterproductive. He’s young, born maybe.., 6 mo ago? A female litter mate just had her first egg.

I keep hoping he’ll mellow. Realize he’s not threatened, he’s in charge. They’ll all get used to the mating thing maybe??

Husband seems to think he can soundproof the house “more” which seems ludicrous to me - he’s outside most of the day?!

Is he frustrated the girls don’t want to do more mating? He hasn’t really learned “gentlemanly” behavior -a lot of creeping up on them from behind and ignoring the “no means no” maxim. I try to help with that but… I’m not a rooster or role model or teacher. Can humans teach a cock to be, excuse me, less of a d*<}?

For reference, the flock gets more and more tight, they really do like being more of a single group. Less cattiness, hang out together… it seems like things are _better_ having a too around. But the crowing is incessant.

Collar seems cruel - any ideas? Why why why???

Why? Because at 6 months he is a teenager. Ever been around teenager boys? They’re loud, obnoxious, testosterone driven, always trying to prove who is the top dog and will do anything possible to catch female attention. They eventually calm down, but at 6 months yours still will take a few months at least for those raging teenage hormones to calm down.

 

[WingItRanch]

I'm going to try to add more sound-proofing to the coop to further cut down on the early-morning volume.

Just wanted to add that there's no way to soundproof a coop without removing very important ventilation. No ventilation = sick chickens.

 

[aliris]

Just wanted to add that there's no way to soundproof a coop without removing very important ventilation. No ventilation = sick chickens.

Completely and 100% agree. Got into the most awful screaming match with dh about this. I refused to purchase the crazy-expensive futile stuff he was wanting because of this. And I'm very glad to hear some backup to this here. ****so frustrated**** I can only chalk it up to everyone's nerves being frayed by MrTeenager. Yeah, @HollowOfWisps - thanks for confirming what feels like the situation to me too, but I'm not positive of the timeline here. Certainly feels that way to me. He's kind of 'sweet' too the way teenage boys can be in the midst of all that. But at the same time I also feel like some of the hollering is at me when I'm not there, sort of a 'it's actually my flock, BTW -- you can roar out here and feed or whatever it is that you think you can do to assert your dominance but I'm here now and these are my girls'...

Part of the reason I wanted a rooster is so the hens wouldn't think *I* was their rooster, leave me alone. And they sort of do, they flock around him and protect him from me (I yell at him and admit to squirting him with water at times which shuts hium up for about 0.004seconds). I think just as you cannot soundproof and ventillate adequately, you cannot help him to settle into confidence of being in charge when I come out and yell at him -- I know this. ::sigh::

Imagine being in competition with a chicken?