Youngest Chick You’ve Had Start Crowing?

[AUChickenGal]

I heard an awful racket coming from the brooder this morning and thought for a minute that one of my chicks must have been killing another. A few seconds later, I realized that what I was hearing was a baby attempt at a crow! These chicks are 10 DAYS old! The youngest I’ve had crow prior to this was at 10 weeks. I expected to find that my beautiful splash Andalusian (bought straight run) was the culprit, but noooo....it was one of my Easter Eggers (bought as a sexed pullet). Sigh. I guess Lucy needs to be renamed Lucifer. I hope he’s the only cockerel in the bunch, because I don’t think I’m going to have the space or hen numbers for multiple roosters.

What’s the youngest you’ve had a chick start to crow? Here’s a photo of my little trouble maker, taken three days ago:

 

[NewChkinTown]

I heard an awful racket coming from the brooder this morning and thought for a minute that one of my chicks must have been killing another. A few seconds later, I realized that what I was hearing was a baby attempt at a crow! These chicks are 10 DAYS old! The youngest I’ve had crow prior to this was at 10 weeks. I expected to find that my beautiful splash Andalusian (bought straight run) was the culprit, but noooo....it was one of my Easter Eggers (bought as a sexed pullet). Sigh. I guess Lucy needs to be renamed Lucifer. I hope he’s the only cockerel in the bunch, because I don’t think I’m going to have the space or hen numbers for multiple roosters.

What’s the youngest you’ve had a chick start to crow? Here’s a photo of my little trouble maker, taken three days ago:
View attachment 2106873

Can you feather sex an EE? I have a day old EE with the same colouring. Bought straight run, really hoping for a pullet as our bylaws state no roosters

 

[AUChickenGal]

Can you feather sex an EE? I have a day old EE with the same colouring.

No. There is a slight difference in the combs of very young EEs, but I’m not very good at seeing that difference. Usually, the coloring differences are pretty noticeable by about 3 or 4 weeks of age for me. The EE chick down colors don’t really tell you much about the adult coloration, in my experience.

Good luck with your chick! In about half a dozen hatchery orders, this is my first mis-sexed chick, so I guess I was due one.

 

[NewChkinTown]

No. There is a slight difference in the combs of very young EEs, but I’m not very good at seeing that difference. Usually, the coloring differences are pretty noticeable by about 3 or 4 weeks of age for me. The EE chick down colors don’t really tell you much about the adult coloration, in my experience.

Good luck with your chick! In about half a dozen hatchery orders, this is my first mis-sexed chick, so I guess I was due one.

Mine didn't come sexed unfortunately. So I have my extra crossed for a pullet! Lol

 

[AUChickenGal]

No doubt about my boy now, at just three weeks old...

Interestingly, both of my Easter Eggers in this bunch are feathering in mostly red. I’ve had the more typical buff, black, and partridge EEs before and a cool blue one, but never reds. I love the mystery of these birds; you never know what they’re going to turn into!

 

[Rainwing]

i had a broiler cockerel who crowed at 6 weeks... it was the worst crow i had ever heard from a chicken. we would keep him but then he started cannibalizing the hens, we've never had a chicken cannibal. they had lots of food and could free range but he would rip their feathers off for food and peck their butts off. so we sold him.

 

[Luanne Hott]

I had a Bielefelder roo who started right at 3 weeks...seriously!

 

[Folly's place]

My youngest was a Fayoumi cockerel who started at 28 days of age. Really cute too!
Mary

 

[VioletsMom73]

So I am new to chickens, but I did read that even pullets can crow sometimes so there may still be hope! He looks like one of my favorite chicks that I have tentatively named Violet lol. I should have at least one roo in the bunch, I bought them sexed from a big reputable hatchery and ordered one roo and 8 hens. Ended up with 10 total and all are thriving.

 

[AUChickenGal]

So I am new to chickens, but I did read that even pullets can crow sometimes so there may still be hope!

Oh, no, he's definitely a cockerel. Aside from the crowing, his size, behavior, and comb development are all unmistakable now (at about 3.5 weeks).

I've just never had one start crowing SO early - 10 days! I'm still a bit amazed by that. It looks like he's going to be a very pretty bird, at least.