Crowing hens

[chrismahon]

Sorting through old issues of Practical Poultry (with a view to reducing the volume when we move) I came across 'Fun Facts' in the March 2011 issue.

"If a cockerel isn't present in a flock of hens, the dominant hen will sometimes take on the role, stop laying and begin to crow. This is rare, but it does happen."

Well it isn't that rare as we have four hens doing it, out of five groups with no cockerel! The apparent sex change caused by damage to the ovary and the resulting surge of Testosterone is well documented and is rare. But the fact that top hens will do it routinely isn't documented or rare. It is weather dependant and as the sun has come out today they are all going strong. Of the four, two are laying, one is alone due to being separated with a broken foot and one could lay but eats rubbish in preference to food. Quite why they do it I don't know as it seems more inherent than deliberate- Winnie (broken foot) scared herself when she first started. It does seem only to take place when they are perfectly secure and very happy in their environment though, as it all stops in rain and windy weather or in the case of the Marans, when they are let out with the young TNN's and then get bullied.

Anyone else experienced this?

 

[rick]

Teabag had a funny turn after laying a lash egg like (?) object on the vets table some time ago (you may remember me making a bit of a mountain of that particular molehill!) A few times she seemed to be treading the others and made some funny noises though I don’t think she actually managed to crow.
After a few weeks she was back to her normal(ish) self again.
I suppose that falls more in the testosterone flux category than the spontaneous. Pint sized though he is, Linden is around now. I guess if a hen crowed with a cockerel around then a fight would ensue - or just not happen :S?

 

[chrismahon]

We had a Leghorn Bantam hen crowing in the dark of the coop with a cock on the opposite perch several times Rick. It all stopped as soon as they were let out though and I have never known a hen crow when a cock is visibly present. Had cockerels behave like hens though- but that's another topic related to poor introductions and 'apparent' infertility. We had Wyandotttes who objected to being trodden out of season and turned round and attacked the cockerel though!

To Add:- We brought Lily (bantam leghorn) in at lunchtime with a broken claw. After we managed to stop the bleeding she went into a cage in 'sick bay'- then she started crowing! She normally lives with a cock and is 2nd hen of three, but then on her own she was top hen of her own flock.

 

[rick]

Ouch! How did she manage to do that? Got caught in a crack and pulled it off maybe?

Sounds like you should be roasting those caterpillars (or bottling the local water) and selling it as a virility tonic

"We had Wyandotttes who objected to being trodden out of season and turned round and attacked the cockerel though!"
- Quite right too!