Crowing in the morning

[rick]

One of our hens (I suspect that its Teabag, as the most vocal) has been crowing every morning...
Baaaaa - bak- a - baaaaak
for about 2 mins
I hope she's not thinking of becoming a rooster!

 

[chrismahon]

It does happen Rick and it's more common than I first read. The figure quoted was one in 10,000 hens turn into cocks, but I think it may be closer to one in a thousand. Damage to one of their ovaries (they have two but only one produces eggs I read) results a surge of testosterone. They cease laying, grow large comb and wattles, crow and tread the hens. Of course they can't breed!

 

[KittyKat]

Our top hen spends a fair bit of time crowing in spring and summer, but she's still quite happy laying eggs throughout the year. Her comb is not as large as that of a cockerel, but it's definitely quite big due to her age.

 

[rick]

She better not turn into a cockerel. I've given them a good talking to - no cabbage for cockerels! Blaze used to do do the classic
Bok - bok - bok - bokuuurk
Quite often. I thought it was 'I've laid an egg' but that didn't seem to add up.

 

[rick]

Found this online
http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Chicken_(language)
Served me right for asking I reckon

 

[chrismahon]

Difficult one to document Rick. You need an audio dictionary but different breeds use different noises, so even though they are universally understood by all of them, we may really struggle.