Why is he crowing at 5.30 am?

[Margaid]

This may sound really daft but I thought, generally speaking, cockerels didn't crow unitl it started to get light, whihc at the moment isn't until about 7.30 am.

I think since their first night here the cockerel has been crowing at around 5.30 when it is still pitch black outside. We're in the middle of nowhere so there are no lights to confuse him. He has also crowed again at 6.30 on some mornings. It isn't a problem - I've been awake anyway and been able to hear him. He's a Welsummer and 30 weeks old. The hen house is quite dark inside as it is black and there are just the air vents.

Most nights it's been raining but last night we had strong gusting winds and I wondered if that was why. I was out there at 6.00 making sure the henhouse hadn't moved off it's stand, which is a really heavy timber construction on which the curved roofing sheets were delivered. Once I can work out how to thread it up I'll put a ratchet strap around the projections of the frame and over the henhouse just to be sure. I was surprised the hen houseshadn't moved as the caravan was shuddering a lot with the gusts.

 

[Bickerton]

My girls are milling about from by 5am and wanting out. Doesn't answer your question much but maybe its more once their awake they crow more than sunrise?

 

[chrismahon]

They respond to early birdsong Margaid. The cockerel crowing is the same message -clear off! So when the wild birds start so will the cockerels. They also respond to changes in daylight. So on a dark dismal day when the sun comes out they start, just as dawn.

 

[tygrysek75]

Well I recenly heard mine at midnight ,maybe just do not need so much sleep and just bored

 

[Margaid]

If it's wild birds, it must either be owls or startled pheasants as it is too early for the "dawn chorus". I thought maybe I'd got one with a screwed up body clock!!