# Selection for crowing characteristics



## Joanne (Jun 24, 2020)

I have been amusing myself watching videos of Ayam Ketawa roosters (they sound like someone laughing) and Kosovo long crowers (amazing)! From this it seems obvious that it is possible to select for crowing traits. So has anyone tried to create a breed of chickens who do not crow? Or who have a very soft, short crow? It should be possible but I have never heard of any attempts. Thoughts?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Huh, never that I've heard of. I'm not sure how you could even go about that considering they all have the capability and every breed seems to have their own tones. 

LOL Sounds like chickens would fit right into your life if listening to the roosters crow amuses you. I can tell you that having a d'Uccle under the porch roof crowing is painful.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

having a D'Uccle in the same bedroom with you is painful! I know, I had 2! 

I would be very interested in knowing if it's possible to breed a rooster that doesn't crow. I doubt that you can breed one that is not able to crow but maybe breed a personality trait that makes them more quiet than others, something like that.

And don't worry, I love listening to roosters crow (when they aren't in the same bedroom with me), it is the most amazing sound. I also like to watch them when they crow, they stand up tall, duck their heads and the streeetch way up and let loose, it's so awesome


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Ear bleeding is the only way to describe a little D's crow. I could tell who was crowing by their voices. Even the Silkie roos all had their individual sounds.


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## Joanne (Jun 24, 2020)

robin416 said:


> Huh, never that I've heard of. I'm not sure how you could even go about that considering they all have the capability and every breed seems to have their own tones.
> 
> LOL Sounds like chickens would fit right into your life if listening to the roosters crow amuses you. I can tell you that having a d'Uccle under the porch roof crowing is painful.


Oh yes, I actually do enjoy their crowing! Right now I have a 5 mo. old black Orpington rooster who has yet to crow. I think a rooster with very soft crowing voice would be a great thing to all the folks who live in places that ban keeping roosters.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Just like people with different voices roosters' crow levels can be far ranging. My Silkie Ducky I could tell his voice by his quiet crow. My other Silkies were more robust when it came to crowing. I knew King's because his was the loudest and the most commanding of the Silkie flock.


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

I've had a fun time watching all my boys learning to crow- they're getting there! My little guy, Chip, has had it down for at least a month. He's good. And loud. And will also crow on command. I can confirm that can be taught!  
My Australorps still sound.... kinda Lorpie! Hahaha they are close to normal I think, but they sound funny in pitch still. My big boy, he's the quietest of them, and a gentle giant. But he falls in the middle of all of it for now still. (The giant is 14 wks, the other 3 are 12wks so they all have some room to grow.) 
I am no expert but have studied some genetics in college and then on my own (bc I am a carrier of a sex-linked disease that could potentially affect my kids.) With that said, yes. You could- or should be able to- adjust the rate of or level of crowing, and/or breed for the quiet ones. It would be a good longer process finding the right Roos and hens to use, and even longer depending on how much crossing breeds you wanted to go for to obtain the said.... non-crowers! I'd be really interested to hear if you do start working on it though! I guess its like anything; you can't guarantee for personality, but you can account for how big a voice box (or rooster equivalent) is. And while you can't control personality, per se, you can def use the more gentle and quiet ones and it might help there too a bit as side effect. Good luck if you do, what a neat idea!

[mention]robin416 [/mention]- I def would like to start a little D coop/flock. Perhaps next spring we can talk? My bantam roo is a bantam speckled sussex, so that won't help me get more little D's, but we have definitely found a favorite in our Jackie- I didn't know the boys were that loud, but that's fine for where we live too.  I'm so glad, and thank you for, nailing her breed a few weeks back, I've had an awesome time learning more. We also are hoping to get some porcelain D'Uccle too. I call them 'ghost Jackies' cause everyone here at home knows what I mean. I may PM you w a ? In a few minutes re: the Ds as well.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Yep, another one is smitten by the little D's.


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## Joanne (Jun 24, 2020)

It seems like many of the larger breeds are pretty quiet. I'm hoping to raise some chicks from my Black Orpington rooster and will try selecting the quietest from those as my breeders. A little harder to figure out which hens to use but I'll just try to select for quiet, calm hens to breed with the quietest roos.


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## Joanne (Jun 24, 2020)

I originally thought about eliminating the cockerels in the order that they start to crow, so that the last one to begin crowing "wins" and would be used for breeding. But by doing that I might just be selecting for late maturation, which is not what I'm looking for.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Joanne said:


> It seems like many of the larger breeds are pretty quiet. I'm hoping to raise some chicks from my Black Orpington rooster and will try selecting the quietest from those as my breeders. A little harder to figure out which hens to use but I'll just try to select for quiet, calm hens to breed with the quietest roos.


Yeah, those little guys are loud for such little bodies.


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## Joanne (Jun 24, 2020)

robin416 said:


> Yeah, those little guys are loud for such little bodies.


Napoleon Syndrome


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Joanne said:


> Napoleon Syndrome


LOL


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