# Crowing Hen!



## Hania41806 (May 4, 2021)

I am currently caring for a flock of 11 (including a rooster) for my dad's friend. Today, I went out to their coop and heard what I can only describe as a long raptor scream. A couple minutes pass and I hear it again. I look over and the sound was coming from one of the hens! I know that hens at the top of the pecking order often "transition" into roosters when there is no roo present, but there is a rooster. and she is not one of the top hens. has anyone had this happen to them?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I had a hen crow even though there were multiple roosters present. It's been a while now, I can't remember if she never laid or if her eggs were never fertile. She went to live with someone else.


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## Hania41806 (May 4, 2021)

Oh, well I hope she keeps laying. I don't think her owners would mind if she's infertile, but if she stops laying they'll probably butcher her.


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

I think Robin or Danathome said sometimes hens crow. I think that is the case with your bird.


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## fuzzies (Jul 27, 2021)

I had a Sebright bantam who would crow every time instead of cackling after laying an egg.

Another hen had a digestive issue that was triggered every time she went into molt, and while she was in the hospital pen being treated for that every fall, she would crow sometimes in the morning.

A hen I still have jumps off the roosts and crows loud and clear some mornings. She's an egg layer and she's far from the top of the pecking order.

My oldest OEGB hen sometimes crows, too, and I've caught her tidbit chirping for her 'husband' every now and then as well. She's older and lays fewer eggs because of her age, but still does lay fairly reliably every spring and summer.

I've had at least one rooster on the property at least, if not in the same flock as all of these birds the entire time, and none of them became ill or stopped laying or anything like that as a result of their vocalizations. All I can say for sure is chickens are weird!


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## Hencackle (Apr 30, 2014)

"A whistling girl and a crowing girl always come to no good end." I heard that all the time from my grandmother and gr grandmother when I was younger. I don't recall if their hens ever crowed, but Mama Kennedy would have wrung necks for sure. My father-in-law used to get crowing hens from a couple of the the parishioners he had when he was a pastor. It was bad luck to have one in the henhouse. None of my girls ever crowed either. I wouldn't freak over it if one did.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

HC, it's actually a hoot to hear and see them when they do it. I'm actually surprised they can do a pretty respectable crow.


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## Hencackle (Apr 30, 2014)

Lol, is it as funny as the roosters that cackle along with hens?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Now that one I've never heard. I've never hear anyone even talk about it happening.


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## Hencackle (Apr 30, 2014)

Really?!? Anybody else? I've witnessed it often that I thought was a common thing. Not all my roosters, but certain ones do it. Well, they must be stranger than I thought.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I started to second guess myself right after I posted that. I think I've been out of them too long to remember if they did or didn't do it. 

I won't say anything about getting older.


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## fuzzies (Jul 27, 2021)

My two Silkie boys cackle along with the hens when they've just laid an egg, especially if it was one of their favorite girls. They carry on about the eggs longer than the hens do, the drama queens!  All of my boys will cackle if they think there's a predator around, too.


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## Hania41806 (May 4, 2021)

Hencackle said:


> Really?!? Anybody else? I've witnessed it often that I thought was a common thing. Not all my roosters, but certain ones do it. Well, they must be stranger than I thought.


Both of my roosters cackle with the hens! Chickens in general are funny


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

Oh gosh my Serama boy goes on. And on. And on. The entire time she lays. The. Entire. Time. 
He does this every day; both really- they get super proud of their girls laying. It’s ridiculous! Sammy isn’t as bad as Chappie but bad enough. I thought it was just a thing too. I guess it’s not necc a thing but just a sometimes yes or no thing depending! 
I’d bet it all depends on breed and personality anyway, just that some are more likely than others to vocalize!


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