A crowing hen?!?!?

[PJB]

Do hens crow? Or have I got myselft a cock not a hen? It is a lavendar pekin and doesn't look that different from its pal but its definitely crowing! Only had them for a week and no eggs yet. As a beginner at all this I thought hens just clucked...am I wrong? Its not a loud crow but its definitly a crow, and a persistant one at that!

[TPeers]

My best suggestion would be check the legs - males have spurs. Don't know if they would show on a young bird though. You are looking for an 'extra toe' about halfway up the leg, pointing backwards - may just be a largish bump at this young age.

In some varieties of hen/bantam it can be very hard to tell between the sexes, so if it is a boy your supplier will probably exchange the bird with no problems.

Terry

[PJB]

Checked for spurs but couldn't see anything remotely like an 'extra toe' as you described. Thanks for the tip though. The farmer I bought them from said I could take them back if there are any problems, but I've become quite attached to them in such a short time!

PJB

[TPeers]

Hope your neighbours are understanding then!

[Snadger]

Might just be a bit 'butch'!

[shirlthegirl43]

We had a white banty years ago who would lay an egg one day and crow the next!!

[terrier]

There's an old superstition between country folk that a crowing hen is possessed by the devil. It's owner would be well advised to be rid as soon as possible. Personaly, I would keep it for the novelty value whether it layed or not.

[lozza_9]

We have 2 chickens and they sometimes Crow - its not that often and I think sometimes its due to a reason. something in the run ( once a broom handle had managed to get in the run through the holes and one of them was crowing at 4am, hubby went to move it and all was fine, another one is they know we are in the garden and want to be let out or wants treats.

Good luck and hope you gets eggs soon, we started off slow but now we have 2 eggs a day most days!

Loz

[yoanbob]

we had chooks that would occationally crow, not loud but definatly crowing, we put it down to too much estrogen in the flock thought they were just redressing the balance, they all still layed.

[Birdie Wife]

Pekins can be really really difficult to sex apparently, so I'd wait until it lays an egg, then it's definitely a female! I had a hen that started crowing, I had no rooster and apparently in some cases of all-female flocks, one hen can try to take over the role of the rooster. She started laying again and the crowing only lasted a couple of weeks.

[PJB]

Good to know I've not the only devil possessed hen, as Terrier said. I've been highly amused by that story! She is still crowing and although I am getting used to it its driving my husband mad so I hope she lays soon, or he'll be taking her back! Can't wait to get some eggs!

PJB