PhilaGardener
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Welcoming in each new day with a joyful chorus might make us feel better too! 
I think it is weird....
- Thread starter buckabucka
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MoonShadows
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You're darn tootin' @PhilaGardener 
so lucky
Garden Master
Maybe the roosters are just in a deeper sleep during the night, and start crowing as they naturally wake up.
I am certain that the last devil rooster I had crowed when he saw me. I was definitely the enemy, as far as he was concerned (as I approached with the rake, in a learned self-defense mode)
I have always wondered why hens announce their intent to lay an egg, then announce that they have laid an egg. That seems to me like ringing the dinner bell to predators.
I am certain that the last devil rooster I had crowed when he saw me. I was definitely the enemy, as far as he was concerned (as I approached with the rake, in a learned self-defense mode)
I have always wondered why hens announce their intent to lay an egg, then announce that they have laid an egg. That seems to me like ringing the dinner bell to predators.
digitS'
Garden Master
There are catbirds here, as in many places in North America. Maybe you have had this experience.
I never see them! Then, a pair showed up to nest in one of the bushes between the little veggie garden and the dahlia garden. Good goobly goop! Continuous, daylong racket! I kinda liked it. BTW, catbird males & females are nearly indistinguishable in appearance, probably behavior as well.
At my home on the river, tiny flycatchers were common. A pair had a nest in a pine tree in my front yard -- right out on the tip of a high branch ... above the driveway ... across from a small open field ... Both parents were there constantly but with hawks, crows, ravens, jays ... I don't know how they get from one generation to the next!
Some birds are very secretive. Hens cackling? Have you noticed ... generally I never did ... that a hen will leave the nest, travel a dozen or so yards, and then begin to cackle? Outdoors, a nest with a dozen eggs and the setting hen may be nearly impossible to find but the hens would sometimes scare the bejeebers outta me by seemingly sneaking right up behind me before beginning their hysterics! Of course, they attract the rooster's attention.
Steve
I never see them! Then, a pair showed up to nest in one of the bushes between the little veggie garden and the dahlia garden. Good goobly goop! Continuous, daylong racket! I kinda liked it. BTW, catbird males & females are nearly indistinguishable in appearance, probably behavior as well.
At my home on the river, tiny flycatchers were common. A pair had a nest in a pine tree in my front yard -- right out on the tip of a high branch ... above the driveway ... across from a small open field ... Both parents were there constantly but with hawks, crows, ravens, jays ... I don't know how they get from one generation to the next!
Some birds are very secretive. Hens cackling? Have you noticed ... generally I never did ... that a hen will leave the nest, travel a dozen or so yards, and then begin to cackle? Outdoors, a nest with a dozen eggs and the setting hen may be nearly impossible to find but the hens would sometimes scare the bejeebers outta me by seemingly sneaking right up behind me before beginning their hysterics! Of course, they attract the rooster's attention.
Steve
Beekissed
Garden Master
David Feldman addresses this question in When Do Fish Sleep? He quotes Janet Hinshaw of the Wilson Ornithological Society who says, “Most of the crowing takes place in the morning, as does most singing, because that is when the birds are most active, and most of the territorial advertising takes place then. Many of the other vocalizations heard throughout the day are for other types of communication, including flocking calls, which serve to keep members of a flock together and in touch if they are out of sight from one another.”
IME, this is the most plausible explanation of all. All the birds around here sing more in the morning, so it's natural that the big one in the coop do the same thing. My roosters don't often crow during the rest of the day....none that I've ever owned, no matter the breed, seem to feel the need to sound off all day long. Could be because they have normal flocking behavior as they would if they lived out in nature...they are free to come and go as they please, go where they please in their territory, mate as they wish with whomever they wish and whenever they wish.
Typically I live where the closest roosters are so far away that one can barely hear their crows, so that helps as well.
IME, this is the most plausible explanation of all. All the birds around here sing more in the morning, so it's natural that the big one in the coop do the same thing. My roosters don't often crow during the rest of the day....none that I've ever owned, no matter the breed, seem to feel the need to sound off all day long. Could be because they have normal flocking behavior as they would if they lived out in nature...they are free to come and go as they please, go where they please in their territory, mate as they wish with whomever they wish and whenever they wish.
Typically I live where the closest roosters are so far away that one can barely hear their crows, so that helps as well.
Chickie'sMomaInNH
Garden Master
our city put in place last summer an ordinance that residential properties could only have 10 hens and NO roosters. but somewhere i read while they were putting this in place stated that if you had owned a flock and rooster before this ordinance you would be grandfathered to keep the rooster.
i think the complaint could be from one of the 3 neighbors bordering the back of the property. one wasn't happy with us last summer when we took down a very big tree that was diseased and when we tried burning the branches/leaves. some of the ashes from the leaves floated about 150 or so feet and ended up in his pool and he was being a jerk about it. borderline harassing us and our guests that night. we had our fire permit so i wasn't too worried about it.
we're thinking this neighbor is worried since we are taking more trees down and putting up my greenhouse that they thought i was expanding the # of birds. the greenhouse is about 250 feet at least away from his property. the neighbor that is the closest to the coop loves the chickens and likes the sound of the roosters too. he's probably about 75' away from the coop.
our mocking birds 'sing' all night around here. which i thought triggered most of the roos to start crowing.
i think the complaint could be from one of the 3 neighbors bordering the back of the property. one wasn't happy with us last summer when we took down a very big tree that was diseased and when we tried burning the branches/leaves. some of the ashes from the leaves floated about 150 or so feet and ended up in his pool and he was being a jerk about it. borderline harassing us and our guests that night. we had our fire permit so i wasn't too worried about it.
we're thinking this neighbor is worried since we are taking more trees down and putting up my greenhouse that they thought i was expanding the # of birds. the greenhouse is about 250 feet at least away from his property. the neighbor that is the closest to the coop loves the chickens and likes the sound of the roosters too. he's probably about 75' away from the coop.
our mocking birds 'sing' all night around here. which i thought triggered most of the roos to start crowing.
Just-Moxie
Garden Addicted
I have really enjoyed having roosters and watching and learning from them. Their interactions with their hens, and the other roosters.
Right now, I have 4 adult roosters. They are keepers. They crow all day long. Mostly to state their presence to the other roosters. They will crow in response when I call their names. And come running ....just in case...I have a treat.
Two of the roosters were from the original hatching I bought from another local BYC-er. They don't fight each other, even though they are housed separately. The other 2 are younger, and from the flock next door. The flock mates generally tolerate each other. But they do try to whoop the other guys...lol So I have to free range them in rotation.
Mine close to the house, generally start crowing when they see the lights come on inside the house. After that...it is all day long.
I don't even hear them anymore. It's like living next to train tracks.
This morning is odd. I haven't heard anything. And the cat was spooked on the porch we keep her on during the night. I hope nothing got them.
Right now, I have 4 adult roosters. They are keepers. They crow all day long. Mostly to state their presence to the other roosters. They will crow in response when I call their names. And come running ....just in case...I have a treat.
Two of the roosters were from the original hatching I bought from another local BYC-er. They don't fight each other, even though they are housed separately. The other 2 are younger, and from the flock next door. The flock mates generally tolerate each other. But they do try to whoop the other guys...lol So I have to free range them in rotation.
Mine close to the house, generally start crowing when they see the lights come on inside the house. After that...it is all day long.
I don't even hear them anymore. It's like living next to train tracks.
This morning is odd. I haven't heard anything. And the cat was spooked on the porch we keep her on during the night. I hope nothing got them.
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buckabucka
Garden Addicted
I think there is definitely a territorial aspect to it. I disagree that roosters crow all night and day and that we just associate it with day break. Mine do crow sometimes during the day, but not regularly and in no particular pattern. The morning pattern is very predictable and fairly consistent.
I am a light sleeper. This time of year, the faint crowing of the distant neighbor rooster starts at 3:30. If the window is closed, I don't even hear it. My first rooster starts around 4. He usually crows 15 times, and if you count the seconds between, the time gets longer and longer until he stops. My other roosters respond, but I have never counted how many times. Then it is quiet again until 4:30.
I know other birds start their chatter early in the morning, but it always sounds like a continual noise. Perhaps that is because there are so many breeds out there that it is nearly impossible to keep track of any one in particular. They may be more like the roosters with timing than I realize.
I am a light sleeper. This time of year, the faint crowing of the distant neighbor rooster starts at 3:30. If the window is closed, I don't even hear it. My first rooster starts around 4. He usually crows 15 times, and if you count the seconds between, the time gets longer and longer until he stops. My other roosters respond, but I have never counted how many times. Then it is quiet again until 4:30.
I know other birds start their chatter early in the morning, but it always sounds like a continual noise. Perhaps that is because there are so many breeds out there that it is nearly impossible to keep track of any one in particular. They may be more like the roosters with timing than I realize.
Just-Moxie
Garden Addicted
Mine crowed when I went out the door to check on them at 5am. But they usually start when they see lights go on in the house, or they hear another one crowing.
Ridgerunner
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I've had roosters that crow a lot, some that don't crow much. I've seen my rooster and another one about a half mile away crow at each other. I've heard my rooster at 4:00 in the morning, long before sunrise, but only if I'm awake. He's pretty far away and locked in a building that dampens the volume. I haven't paid attention if that is on a moonlit night or not. I haven't really noticed them crowing more at sunrise than any other time. Often, out here anyway, dawn is often pretty quiet so it stands to reason you would hear them better then.
@digitS' I've heard different theories about the egg song. I've seen plenty of hens that never sing it, just stealthily lay their egg. I've had hens sing it from the nest. I've had hens leave the area of the nest before they sing it. Maybe when they are truly wild they are consistent but mine certainly are not. They are liable to do about anything.
The theory of why they sing the egg song that makes the most sense to me is that in the wild the flock is foraging while the hen is on the nest. When she comes off she does not know where they are so she sings the egg song to ask them. Some get a lot more carried away with this than others. All my roosters don't do this but I've had some that whenever they heard the egg song, they would go find the hen and mate with her, then lead her back to the flock. Not only does this get the hen back to the flock, but it gives the rooster a chance to know which hens are actively laying eggs and thus need to be fertilized. Sounds like a good survival mechanism to me.
All this is just my personal opinion and observations with my flock. You are quite welcome to your own theories, observations, and opinions. I'm not going to argue with anybody over this. We all see different things. I enjoy reading them and sometimes I even learn.
@digitS' I've heard different theories about the egg song. I've seen plenty of hens that never sing it, just stealthily lay their egg. I've had hens sing it from the nest. I've had hens leave the area of the nest before they sing it. Maybe when they are truly wild they are consistent but mine certainly are not. They are liable to do about anything.
The theory of why they sing the egg song that makes the most sense to me is that in the wild the flock is foraging while the hen is on the nest. When she comes off she does not know where they are so she sings the egg song to ask them. Some get a lot more carried away with this than others. All my roosters don't do this but I've had some that whenever they heard the egg song, they would go find the hen and mate with her, then lead her back to the flock. Not only does this get the hen back to the flock, but it gives the rooster a chance to know which hens are actively laying eggs and thus need to be fertilized. Sounds like a good survival mechanism to me.
All this is just my personal opinion and observations with my flock. You are quite welcome to your own theories, observations, and opinions. I'm not going to argue with anybody over this. We all see different things. I enjoy reading them and sometimes I even learn.
