Rooster doesn't crow anymore (not complaining but intrigued)

[superchemicalgirl]

I got my rooster 08.01.10 as an approximately 8 week old chick. He spent a few weeks in my basement under quarantine. He eventually started crowing down there.

When I put him out with the established and slightly older flock of girls he did get picked on a bit. Now probably about a third to half of the girls let him mate them, the others fight and peck him when he tries it and he slinks off.

However, now that he's been outside (and it's been about 2 months) he hasn't crowed a peep. No, I'm not complaining (and it wouldn't bother me a bit if he did crow)... but I'm intrigued. Is he not crowing because one (or more) of my hens are dominant? I've heard that roos other than the alpha won't crow.

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[CMV]

I am also intrigued. He's bound to start crowing sometime. I wonder how long it will take. I think you must be right about the dominant hen. Interesting.

 

[AlbionWood]

Quote:
I wish! Both of mine crow their fool heads off - beginning in pitch-darkness around 4 AM - even though one is clearly The King. I'm hoping it's just a phase (they are still young, about 5 months).

 

[RhodeRunner]

Very interesting. Rooster laryngitis?

I have a lot of roosters. Some obnoxious and others crow seldomly. I depends on their personality. My most dominant roosters rarely crow (Junglefowl X, and a Brahma) It is my Silkies that run around the yard screaming.
Maybe he just feels comfortable in his situation? If he doesn’t show any signs of being sick, I wouldn’t worry about it. He's a keeper!

Best wishes,
Jamie

 

[gritsar]

When I had two brahma roos, only the alpha (Zeus) crowed. Thor didn't start crowing until after I re-homed Zeus. Thor is not what you would call an excessive crower. Thor takes spells. He crows daily (maybe 4 to 5 times a day) in the spring and summer, very little in the winter and not at all when he's molting.

Now I have two young cockerels and they crow all the time, trying to outdo each other. I think Impy even crows in his sleep

But, since Thor was in a long molt, he didn't crow back even though I know he could hear the young upstarts.
Now Thor is just about finished with his molt and yesterday he started crowing back. My theory is that a roo whose health is comprimised in some way, as when they are molting and not in top form, won't crow as much. A crow is a challenge and a proclamation of territory and a bird that's not in top form is not going to send out a challenge his body can't back up.

I know this isn't true for all roosters; just the way it has worked out on our farm.

 

[greenSearcher]

Punkit, our rooster, only crows to call his girls or us in the morning. He finished molting a few weeks ago, and during the molting he did not crow, he whined at me and clucked at the girls. He certainly looked and acted woebegone. Things are back to normal, he greats the day wanting out, and then once the pop door is open he chases his girls, but this time he doesn't force the mating, just makes it clear to the hen he could if he wanted to. It is much quieter than before the molt, where I would threaten his demise repeatedly during the day.

I look at all the pink combs in the brooder, I fear I have more than the 2 extra roos I deliberately ordered. Oh well, once each breed has its' roo, the others will move to the bachelor pen to finish growing out. I want a roo for each breed and will house 2 breed in each house, a dominant and compliant breed, such as the Delaware and Naked Necks housed together, Speckled Sussex and Blue Andalusian, and EE's with 4 of the current hens and the Silkies. It looks like I have an extra Delaware, Silkie, Speckled Sussex for sure, and a couple others that are waiting for the crow/egg. Will be noisy in the spring!

 

[pgpoultry]

I have 5 roosters and only my alpha roo is crowing. Alpha boy lets out a few token crows in the morning only.

My juveniles (16 and 20 weeks respectively) haven't started to crow, and my beta and gamma have fallen silent since moulting.

Now I know this quiet behaviour is good in the city, but we are in the country where crowing is considered to be normal and I LIKE to hear them.

Mine look healthy, glossy, greedy big boys.

Maybe your rooster's affliction has 'crossed the pond' superchemicalgirl! (Maybe we could sell our roosters to those who like silent boys!!!!!!)

 

[silkiechicken]

I think it depends on the rooster and how they feel. He probably doesn't feel like it because he is not top roo.

Oddly enough... my top roo rarely crows, and my small rooster syndrome silkie boys will crow all day long. Not that the top roo cares, because I don't think he considers the little fluff balls to be worth his time, if he even thinks they are of his species.

I enjoy hearing them crow too, but I think I may have heard them so much I don't really notice them anymore, as evident as a little cousin who spent the weekend stumbling down the hall with his hands over his ears saying "stop crowing stupid chicken". LOL I didn't even notice the noise.

 

[Jferlisi]

LOL. I think it all depends on the roo. I have a roo who is 17 weeks, and has not crowed. I am home all day and out there for a good portion of the day so i would hear him. He is the top chicken of the pin but i do have a hen who will stand her ground to him (shes a EE and when i named her cleopatra i did not know she whould be top hen LOL). I just started letting them free range and i watch them when they do and he will make a small honk like noise when he finds bugs but its not loud at all. You would not hear it if you where not next to him.

 

[dolly85]

My roos who are lowest on the totem pole don't crow as much.