Roosters crow all the time. The connection with the sun coming up is a misconception. They might, on occasion, crow right at dawn. Foghorn starts his deep loud crow usually 30 minutes before the sun crests the horizon. However, roosters crow whenever they feel like it: morning, noon and night, not to mention afternoon, evening and the parts of the day that don’t have names. Basically all the time, if they want.
Roosters crow because they hear other roosters crowing, to show that a certain place in the barnyard is their turf, to try and assert their authority over another rooster, or even to gloat when a hen cackles after laying an egg. They will even crow to call the ladies back to the run, when they are out free ranging. I think the general rule for this is that a rooster crows any time it wants to – or feels the need. If Foghorn crows, Houdini crows. If Houdini crows, Foghorn crows. You get the idea, there is lots of crowing going on in my yard.
The Silkie Roosters crow sporadically throughout the day, most likely because their breed is very docile.
Because I have three different breeds of roosters, I can attest to the fact that each roosters crow sounds different.
Foghorn is a Blue Maran rooster and he stands close to 3 feet tall, so he is a big guy and his crow is deep in pitch and tone and he carries the crow longer than the other guys. He’s really loud!
Houdini who is a Phoenix Rooster which is a red jungle fowl stands a little over 18″ tall. His crow is higher in pitch and cuts off at the end, almost like he can’t get the last part out. We laughed at it when we first got him, but after I did some research I discovered this is a trait of his breed.
Al and the other Silkie rooster (I refuse to name him, he’s not my favorite) stand about 12′ tall. Their crows are squeaky, but pretty strong for such pretty boys.
Chickens have three eyelids for each eye, the upper lid, the lower lid, and the nictitating membrane. During the day, when they are awake, chickens usually keep their upper and lower lids open, but they frequently blink the nictitating membrane closed momentarily. It is a transparent lid that the chickens can see through, and it helps clean, moisten, and protect the eye.
When a rooster crows it closes or partly closes this third lid. While I was snapping photos of Foghorn in the garden I caught the eye-lid in the act (top right photo). A roosters third eye lid closes while he is crowing because he is vulnerable when his head is thrown back during the crow and his throat is exposed.
You know the picture of the rooster on the fence sending out his cock-a-doodle-doo to wake up the farmer? Its actually true that roosters like to elevate themselves over the other hens and roosters. They like the height because their first job is to protect their ‘ladies’ the hens, and if they are higher up it allows them to keep an eye on their flock. Sending out the crow to send warnings and scare off predators.
All of my guys will find what ever they can to stand on, even if it is something as simple as a clump of dirt. If it raises them above the rest, that is all that matters. I think of the analogy of a king on his throne watching his subjects.
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We had a few banty roosters last year (actually one banty and two silkie) and we had to re-home them because they were too noisy for our neighborhood. They really do crow all day. Your roosters are beautiful!!
Thank you ma’m! How in the world did you find homes for roosters? Every time I look I get the same response. I’ll take yours if you take mine! 🙂
It’s very true. My boys crow at all hours. I find they do it more when there is a lot going on. My favourite crowers are definitely my silkies 🙂
Awesome pictures, and great post!
Thanks you! Yep, my guys crow more when they are free ranging or if I am out there gardening. Those silkies are so sweet!
What fantastic shots! My man-friend is obsessed with the jungle fowl roosters – he showed me a picture and proclaimed to me last night, “THESE ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COCKS IN THE WORLD.” And 12-year-old me giggled a lot.
I want to see your rooters images.
Oh my gosh your birds are beautiful!!!!!!! I want chickens SOOOO bad!
Get them!!!
Your roosters and hens are beautiful! Thanks for the info, I learned a lot in your post. I am patiently waiting for the day when we can get chickens (it might be a while) as I think they are fabulous to have! Lovely photos, too. So glad I stopped by!
Thanks, I like to think they are beauties, but I’m partial. I hope you don’t have to wait too long to get them. They are great to have, very entertaining.
Someone needs to come up with an inexpensive way to remove the crowing capacity of roosters. Because right now, they are impossible to keep within city limits, and they are impossible to find homes for.
In my neighborhood, it is known that I have backyard hens, and across the last eight months, I have had 6 roosters dumped over my fence—probably because the owners don’t know what to do with them, either. If they were purebreds, the feed stores would take them, but because they are not, I seem to be stuck with them. I have them in cages in my garage to muffle their noise, and a couple of loud individuals are in my utility room which is surrounded by multiple walls to muffle the sound. Caring for them is unneeded work and expense for me.
We need better options!!!
You doooo have pretty roosters, and that IS of course why we put up with them, hah?
Why don’t the people simply have them processed. Chickens are good eating. I live in the country and have 43 hens and a revolving group of roosters that you inevitably get when allowing hensto brood their eggs to hatching. We just have the group processed any time we get a couple dozen
How do you tell the difference between a rooster and a chicken when they are baby chicks??
Thanks for basic info on these grt little creatures. My grandmas had coops but was never allowed to bother the chickens. My first real close experience was at a condo in Hawaii. Entertained me all week. They were fascinating. Have a farm across my creek with chickens. Love the sound. They are free range so see them on our side of creek once in awhile.
Will a rooster kill a hen?
I can’t imagine why a rooster would try to kill a hen. But with animals you never know why they do the things they do.
My very large Light Brahma rooster: KIng Nero, will crow anytime he wants too. Now, he crows in response to the barking of our neighbors dogs. It is amusing indeed!
After the chicks hatch and their down has dried, examine the two rows of tiny feathers at the edge of the wings. The hens have primary feathers longer than covert feathers (the feathers are uneven lengths). Roosters have primary and covert feathers that are the same length (all the feathers are the same length).