Help! My hen is crowing!!

lv9777

Chirping
Aug 29, 2021
95
187
76
I have a 3 yr old Barred rock who is top hen in my group of three. She has recently started crowing. She has always been vocal, but the crowing sounds just like a rooster. I live in the suburbs, so this is a big problem. I usually let them out to free range a bit, when I get home from work and she seems to do it when I am late and she can see me in the house. I started to respond immediately, but I don't want to train her that crowing works to get attention. She is very nice and does not act aggressive towards me or other chickens (other than necessary to retain her ranking).
Is there anything I can do to curb this behavior? Once they start does this usually continue? She is a VERY smart chicken, could I train her somehow? I have trained her to do several tricks which is easy because she is very food motivated, but I don't know how to train her NOT to do something. Any advice is welcome.
 

Folly's place

Enabler
10 Years
Sep 13, 2011
25,014
45,054
1,176
southern Michigan
Is she still laying eggs? Is she growing male type feathering? Sometimes hens develop ovarian issues and look and behave more like roosters.
If you can't have a rooster, she isn't one, so she's still legal, although some neighbor could maybe complain using a noise ordinance.
It's actually kind of cute, she's really trying to run the show! There are 'no crow' collars, but can actually strangle a bird, so not such a good idea.
Mary
 

lv9777

Chirping
Aug 29, 2021
95
187
76
She is still laying 5-6 days a week and acting like a hen otherwise. She still does the squatting dance. She has always been bossy and in charge though. She bosses that cats around too. :).
I am just afraid my neighbors will complain.
 

Battlepants

Songster
Dec 13, 2021
865
2,024
241
There is a method of shaking up the pecking order by removing a lead/bully chicken from the flock for a couple days, then reintroducing them. This will force them into a newbie role and will no longer be on top of the pecking order, at least for some time.

I'm hesitant to suggest this as this is typically done for bully hens, but this MIGHT work if she truly believes herself to be a roo. Pushing her back to a hen level in the pecking order might just set her right.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Top Bottom