Transgender Hens?
We have 4 hens, but about a month ago I heard a poor excuse for a crow coming from the coop. Is there a 5th bird, a rooster that I missed somehow? Was I dreaming this?
No, its just one of my very male-like hens trying to...umm...be more male?
Here is the situation: Switters and Omelet both look more rooster-like (larger/very red comb and waddle, longer neck/tail feathers), while Gloria and Buffy definitely look hens. While Switters is just territorial like a rooster, Omelet now vocalizes her roo-ness every morning at 7 am, for about 20 minutes.
I've read that if you don't have a rooster, one of your hens will become more dominant and rooster-like. This only makes sense, as chickens have a complex social structure, with the rooster playing a dominant role for the flock. So it seems only natural that if you do not have a true rooster, that the hens will do their part and fill in the void. Also, "gender" does not mean strictly male or female characteristics, as many species (including humans) display a wide variety of gender traits and behaviors.
So what does a crowing hen sound like? I found a video that provides a great example. The crow is still almost as loud, but is no where near the full sound of a true rooster.
What are we going to do with our crowing hen? Our local laws allow us to keep one rooster, but they are still subject to noise ordinances. Since our neighbors don't mind, we've accepted our hen Omelet for who she is and she will remain in our flock despite the early morning wake up calls.
So what happens if you live in a city where only hens are legal (because roosters crow) and now your hens are crowing? From what I've read it is not too common, so I don't see it being an issue for many city chicken keepers. If it does happen to you, talk with your neighbors to find out if you need to find your hen a new home.
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Re: Transgender Hens?
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have like 27.5 of these hen-roosters!!!! its so insane!!!! they crow all the time everyday!!!!! I want to eat them because I'm so mmmmmmaaaaaaaaaddddddddd! Too much dominance for one coop to handle. How do you think i could fix this problem? I have already tried playing the rooster role myself but i guess I'm not rooster-like enough, even though i wear a costume.
Re: Transgender Hens?
Omelet is moving to a new home in the North Valley of Albuquerque, which is an agricultural/residential district. She will be very happy there, and can crow as much as she likes. She will hear plenty of other roosters crowing there as well.
Re: Transgender Hens?
I had a pretty normal young 'hen' who laid small, yolkless eggs- they had normal whites and shells. We isolated her to confirm it. Then one day we saw 'her' fighting with the resident cock/rooster, and she began to grow a large comb. Fiona became Fionn and went on to father chicks. He behaved like a normal male after that.
How does this happen? We had a rooster!
Re: Transgender Hens?
That is really weird! I had no idea that could happen.
Re: Transgender Hens?
I have had crowing hens before too. Usually it happens when there is a disturbance in the pecking order. For example one of my OEG hens started crowing when my young rooster first started crowing. She wasn't happy to have him around I think. Her comb got quite big too. Once I got rid of him, she eventually went back to normal and stopped crowing.
Re: Transgender Hens?
We have 4 hens, but about a month ago I heard a poor excuse for a crow coming from the coop. Is there a 5th bird, a rooster that I missed somehow? Was I dreaming this?
boediger
Re: Transgender Hens?
I had gay roosters. They mounted eachother regularly and sat together. Really strange and unusual match up. There was a hen too but I don't think they bothered Henny Penny too often. I went away to college and they were all gone when I came home for break! LOL
Re: Transgender Hens?
Hey KT or anyone else who has had a hen crowing problem, I have a question.
I started with straight run chicks. Out of 8, one died a couple days after I got it. Then after a few months, some started showing male characteristics and others not. When the first one started to crow, it was time to give him away along with another who looked just like him. When those two were gone, a third started crowing, so we had the other adolescents looked at and the two that were identified as roosters (including the one crowing) were given away. The remaining three were identified as hens. Now, a month later, after much practice, the dominant remaining hen has progressed from squawking in the wee hours of the morning, to hen-crowing. She looks just like the other light brahma hen we have and nothing like the light brahma rooster we gave away. The only rooster-like things about her is her stance and her crow which is increasing in frequency and annoying the neighbors. (Her face is also much redder than the other hen's)
I am worried that if I give away this crowing hen that one of my last two hens will take her place and take up crowing and the cycle will continue until I have no hens left. KT, when you gave away your crowing hen, did any other hens start crowing?
Re: Transgender Hens?
i ordered 12 pullets and 1 cockerel, and resieved 14 chicks. at 2 monthes the cockeral started to crow, when a second bird started crowing, i figured that the extra must have been a cockeral also, are there any easy ways to tell wich one(s) are cockerals since other birds are also showing signs of beeing cocerals? i have never seen who was crowing, but my mom has.
Re: Transgender Hens?
Good question Emily. I'd give it a chance and see if the other hens start to crow.
I had NO other hens that started crowing when I gave the hen away, but she stopped crowing when she moved to a home in the agricultural area of town (and she never laid another egg). Maybe she heard a rooster or something, or just enjoyed living on a couple of acres instead of our 1/8 of an acre.
Chickens are odd!
Re: Transgender Hens?
This is very interesting. I was just watching a documentary about children who are transgender. I suppose there is a possibility of it happening in birds and animals too.
Pat
Re: Transgender Hens?
I have a hen that started crowing once others had passed away and she finally became the dominant hen. She crows every day. It's rather pathetic, not as pure as a rooster, but a definite crow! Just another thing that these chickens do to make me smile. :)
Re: Transgender Hens?
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