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Barnyard Buddies:  I think my rooster is broken...  |
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Unusual Farm Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
58 Posts
Tammie
Ohio
USA
58 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 24 2011 : 09:37:21 AM
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I've raised chickens for over 5 years now. And yes, i KNOW and positive he is a rooster. he has no problem trying to mate some of the girls but is not overly amorous with them.
NEVER have I encountered a rooster that does not crow.....until now.
He is the lone roo with 13 ladies in his harem. No other chickens or roosters around. They are set close enough to the house I would hear if he were crow. They hatched out {mcmurray order} the last week of January. So they are just now 5 months old. The ladies have not laid their first egg yet either. Anytime now I expect.
He has NEVER crowed! I'm not complaining yet it just does not seem right.
Any chicken wisdom input from those who have experienced similar? Will this play into his fertility factor?
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2011 : 09:51:31 AM
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Maybe he is waiting for that first egg to have something to crow about!!! :)
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2011 : 09:53:21 AM
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That is too funny! Are you going to hatch out any of his babies? Wouldn't that be neat if his baby roosters didn't crow either? If it is a trait that is reliably passed down that could actually be quite valuable, I would think!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
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Unusual Farm Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
58 Posts
Tammie
Ohio
USA
58 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2011 : 10:00:50 AM
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He is a Deleware and we purposly ordered some the females for that reason of hatching out our own. There are a few other breeds in there but that was more due to the fact we wanted a little variety in the egg color since we are sharing eggs with a neighbor {they have never raised chickens and are excited to have the "real deal" dark yolk eggs. Would that not be the coolest? To have such a trait carry on down the line. lol.
It is funny, I feel silly for even questioning such a "gift" but it does have wonder about the long term. I've heard of roosters not wanting to bring attention to themselves while sick/injured or with other roo's around but he is the lone Ranger male.
Maybe that wil be the key, waiting for the ladies to get their egg on. Now that is an amusing thought. |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2011 : 10:26:02 AM
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well i would like to venture the guess...he is not quite old enough. he will crow. in the beginning for me i worried too. the girls were first. they layed eggs and he practiced a squeecky crow. he just needs more time to mature. congrats on the flock. a fine thing for sure. happy days for you sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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Primginger
Farmgirl in Training
26 Posts
Melissa
Wescosville
pa
USA
26 Posts |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2011 : 1:09:09 PM
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on rare occasions, what appears to be a rooster on the outside, may be 1/2 hen, I think it's spelled "morphidite", it happens in all animals, includeing humans, thou rare I have seen it in dogs and a lamb...or as some of the others have said, he's too young yet...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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sissarge
True Blue Farmgirl
502 Posts
Linda
Montgomery
Texas
USA
502 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2011 : 3:53:24 PM
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| Hang in there Tammie, I too had a roo that ran with the girls and acted like them and even sat in the nest box, not for long tho, but he looked like a roo, had the tail and the comb. But one morning before he turned a year, he decided who he wanted to be. He starting strutting and trying to mate, and then he crowed, it was so funnie sounding, kinda like the young ones, but like a sore throat. All the hens, turned to look at him, and then he did it again, and continued until it sounded good. Well, I have to tell you, that he did not take his rightful place, he still acted like a hen. But the eggs were fertile. I gave him to a retirement home for chickens, and they love him and I purchased a new macho little stud. Good Luck Farmgirl #946 Linda |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2011 : 3:54:51 PM
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How often do chickens hatch twins? the majority of the time hermaphroditism is a result of one twin absorbing a fraternal twin in utero of a different gender.
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2011 : 7:48:34 PM
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Mine have crowing contests. One starts then another then another. It's like surround sound here. I have one out back with his girls, then another one in front with his girls, then another that is free ranging with his girls. So when they all crow, it's really neat. Back when I had 8 roos, it was always noisy. Now not so bad. So I am thinking he's never heard another roo crow so hasn't figured it out yet. Give him time. He will. Then you'll wish he hadn't found his voice!
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Unusual Farm Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
58 Posts
Tammie
Ohio
USA
58 Posts |
Posted - Jun 25 2011 : 05:29:24 AM
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I guess it just started to worry me since since any roo's Ive had in the past started to crow early on. usually around 3-4 months they would begin trying it out.
Just seemed odd. We had a second roo up until a month ago. I sold him with 2 hens to a man who only wanted a few but did not want to order chicks. That one was not crowing before he left either.
Although, the mention of passive roosters is exact on him. He is such a sweet guy to us. Very large but truly one of the rare nicer personalities in a rooster.
Just thought I would ask for some input on this odd behavior.
Thank you ladies for all the replies. i feel better knowing it's not as odd as I thought it was. :)
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Ms.Lilly
True Blue Farmgirl
826 Posts
Lillian
Scotts Mills
OR
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - Jun 25 2011 : 07:26:57 AM
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| Your rooster isn't broken. I have a Deiaware roo and he is the best roo anyone could have! When we got him he was the lone rooster out of 25 girls. For the longest time he thought he was one of the girls. I don't think we really heard him crow for about the first 6 months, now we can't shut him up! Enjoy the quiet while you can it will happen. |
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Barnyard Buddies: I think my rooster is broken... |
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I think my rooster is broken...
