Author Topic: crowing times (Read 2074 times)

madchickenlady · « **on:** December 16, 2013, 05:11:20 pm »

I have a lovely White Sussex cockerel, the only problem is that he likes to crow around 2am

is this normal, he is driving my OH mad, so he may have to go! I didn't really want to keep cockerels anyway but didn't have the heart to dispatch him by the time I realised he was a boy, still I know the signs better now so will have to harden up and fill the freezer. What is the best age for meat birds to be dispatched? Tommy is about 9 months now, is he too old?

Stereo · « **Reply #1 on:** December 16, 2013, 05:35:10 pm »

No, he should be fine. Probably 6 months or so is perfect for a Sussex but he'll still be nice and tender I would have thought.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #2 on:** December 16, 2013, 05:42:59 pm »

Try the slow cooker. It may be that 2.00 a.m. is when your local fox is on his rounds and your cockerel's sounding the alarm.

HesterF · « **Reply #3 on:** December 16, 2013, 09:37:59 pm »

My Marans cockerel had a fight through the netting with one of the Orpington cockerels so I brought him in overnight to give me a chance to sort out their arrangements and to check that his wounds were only superficial (stupid creature had picked the fight in the first place and then was clearly the worse off). Anyhow, whilst in the kitchen - beneath our bedroom - he started crowing at 3am, in the pitch black. And continued, and continued....he was kicked out promptly the next day (and continues to pick fights too). Fortunately we can't hear our cockerels from the house normally but I can vouch for them crowing in the middle of the night in pitch darkness!

chrismahon · « **Reply #4 on:** December 17, 2013, 04:19:17 am »

In my experience cockerels respond to changes in light levels. At the moment it is a full moon and one has started crowing at 5.00am. All it takes with some is a cloud to move giving more light and they start. We have one youngster who is an early crower I think mainly because of the position of his coop. Problem is one sets the others off. So it may only need a passing car, a full moon or someone wandering around with a torch in the early hours. We had this problem at the last rental- 4.30am regardless of the conditions he would start. I suspected someone in the woods doing the rounds checking traps.

lord flynn · « **Reply #5 on:** December 17, 2013, 07:11:30 am »

yep, a clear night or disturbance can = crowing. I had one that crowed round the clock though regardless. I used to bring him in to the shed at night, put him in a crate and cover him up with a horse rug (propped up so he had plenty of ventilation) and that would mostly keep him quiet until the birds got up. He had to go eventually.