Why roosters crow: reasons depending on different times of the day. What to do if the rooster crows loudly? Do roosters crow in winter
The scientific explanation of the phenomenon of cock singing is based on a territorial basis. The alpha male crows, notifying potential rivals that he is the master in this area and should not be disturbed. Other available conclusions are based on the observations and experience of the owners of chicken farms and are conjectural in nature, as they fit a number of special cases, but do not fully explain the behavior of the bird.
When do they sing?
It has been proven that a rooster crows in the following cases:
- when "unauthorized" intrusion into the territory of an open range or into the premises of a chicken coop of strangers ( strangers, wild or domestic animals and birds);
- on the eve of upcoming weather changes;
- at dawn.
The male has in " vocabulary" many other sounds that he uses in order to:
- warn chickens and offspring about the danger;
- invite them to share a meal;
- to pull up the "insolent", from his point of view, fellow tribesmen.
But these messages are ignored by people, as they are significantly inferior in pressure and volume to crowing.
Constant screams
Some especially zealous individuals can crow around the clock with short breaks for food and sleep. This behavior can be explained only by some deviations of the genetic code. Experienced poultry farmers believe that these manifestations may be the result of breed costs.
It was noticed that on the territory of our country, most often rampant screamers are found among breeds derived from the Yurlovskaya vociferous (the second part of the name explains everything), such as:
- Zagorskaya salmon;
- Moscow black;
- adler silver;
- May Day.
Comparative analysis of meat and egg-bearing breeds' propensity to kurekan showed that the "leadership" belongs to the latter.
How to reduce the voice activity of a rooster
There are several effective methods make the bird quieter:
- 1. If the rooster constantly screams at night or wakes up the owners too early in the morning, you can try to place it at this time of day in a dark room with limited but sufficient space for air to enter. This will moderate the ardor of the feathered one, without affecting the behavior in general. It is important to remember that subsequently releasing it into bright light is required gradually, a sharp transition can cause stress in the bird.
- 2. There is a strict hierarchy in the chicken coop. In the presence of several males, seniority belongs to only one. The alpha male takes precedence in mating and feeding sound signal. During the morning roll call, the rest of the roosters have the right to vote only after the leader. Any encroachment on the authority of the alpha male is severely suppressed. If you put an older and physically more powerful rooster in a chicken coop with a frantic screamer, the problem will be solved very quickly.
- 3. Another way to make the male quieter is to make a collar from a piece of fabric tape with Velcro. For these purposes, an element with a double-sided working surface is suitable. A piece larger than the diameter of the bird's neck is cut off. The plumage at the withers rises. The collar freely wraps around the neck and fastens with Velcro. The effect is that the rooster will not be able to draw in enough air for a loud cry. He crows, but quietly, in a whisper.
Beginning poultry keepers should keep in mind that roosters from the same brood behave much calmer. They have almost no sense of competition. They fight and scream much less than individuals of different tribes.
Many breeders of chickens, villagers and people who visit countryside, rooster cries woke up more than once, they are also heard at other times of the day. Etymologists have found that the rooster crows for a reason, it is its territorial acoustic, or sound, signal.
Without sounds, birds will not be able to communicate with each other. In nature, there is a great variety of sounds, especially wild chickens, whose habitat is thickets of shrubs with a limited outlook, are especially distinguished by their roll calls.
A crowing is audible to the human ear if the rooster is two kilometers away. This sound is single and long, at a high frequency. How much a male chicken crowed depends on the circumstances and the purpose of the call. If the cockerel has found food, he will begin to make repeated calls that serve as a call for the hens.
The most effective thing is when the rooster gives a loud high-pitched signal for a long time. The same cock male always pronounces the crowing in almost the same way, with deviations of no more than half a tone.
Scientists have long figured out why a rooster crows loudly, and what about when another chicken male, or several, is nearby. The sound made may be a challenge, and the brethren who are in the same rank as the rooster are called to it in response. When a subordinate cock of the lowest rank raises a cry in his yard, the dominant male attacks the one who dared to raise his voice, he does not give a sound answer.
Rooster calls
Why does a rooster crow, if its brother is at an impressive distance from him, and the males do not see each other, it becomes clear if you understand the natural evolutionary factors. As usual, the rooster has its own “chicken harem”, and the bird group lives in one area. Birds zealously protect their food, rest and sleep from strangers, including from their own kind.
An aggressive attitude helps populations to spread, develop new habitats, and also eliminates overpopulation. Although the brutality of fighting with mutilation or death can harm the entire species, the number of birds is declining, even more so if male producers die. Thus, the reason why male chickens crow is simple, they need to protect their territories, seize and develop new ones, but roosters use harmless ways of settling, crying is an intimidating maneuver.
Crowing, the male sends a warning to the rival about the busyness of this yard and an offer to look for another place. A serious fight between rivals can only begin when everything nearby is already populated. The rooster, the strongest physically and psychologically, wins, and he will continue the race, which will lead to the prosperity of the species, an evolutionary progressive turn will occur, but this was more typical for wild ancestors modern chickens. The domestication of roosters was due to their vociferousness.
Domestic birds are more controlled by a person, although the chickens have not forgotten the form of territorial behavior, and the male always reminds the neighboring roosters that the yard and chicken coop are his territory. The roosters also sing loudly after a love affair with a chicken.
morning call
Etymologists also find out why roosters crow in the morning. There is a version that the owner of the yard is eager to declare his rights already from waking up. He can periodically voice warnings to opponents throughout the day and evening.
Like all living things, chickens have biological circadian rhythms. Therefore, the male bird begins its singing trills in the morning, at a certain period of time. Moreover, until the cock leading the herd crowed, others are silent, waiting for him. The rooster often crows during the day to mark its territory, either by “flirting” with females, or to call its “harem” for food, for walks. For peasants, cockerels often served as living alarm clocks. It also happens that a rooster crows loudly at night, scientists are still working on this phenomenon.
Tip: An external stimulus, such as light or change temperature regime, also lead to the rapid awakening of the bird.
Age, appearance of a loud voice
At what age roosters begin to crow, today it is only approximately determined. Babies under two months of age cannot make loud sounds, and are still squeaking. Young cockerels at two and a half months old try their hand at crowing, but it turns out to be somewhat ridiculous. There are individuals who began to master the loud call at 3 months of age, which is already quite good. Most male chickens learn to fully crow at four or five months of age. Often a young rooster crows constantly for several days, not even half an hour passes. Gradually, the frequency of the cry passes. Six-month-old youngsters are already crying with might and main.
Tip: Undertakings are influenced by the breed, the conditions in which the birds live. Well-groomed males begin to sing earlier than not very well-groomed, rather weak and skinny counterparts.
Why can't they sing?
It happens that the rooster does not crow. Then you need to deal with his state of health. The bird may be silent due to complications with respiratory tract. Signs of the disease are also a pale scallop, shortness of breath. You will need to see a veterinarian, possibly antibiotic treatment.
After the illness, the bird may also stop singing for a while. If the changes affect hormonal background, the male may not feel like a leader in protecting the territory, he does not trample the hens, although the rest of the behavior is normal.
If roosters interfere with sleep
Chicken males sometimes sing at night, at one, two and four early in the morning. Until they came up with effective way how to make a rooster not crow, especially at night. Some zoologists experimented by keeping birds for more than one day in dark room, but the schedule of singing was still not violated. It is not always possible to change nature. Therefore, if roosters sing in your own or neighboring area, it remains to enjoy the beautiful iridescent sound.
Tip: Thickening the walls in the chicken coop will help muffle the bird's cry.
Roosters are birds known for their loudness. Every farmer's day used to begin with the first crow of a rooster. Nowadays, the noise that these birds make often becomes an annoying problem. Consider why roosters crow, what to do if the bird has stopped doing it, as well as methods for weaning a rooster from crowing.
Why do roosters crow
To the question why roosters crow, one can give an unequivocal answer: for these birds, crowing is a way of communication and roll call. At the same time, there is a certain hierarchy among the birds. The leader (alpha male) gives his voice first, and only after him do the other kochets begin to crow. Interestingly, if the subordinate rooster crows first, the leader attacks and often beats him to death. There are times when kochets begin to scream constantly. If your rooster cries all day, with short breaks for meals and sleep, this indicates negative mutations in the bird's genes. It may also depend on the breed. One of the loudest is May Day.
Kochets, like many other birds, have a biological clock, so their crowing also depends on the time of day.
Did you know? Roosters crow even when they are blind and deaf.
In the morning
Roosters crowing in early time connected with their natural instincts. It is at this time of day that their cry is the longest and loudest. The time birds start to call does not depend on the time of sunrise and lighting, as it may seem at first glance. Kochets give voice according to the signal of their internal clock. So they show themselves the masters of their territory, communicate with each other.
Roosters are divided into first, second and third, depending on what time they start to sing. The first and second scream at night, and the third give voice by 4 o'clock in the morning. 
During the day
At night
Kochet biorhythms make themselves felt at night. The aforementioned first and second roosters start crowing by the first and third hours of the night, respectively. At night, the likelihood of meeting a predator that preys on birds increases. For this reason, the kochet can scream at night.
At what age does a rooster start to crow
The first crowing attempts of a young cockerel can be heard at the age of two and a half months, when he is just learning to make himself felt with this sound. 
While learning, cockerels sing every half an hour. The number of crowing birds increases by the age of three months, at 4–5 months most of the individuals begin to crow, and at the age of 6 months all males already crow.
Important! If the bird is silent after six months, you should contact your veterinarian.
What to do so that the rooster does not crow
The frequent and loud calls of birds can disturb farmers. And sometimes the neighbors can complain about the annoying "crowing". There are several ways to get rid of this habit in bettas:
- Give me a lift to young rooster male, which will be older (at the age of about 3 years) and stronger than him. Keep them together for a month. After that, the young cockerel will lose its alpha male authority and stop screaming so often.
- Use a special collar that is worn around the bird's neck, preventing enough air from being drawn in for a loud call by blocking the larynx. With such a collar, the cockerel will begin to wheeze, but this will definitely help get rid of unwanted loudness.
- Choose breeds of bettas that are less prone to shouting. The loudest breeds are considered: Adler silver, Zagorsk salmon, Moscow black, May Day, minor and leggorn.
It is important to understand that crowing is the norm for a healthy kochet, so before you start birds, you should consider whether you can tolerate the loud cries of birds.
Did you know? A chicken can distinguish its owner from other people from a distance of 100 meters.
Why did the bird stop crowing
You can get used to the loud cries of a rooster, but his silence is an occasion to think about the health of the bird. 
A cockerel may stop crowing for several reasons:
- infectious bronchitis- it's a disease respiratory organs which unfortunately has no cure. However, the meat of a sick bird will not harm a person.
- Bronchopneumonia- with this disease, the kochet begins to wheeze. The sick cockerel is isolated, treated with antibiotics, and after a week they are returned to the chicken coop.
- colibacillosis- the cause of the disease is Escherichia coli. It strikes internal organs feathered. Treated with antibiotics.
- Moult- the cockerel falls silent only for the period of molting, after which it starts to sing again.
- aging process- with age, the birds begin to wheeze and may stop screaming altogether.
- Hormonal changes.
Important!If you are not sure why your rooster has stopped singing, be sure to contact your veterinarian. If found infection, this will help prevent infection of other inhabitants of the chicken coop.
What does crowing mean according to folk signs
It has long been believed that this bird can predict trouble. Many folk signs are associated with crowing. 
Consider what a cockerel can scream for, according to popular beliefs:
- If the feathered one screams very loudly and beats at the windows, a fire may soon occur in the house.
- The cockerel lost his voice - to the illness of loved ones.
- If during dinner a kochet ran into the house and jumped on the table - to the death of one of the family members.
- The bird shakes its head for no reason - to trouble.
- Waking up from the cry of a kochet in the morning - to good luck and a good day.
- Kochet is bathed in dust - to be rain.
- Molting was considered a warning of good and warm weather.
- Cock crow in broad daylight - to unexpected changes in the owner's life.
Video: Why roosters crow in the morning
How do roosters determine when to sing in the morning?
Crowing is a kind of challenge to other roosters, to which they give a response call. Roosters, separated by a long distance and not seeing each other, call to one another about the territories occupied by the rooster and its "harem". In nature, each such group of birds has its own site. Here they find food, here they rest and sleep. This area is protected from the invasion of other birds of the same species.. |
The first time the rooster begins to sing at 1 o'clock in the morning, these are the first roosters; the second roosters crow at 2 o'clock and finally the third at 4 o'clock in the morning.
But how does the feathered singer know the time? Some researchers believe that cock singing is associated with the location of the stars in the sky. The first roosters crow when the star Canopus (the constellation Carina) appears above the horizon. And as soon as this star disappears beyond the horizon, the second roosters begin to sing. But just how do roosters, being in a chicken coop, follow the stars? For people, the crowing of a rooster has always been a landmark of time, that is, a living clock, a natural awakening signal. The villagers who set out on their journey wait for the first roosters to sing in order to be blessed to set off on the road. After the second rooster crowed, village women get up from their beds to knead bread, start milking cows, etc. Together with the third roosters, the entire working population of the village is already going to their daily work. There are even sayings: “He gets up with the first roosters”, “The third roosters sang”, etc. Oddly enough, it was thanks to his crowing that the rooster became a pet. Probably still primitive people they saw in a rooster, loudly proclaiming the onset of a new day, a mysterious messenger of supernatural forces, the deity of the Sun.
Hello dear readers and readers! It is customary for a poultry farmer to hear flooding singing in the morning. Even people who are far from poultry farming are familiar with this bird feature. Why do roosters crow in the morning?
Morning singing is what everyone associates with cockerels. No wonder in ancient times they served as alarm clocks and even to determine the time! However, few people question why this is so.
In order not to torment your curiosity, we reveal the main secrets of morning rooster singing!
What do farmers think about this?
Once a survey was conducted about the causes of cocksong in the morning. Some farmers were confused and did not know what to answer, others laughed it off, they say, these are feathered friends that greet them so much and wish good morning. Only a few people from the circle of poultry farmers were able to give an exact answer and scientific explanation funny phenomenon.
Chickens, however, like all other types of living creatures, are arranged in a special way - this is not just a "factory" for the production of eggs and meat. There are many more processes that take place in their body and mind. Therefore, they have a very interesting way of life, a hierarchy, there are a lot of features, behavioral patterns and character traits that are not even always amenable to scientific explanation.
Why do roosters crow in the morning?
Now we will consider the answer of science to this interest Ask. Why do roosters crow in the morning? To date, scientists have accumulated and analyzed a sufficient amount of information regarding the behavioral characteristics of roosters, instincts, biorhythms, and the structure of their thinking.
Therefore, science identifies several reasons for this interesting phenomenon like the morning cocksong. Let's look at the main reasons.
Internal, biological clock
Many have heard the term "biological clock". That is, in the body of all living beings there is a certain mechanism that is responsible for biorhythms, the implementation of various recovery processes, sleep and wakefulness, and for others. important features. To date, science has not fully explored the biological clock phenomenon, but roosters have helped advance the study of this feature.
Almost all poultry farmers know that feathered residents are very sensitive to light - they wake up at sunrise, go to bed when it gets dark. affects the process of oviposition, restoration of plumage, regenerative processes in the body.
That is why, with early age it is extremely important to observe the light regime for the feathered herd. However, the reaction to light is not the only mechanism for controlling body functions. There is something else.
Japanese scientist and researcher Tokashi Yoshimura devoted more than one year of his life to studying the mechanism of the biological clock. Since this phenomenon is still being debated in scientific circles, Tokashi decided to prove to the whole world that the internal clock is not a myth after all, and even show how it works. It was the cockerels that helped the scientist in this matter.
Why do roosters crow in the morning? In the course of the research, experiments were carried out that were important to confirm the theoretical part. An experimental group of roosters was placed in artificially created conditions, where dawn was simulated artificially, at different hours.
However, the males continued to sing at their usual time, and not when they observed artificial, gradually increasing in intensity, lighting. That is, it is in again was evidence of the existence of a biological clock mechanism in roosters.
Therefore, we can conclude that the morning crowing of cockerels is the result of a well-functioning internal mechanism of the biological clock.
Hierarchy in the bird world
There are a number of very interesting moments in the chicken world - in their society there is a strict, well-oiled hierarchical ladder. The chicken coop is a separate kingdom, with a feathered “king”, who was not just born dominant, with a full set of qualities necessary for the “leader”.
The rooster who has shouldered the responsibility of being a leader must prove more than once that he is worthy of his title. Therefore, feathered leaders have their own ways of doing this, and singing is one of them.
Roosters are territorial birds with a developed sense of smell. They cannot simply give up their positions and leave the post of "chief". It is for this reason that from the first hour of the morning and throughout the day they satisfy their need to confirm their dominant status.
With their hourly singing with a special timbre, volume and duration, the roosters assert their dominance in the chicken kingdom. That is, a rooster from early morning until late at night needs to be sure that he is the only respected and dominant leader in his family.
But, there is one more feature. If the dominant rooster suddenly hears the answer of the same dominant "king" as he is, it does not matter - whether it is a voice from a neighboring chicken coop or from his flock, he will not calm down.
If the dominant singing is heard outside the range of the leader, vocal skirmishes can continue for a long time. If someone from his entourage dared to sing the head of the family, it may begin serious conflict up to bloody wounds.
Caring for the "citizens of the bird kingdom"
The rooster, who has been awarded the title of leader in his territory, not only dominates and dominates, he also necessarily takes care of all his wards. There may be various other reasons for the rooster's crow, dictated by the need to care for those he leads. Here are the most common care-related reasons for crowing.
- With their singing in the morning and during the day, roosters invite their family to eat food. For example, if a rooster found some treat in the walking yard, he will definitely call his wards to share the meal.
- By singing, cockerels show concern, warning the herd from danger.
- Another case when cockerels sing is when they arrange a roll call to make sure that everything is in order with their wards.
- Cockerels can sing in support of the hens during laying.
Depending on the situation, the roosters in different occasions can take care of their family. Protecting their wards is their task, which is “programmed” at the genetic level.
The most romantic reason to sing
Scientists unraveled another cock's secret. Why do roosters crow in the morning? chickens are attracted by the power of their song - the voice is for them one of the instruments with which they show their potential. By singing, the leaders attract the attention of feathered ladies and at the same time give a signal to other cockerels so that they know and remember who is the main and strongest in the poultry yard.
Scientists have studied the volume, timbre and duration of singing and came to the conclusion that all dominant males are able to sing louder and longer. Chickens may not be endowed with a perfect ear for music, but such things are easily recognized.