[Ellen Portess]

I already had 3 chickens, Warrens, and a year ago my son brought home 2 bantam chicks, feathered legs.  We kept them in separate areas to sleep as the chickens like to chase and peck the bantams - but not all the time, and usually just the black bantam (Henri).  But they all run around our garden and feed and dustbath and sunbathe and shelter from the rain, etc, happily together mostly.  However, at the moment I have some young tender plants growing in the veg patch so I am keeping the chickens in their large run for a couple of weeks until the plants get stronger and they can't kick them over or squash them.  They come out for a wander for a while at a time while I am out there with them.  But the bantams don't like this, they seem to want the chickens out with them all the time.  They now CROW like cockerels, even though they are both hens and laying very well.  They stand by the chicken run a lot and chat through the wire.  They seem more upset than the chickens. But why the CROWING? Also they crow at dawn too. the chickens don't crow!  :?

[Aunt Sally]

But why the CROWING? Also they crow at dawn too. the chickens don't crow!  :?

My chickens do.  I'd not call it crowing like a cocks "Cock-a-doodle-do",
but a hens "cluck-cluck-cluck-cluck-cluck-CLUUUUUCK".  Very loud though  :shock:

[Ellen Portess]

This does sound more like cock-a-doodle-ooooooh! They and the chickens also make the cluckcluckcluck noise but this crowing is quite different.  I read somewhere that chickens can be androgenous if there are no cockerels - would that also apply to bantams? They do lay well, an egg each most days -better than the chickens in that respect, who only lay one between the three of them most days.  But they are older, poor Laydees.  :?

[purplebat]

when my hen started crowing she stopped laying, this is a hormonal problem in the ovaries that can turn a hen into a cockerel,
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=383491&in_page_id=1770
 but as yours is still laying check this out
http://www.huntersponyfarm.com/poultry/dohenscrow.html

[Ellen Portess]

Thanx for that. I've looked up the websites you gave me and it seems this maybe happening to Henri! She was named after a footballer but we never expected her to turn into him!  Just worried about the neighbours now, they won't put up with crowing for ever.