The most common inhabitants of a poultry yard are chickens, together with their leader, a rooster. The crowing of roosters is considered the first signal for the beginning of the day by all villagers, and in the old days not a single farmstead could do without this useful bird. However, a little time must pass before the bird develops a voice, and then it becomes clear who is the leader of the flock. In this article we will find out when a rooster starts crowing, at what time and for what reasons he does this. By understanding some of the characteristics of the species, it will be possible to better navigate the behavior and determine the needs of the pet in order to provide it with a full life.
How can you describe a rooster?
The rooster is a beautiful bird, but quite heavy, whose gait is ponderous and slow. But still, in the full sense of the word, it is difficult to call a rooster a bird, since its wings are very short, so it flies rarely and over short distances, at most through a fence or bushes. Often, when in danger, these birds prefer to run quickly.
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Why does the rooster crow
There are other explanations for why a rooster crows:
- the rooster with his cry shows that the chickens around him are his flock and warns that no one can encroach on them;
- roll call The crowing roosters check that all members of his flock are present. The chickens respond by clucking;
- competitions . Roosters often sing not alone, but in a flock. Thus, they compete in vocal abilities and charisma.
Birds, like other representatives of the animal world, have a biological clock, which is why roosters crow at certain times of the day. Even if you close the kochet in a dark room, it will still scream at the same time, thanks to the internal biological clock.
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In the morning
The loud morning crow of roosters is due to their natural instincts. It is not associated with sunrise; birds are guided only by their own biological rhythms.
Crowing in the morning, the rooster shows itself as the owner of the territory and the flock, and also calls out to its relatives.
During the day
Daytime rooster crowing can be caused by various reasons:
- the male found food (or the owner brought it), and in this way he calls hens from the herd to share the prey;
- according to the rooster, the family or chicken coop is in danger , and in this way he warns his relatives about this;
- Kochet supports hens during egg laying;
- roll call.
At night
At night, the activity of predators that can attack the herd increases. Most often, the crowing of a rooster at night signals a meeting with danger. And also at night the so-called first roosters crow.
It happens that the rooster begins to crow constantly, interrupting only to sleep and eat. This bird behavior is most often a sign of negative gene mutations.
There are also special vocal breeds whose singing has its own characteristics.
What does crowing mean according to folk signs?
It has long been believed that this bird can predict trouble. There are many folk signs associated with crowing.
Let's consider why a cockerel can crow, according to popular beliefs:
- If a bird screams very loudly and hits 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 runs into the house and jumps on the table, it means the death of one of the family members.
- A bird shaking its head for no reason means trouble.
- Waking up to the cry of a kochet in the morning means good luck and a good day.
- Kochet is bathing in dust - it will rain.
- Molting was considered a warning about good and warm weather.
- A rooster crow in broad daylight means unexpected changes in the owner’s life.
There are many reasons why roosters crow, but the main one is their instincts and biorhythms. If you don’t like your bird screaming too loudly, then you should resort to the methods described above to get rid of it.
Constant screams
Some particularly zealous individuals can crow around the clock with short breaks for food and sleep. This behavior can only be explained by some deviations in the genetic code. Experienced poultry farmers believe that these manifestations may be a consequence of breed costs.
It was noticed that on the territory of our country, uncontrollable screamers are most often found among breeds derived from the Yurlovka vociferous (the second part of the name explains everything), such as:
- Zagorsk salmon;
- Moscow black;
- Adler silver;
- May Day.
A comparative analysis of the propensity for curing of meat and egg-bearing breeds showed that the “leadership” belongs to the latter.
Lifespan
In the wild, chickens can live an average of 13 years. But with proper care at home, the life expectancy of birds can reach 30 years. In practice, this rarely happens, since everyone makes mistakes in care, and the bird itself may be genetically weak or raised in conditions conducive to the occurrence of diseases.
It also all depends on the purpose of raising roosters. As a rule, this is a continuation of the chicken family. Therefore, roosters live as long as the period of active fertilization lasts. On average it is 4 years. As soon as the rooster becomes a weak male, he is sent along with the chickens to slaughter. Well, there’s nowhere to put it, it’s so useless, but it will still be useful. Normally, 1 male should fertilize 10 females.
Note!
How many years roosters live depends on the quality of food, the temperature in the chicken coop and many other factors (a skilled poultry farmer should prevent fights between roosters, as they negatively affect the psyche of the animals).
Can a hen lay eggs without a rooster?
The chicken’s body functions in such a way that in order for eggs to appear, it only needs to reach maturity. It can occur between 5 and 8 months of age, depending on the breed. Immediately after reaching sexual maturity, the chicken lays eggs.
Their size, shell color, and frequency of appearance depend on several factors:
In order to lay an egg, a chicken needs no more than 2 days.
The formation process occurs as follows:
- The egg matures in the ovary;
- It leaves the follicle and enters the oviduct;
- The formation of the egg begins in it: the yolk, white and shell appear;
- Upon completion of the process, the egg begins to move towards the exit outside.
In order for the process of laying eggs to occur regularly, the hen does not need a rooster. Her body itself performs the tasks assigned by nature.
The male is necessary for the fertilization process, after which the embryo, the future chicken, begins to develop in the egg.
When the rooster matures
Start
Let's figure out at what age a rooster begins to trample hens. Males, depending on the breed or species, mature at approximately 5-6 months of age. Then they begin to show interest in chickens.
Therefore, it is recommended to keep two males at once in a chicken coop - a young one and a sexually mature one. Otherwise there will be a big break in chicken breeding. Young cockerels in most cases do not show interest in hens. Or they simply don’t know what to do with them.
But even if the roosters begin to mate before six months, there will be no fertilized eggs because the sperm are not yet active.
Continuation
A rooster can actively copulate for no more than 5-6 years. Then his sexual power declines. And fewer and fewer eggs are fertilized. By this age, the cockerel is replaced by young ones.
The head of the chicken family must be protected and not allowed to mate too often. Otherwise, less sperm will be produced each time. They will become unconcentrated. And it is not a fact that the chicken will be fertilized.
If this process is left to chance, healthy males can mate up to 20 times in one day. It's too much.
How many hens are there per male?
Successful copulation depends on how many times the rooster tramples the hen. Another important nuance is how many females there are per rooster.
One male can mate with about 10-15 hens. Depends on the variety. If there are more laying hens, the gentleman simply will not cope with his task.
Sperm do not have time to mature during active daily matings. Therefore, the number of fertilized eggs becomes less. In addition, too many matings negatively affect the health of the head of the coop.
The situation gets worse if the farmer does not understand how many chickens are required per rooster and reduces the rate. When a male only has 5-7 hens at his disposal, he still has sexual strength left.
Therefore, the cockerel begins to climb on each hen several times and can injure them. It is described in detail in the article “How many chickens do you need for one rooster?”
If there are several mature roosters living in a chicken coop, during fights for a laying hen they can trample her to death.
How does the mating process work?
Love ritual
Before mating begins, roosters engage in mating games. They constantly walk around their chickens. They shake their tail proudly and scratch their wings. They often share food, leaving the best pieces for the hens.
If there are several roosters living in a chicken coop, fights will constantly break out between them over the ladies. But the head of the family will mate at any time, and the rest of the cockerels will mate when the leader allows it.
When the rooster begins to molt, the flirting stops. He does not approach the chickens and does not share food with them. There is no need to worry, because after 1-1.5 months the male will change his feathers, rest and start flirting with the ladies again.
But at the same time, during molting, roosters continue to protect the hens and do not allow other males to approach them.
Process mechanism
Now about why a rooster tramples a chicken. And why does sexual intercourse have such a name? At the beginning of mating, the rooster climbs onto the hen’s back, grabs her by the scruff of the neck with his beak for stability, and begins to trample to find the hole. These birds mate rather roughly, so the process looks unpleasant.
Mating between a hen and a rooster lasts only a few seconds. At the same time, the penis of the rooster is not developed. When he jumps on the female, his cloaca is inverted and the seed is shot into the hen's intestine.
How do the genitals of a cockerel work?
The reproductive system of the head of the coop consists of two testes. They are equidistant from each other and are located next to the adrenal glands. Spermatozoa are born in them. The testes are light yellow in color and look like beans.
They are located in the capsule along with an oval-shaped appendage. The chest air sacs are also located nearby. They perform the function of thermoregulation. The male's genitals can only be seen during mating because they are poorly developed.
Fertilization of a chicken egg
Now we understand how chickens reproduce. Next, let's talk about how fertilization occurs. After maturation, the sperm ends up in the female's oviduct. At this moment, the recognition stage begins. The sperm loses its tail and penetrates through the female gamete.
In this case, several sperm try to enter the egg at the same time. But only one manages to do this. After the cell is fertilized, it becomes overgrown with protein. It is produced by glands located in the oviduct.
The future egg moves forward and is covered with a thin shell. And then a dense shell - a compound of potassium carbonate. This is described in the article “How chickens lay eggs.”
How many eggs are fertilized at one time?
When chickens reproduce, there are over 20 sperm inside. One of them fertilizes the egg.
At the same time, the remaining sperm retain their function. And about 20 more days are involved in ovulation. Therefore, even if the hen does not mate, fertilized eggs may appear.
Unequal forces
If birds of different breeds live in the coop, problems may arise during mating.
Bulky roosters will begin to jump on small hens to trample them. The laying hen is experiencing severe stress at this moment. If the betta is too large, the female may die from injuries.
Injuries after mating
Traces of "love"
If you have ever seen how chickens reproduce, you understand why laying hens get injured during sexual intercourse. The pets who are most often chosen by the cockerel suffer especially badly.
Why are fertilized eggs better than unfertilized ones?
In terms of taste, external and other qualities, a fertilized egg is no different from an unfertilized one. Both types of products are suitable for nutrition and it is impossible to distinguish one from the other.
But there are many myths about the characteristics of fertilized eggs, claiming their special magical, energetic and nutritional value. All these speculations have been debunked by facts - conducted scientific research. The results prove that the energy and nutritional value of both types of eggs is the same.
It is impossible to produce offspring from an unfertilized one. Neither by incubation, nor from under the hen. All attempts to go against nature will be unsuccessful. It is for the reason of obtaining offspring that a rooster is needed on the farm. On average, one male is enough for 10-12 chickens.
Sometimes farmers have a question: why don’t roosters trample chickens? This depends on many reasons, but primarily on age. For an aging “chicken coop owner,” it is recommended to have an assistant—a younger male.
It is not recommended to keep a significant number of males in the herd, higher than recommended. This will lead to fights between them.
Fertilization
Chickens, like most other birds, have love etiquette and rules of behavior in the flock. The rooster is the leader to whom the hens obey unquestioningly. The leader may have his own favorites with whom he shares food.
- When flirting, the male sedately walks around the hen and scratches his wing with his paw.
- The mating process begins with the rooster climbing onto the hen and moving his paws over it, trying to find the recess provided by nature on the back, “tramping” the hen.
- The beak grabs her head and mating begins: a brief contact of the partners' cloaches. At this moment, the seminal fluid penetrates the oviduct and fertilization of the egg occurs.
- During mating, while the rooster holds the hen's head with his beak, the organisms of both birds are preparing for fertilization. During the process of trampling, the cloaca of the partners is slightly turned out. In males, the gonads are located on the inside of the cloaca, near the outlet.
- The seminal fluid remains in the laying hen's body for up to 20 days. During this entire period of time, fertilization of the eggs occurs. It penetrates through their soft shell, not yet covered with a shell. Whether there is an embryo in the egg is determined using an ovoscope. This is a device designed to illuminate the shell.
The sexual activity of roosters varies. Some males are capable of 20 matings per day. In order to properly plan housekeeping, you need to know at what age a rooster begins to trample hens.
Males begin to be active in this matter only after they crow. That is, not earlier than 5-6 months.
Sexual function is affected by:
- The presence of adult and aggressive rivals;
- Features of the breed;
- Quality and sufficiency of feed;
- Conditions of detention.
Reproductive capacity decreases or is completely lost during molting. More often this happens in the fall, but there is no exact time frame.
Signal of intimidation
The cockcrow itself is a signal for a potential rival, a way to indicate the owner of the territory.
In their natural habitat, all animals have their own specific area where they feed and reproduce. Protecting him and protecting themselves is a task set before them by nature itself. Brutal battles, injuries received in them, and even more so the death of males fighting for their territory have a bad effect on the population and are harmful to the species. Roosters, known bullies, can resolve these issues without bloodshed - simply by intimidating those around them with loud crowing.
The first crow is heard already at dawn - as soon as the rooster wakes up, he hurries to declare himself and his territorial rights to others. This is determined by the biological clock, daily rhythm and characteristics of the central nervous system of the bird. However, this does not answer the question of how roosters determine time. The most common version today is based on the location of the stars.
In his book “The World of Our Senses,” Lev Ekonomov says that zoologists’ attempts to connect the crowing of roosters with the location of the stars led to surprising conclusions. It turned out that the first roosters begin to crow as soon as Canopus (a star from the constellation Carina) lights up in the sky, and when it disappears beyond the horizon, the second roosters start crowing.
The reasons why the third roosters crow is still an unclear fact, as is how these birds manage to navigate by the stars while sitting in a closed chicken coop.
What time does the rooster crow?
Many old annals and chronicles mention the fact that the rooster crows only three times a night. This incomprehensible phenomenon is usually called the first, second and third roosters. As mentioned earlier, why the rooster crows at night is still unclear, however, it was possible to establish that the first crows occur between midnight and one in the morning, the second rooster crows from 2 to 3, and the third just before dawn, about 4-5 hours. Also, a rooster can crow at night if it feels a threat to its flock, because many predators hunt at night.
When the voice appears
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At 2.5–3 months, young males try their volume. Their first singing is funny and sounds like a squeak. By 4–5 months, roosters master the technique of crowing and at first can crow constantly. Previously, well-groomed males learn to vocalize by the hour; their weak and unkempt counterparts noticeably lag behind.
Experienced farmers closely monitor the attempts of young roosters to learn to crow and cull individuals that have not yet learned to crow.
How to reduce voice activity?
Crowing is normal behavior for a healthy and contented bird. However, breeders are often not satisfied with a male that is too vocal and immediately wants to discourage the bird from crowing frequently and loudly. There is a method for this that is based on the natural instincts of the rooster. An older and stronger individual is placed with a leader who is too vocal. They must spend at least a month together and then the older male will suppress the authority of the screamer by discouraging him from declaring his power too loudly. Also, when a rooster begins to crow frequently and loudly, you should make sure that he is not a vocal breed. If the breeder is not ready to spend days to the accompaniment of loud chicken singing, then such breeds should be abandoned immediately.
