Whispering cockerel

[Bear]

Hi

Has anyone else experienced this:
We have reared about 40 xbred chickens to use as meat.

The cockerels have been dealt with as they poked their heads up and began to crow, even though we have a large block we still have neighbours and have to show regard for them, most people would not appreciate being woken up at 4-30am.

As far as we know all the cockerels are in the freezer, we still had 2 suspect looking ones that had not made any noise until yesterday that is.

I went down to feed the chooks in the afternoon and in one of the pens one of the suspects had a pullet in the corner trying to get to know her better. I left them alone and went back a few minutes later and so help me the lad was still in the corner, crowing in a whisper.

Don`t know if it is the killing funnel hanging on the mango tree outside the pen that has this fellow thinking that it probably is not a good idea to out himself proudly and loudly or do some cockerels actually whisper?

We have kept chooks for about 35 years and I have never experienced it before.

Jan

[GaryD]

Hi,

Whispering Jack finally shot his mouth off.......at 5.00am this morning.

He (and several other "late bloomers") are on borrowed time.

Gary

[GaryD]

Hi,

Last night, we rounded up five cockerels and put them in a separate pen.

Early this morning, they all decided to have a crowing competition......so, this afternoon, they journeyed to the freezer.

Gary

[MarkEinOz]

Damn!, for a moment there I thought you had a awesome opportunity in genetics. A strain of non-crowing table birds would be GOLD for the urbanites. Oh well, at least they will be darn tasty....