Neighbor said my rooster was too loud at 6am... but I think my hens are the real problem

Last Tuesday I was out at 6:15 AM collecting eggs from my coop in Portland, and my neighbor Jim came over all red-faced saying my rooster (Henry) was crowing nonstop. But here's the thing - when I stood there listening, the noise was actually coming from my three hens squawking over who got the first mealworm from the feeder. They were bickering like crazy, way louder than Henry's crow. So I'm wondering - is the rooster really the troublemaker, or do we just blame them because it's easier? Has anyone else had a neighbor complain about noise that turned out to be the hens starting a fight instead?

2 comments

2 Comments

xenar141mo ago

Wait, hold up - your hens were bickering over a MEALWORM at 6 AM? That's absolutely wild to me. I've had chickens for years and my hens are usually still half asleep until the sun actually comes up. But honestly, I totally get where you're coming from because roosters get blamed for everything. People hear a loud bird noise and automatically assume it's the rooster, but hens can be just as loud when they get into it over food or who gets the prime dust bath spot. My neighbor once complained about "constant crowing" and when I made him come out and listen, it was my hen Betty squawking because she wanted to lay her egg in a specific nesting box that was already taken. Jim probably didn't even stop to figure out what was actually making the noise, he just saw the rooster and decided that was the problem.

lee.lucas1mo ago

Betty sounds like she runs that place for sure.