The village life seems idyllic to many townspeople - silence, fresh air, a measured rhythm of existence, simple and understandable chores ... The only question that the residents of the metropolis who came to the village to relax is certainly asked is why do roosters crow? It is still dark on the street, the wound is utterly awake, to sleep and sleep, and the loud “alarm clock” arranges an awakening over and over again. Out of habit and on vacation, these “songs” seem annoying and unnecessary.
Real colonel
Meanwhile, like everything in nature, and crowing has a logical and clear justification. The main reason why cocks crow is the need to notify competitors in the area that the area is busy and vigilantly guarded. It is believed that in ancient times, the ancestors of chickens dispensed with such acoustic signals, which led to fierce battles for the habitat. And nature supplied the roosters with a loud voice in order to avoid universal mutual extermination.
The male casts his voice for the first time when he turns 4 months old. Experienced poultry houses, knowing why roosters crow, carefully monitor chicks' singing talents. And, if the potential producer does not make attempts to declare himself, he is subject to rejection. Soup from a young cockerel who has not trampled chickens is considered a delicacy in many countries.
It is also curious that the voice of each “alarm clock” is deeply individual, as well as its morning song. Moreover, the deviation in sound is a maximum of half a tone. In addition to the annoying crowing townspeople, the rooster has a ton of other sounds, for every occasion. With some he calls the harem to a meal, with some he indicates discontent with the behavior of one of the wards. There are signals of danger, there is a warning about your own attack, there are love songs. But all these sounds are quiet enough, so that people do not pay attention to them.
Time to sing a song
It is well known why roosters crow in the morning. There are several reasons for this. One of them is a reminder to others that the territory is still not free. The second is a kind of army calibration: is everything in place, has anyone caught the tooth of a nocturnal predator. The third is the announcement of a new day.
Sunrise is the reason why a rooster crowes at night. It is still dark for man, and the bird feels that the dawn is near. So the first signal, depending on the season, is heard between 12 and one in the morning. This biological clock is extremely accurate and not knocked down. Biologist Wolfgang Schleidt conducted a series of experiments on this topic. True, the experiments were carried out on turkeys, but they also belong to the chicken tribe and cluck in the same mode that roosters yell. The scientist found that the voice supply does not stray from the right time, even with complete prolonged isolation or loss of hearing.
Hierarchical ladder
It is important to understand not only why roosters crow, but also in what order they do it. In the house, especially not the smallest, there are usually several males. And they are strictly distributed in primacy. This hierarchy clearly regulates access to food and mating. And the main indicator of the ranking is the sequence of morning singing. Japanese biologists published a research report in the journal Scientific Reports, in which they indicated that the first is the voice of the alpha rooster, the second is the next after him, etc. If the head of the pack dies or grows old, the next one on the list replaces it.
A few reasons why a rooster crow
Speaking impartially, the throaty “alarm clock” screams not only on schedule. He can vote in broad daylight. However, there must be a reason for this. As it can act:
- The invasion of the protected territory of a potential enemy.
- Challenge a young rival alpha for the fight for the championship.
- The upcoming sharp change in weather.
Young cockerels who are not going to compete with the leader can also try the voice. In this case, the leader does not answer the cry, but sets the impudent bashing. And, if he does not understand the hint, he can peck him to death.
If the cock crowes constantly, throughout the day (or even night), there can be two explanations. Firstly, the personal nature of the bird is affected. And then the owners will either have to come to terms with this, or change the manufacturer. Secondly, a bird in stress can continuously vote. For example, if you bought an adult. In this case, you just need to wait until the adaptation period has passed.
Alarming silence
And here's why the cock stopped crowing, you need to find out as soon as possible. Just like that, a bird’s voice doesn’t disappear. Most often, the cause is a variety of respiratory diseases, which can soon lead to the death of an individual. Indirect symptoms of this are rapid or intermittent breathing, coupled with a pale scallop.
Sometimes the cock is silent during molting. If so, he will resume his songs when the difficult period is left behind.
Worst of all, if, as a result of a recent illness, the cock “changed sex”. This does not mean that he became a chicken, he just internally ceased to perceive himself as a male, a leader. He loses interest in his harem and ceases to defend accountable territory.
The bird should be immediately shown to the veterinarian. In most cases (except for molting), the cock must be replaced.