We adopted these three chickens in early March. We lost one of the pullets to a predator, so now it's just Earl and his girl (who doesn't yet have a name). All I know about them is that they were science project chicks and are meat birds, not layers. I think they are about five months old. Earl, by the way, is freakin' huge. I can't believe the size of his feet! This pic is from about six weeks ago and he's grown a bunch since then: Anyway...one morning last week I was running out the front door at dawn, and called out a good-morning greeting to the chickens as usual. For the first time ever, I had a response...the lamest rooster crowing I have ever heard. "Erh a erh errr ehrrrrrrrrrrr." I told Earl not to quit his day job, and went off to work. Yesterday afternoon I went out to put a nest box in the coop, and to show the birds to a few friends who were visiting. The pullet went into the coop to check out the nest box, and Earl, of course, had to go in with her to supervise. Suddenly, he threw his head and wings back and let out a massive, gutsy crow! And he did it again! I don't think I've seen a rooster crow up close before, and I have to admit it's pretty amusing to watch, but he really had it down -- he must've been practicing when I wasn't listening. I tried to get him to do it again later so my son could hear it, but Earl was not interested. So my question is...what makes a rooster crow, if it's not the crack of dawn? Did he feel threatened because there were several people standing around? Was he proud that his lady has a new nest? Was he showing off his new talent? Is it completely random?