The French National Bird: Why Roosters Crow at Dawn, the Sound They Make, and Raising and Management Techniques

The rooster is also called the male chicken, a poultry bird with many breeds, short wings that cannot fly high; its crow announces the dawn. It is the national bird of France.So what kind of behavior is a rooster crowing to announce the dawn? Why can it announce the dawn in time? What sound does it make? What are the raising techniques?

What kind of behavior is a rooster crowing to announce the dawn?

A rooster crowing to announce the dawn is a rhythmic behavior, which is an innate behavior of animals. The rhythmic behavior of animals is gradually formed over the long term as animals adapt to the periodic changes of the sun and moon in the natural environment. Animal behavior refers to the externally observable activities with adaptive significance carried out by living organisms. A series of activities carried out by animals that help them survive and reproduce - viewed in terms of the function, meaning and purpose of animal behavior - are divided into: feeding behavior, territorial behavior, aggressive behavior, defensive behavior, reproductive behavior, rhythmic behavior and social (group) behavior.

Why can a rooster announce the dawn in time?

After long-term observation and research, scientists have proven that there is a wonderful “biological clock” inside living organisms that directs their behavior.

The chicken’s “biological clock” is located in the cells of the chicken’s pineal gland. The pineal gland lies between the cerebrum and the cerebellum and is a small pinecone-shaped endocrine organ. When night falls, it secretes a hormone called melatonin to suppress the chicken’s activity. If a chicken is implanted with a capsule containing melatonin, the chicken falls asleep.

What sound does a rooster make when crowing to announce the dawn?

When announcing the dawn, a rooster makes a “cock-a-doodle-doo” sound.

A rooster announcing the dawn is an innate behavior, caused by the rooster’s male hormones.

The ancient poet Li He once wrote in his poem “Toasting a Drink”: My bewildered soul cannot be summoned back; once the rooster crows, the whole world turns bright.

Chairman Mao’s poem “Huanxisha” also has the line: Once the rooster crows, the whole world turns bright; everywhere joyful music plays, and there is Yutian.

Both use the rooster announcing the dawn as a metaphor for the human world welcoming a new day, and from then on the world was transformed.

Appendix: Rooster Raising and Management Techniques

1. Separate feeding of males and females during the brooding period: this not only allows careful management of breeding roosters during the brooding period, but also enables more effective control of the roosters’ body weight later on.

2. The raising and management method is the same as for female chicks: the amount of feed should be calculated flexibly according to the feeding standard. From 1 to 7 days of age, feed is given via feed trays; after 1 week, feed buckets are used, and their height should be adjusted at any time according to the height of the male chicks’ backs.

3. Correct beak trimming: the age for beak trimming is generally controlled at 6 to 8 days of age. Note: the beak trimming of breeding roosters must be accurate; cutting too long or too short will seriously affect the ability to grip hens during mating later on, thereby seriously affecting the realization of their breeding potential. The standard for beak trimming is that the distance from the edge of the nostril to the cut should be 2 mm. Before and after beak trimming, some multivitamins should be added to the feed to reduce stress.

4. Early restricted feeding: in order to better control the roosters’ body weight, a restricted feeding program for breeding roosters can be started from 4 weeks of age. Practice has proven that this not only reduces stress, but also effectively controls the roosters’ body weight to 130%-140% of the hens’ body weight before mixing the flocks.

5. Strictly carry out the first selection at the end of the brooding period: at the end of the brooding period, roosters that are healthy and disease-free, full of vitality, with straight legs, feet and toes, and broad backs and chests should be selected to be kept for breeding.