Cock (chicken)

A cock (or rooster in the United States and Canada) is a male chicken (the female being a hen). A young chicken cock is called a rooster or a cockerel, and means only this outside U.S.-Canada. The term "rooster" is reputedly so used because the cock is said to roost over clutches of eggs to guard them. In fact, "roosting" is the action of perching aloft to sleep at night, and is done by both sexes. The cock is polygamous, and could not guard several nests of eggs at once. He guards the general area where his hens are nesting, and will attack other roosters who enter his territory. During the daytime, he often sits on a high perch, usually 4-5 feet off the ground, to serve as a lookout for his flock. He will sound a distinctive alarm call if predators are around.

Related Topics:
United States - Canada - Chicken - Hen - Eggs - Polygamous

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"Cock" is the original name for the male, still in use in most of the English-speaking world, but largely dropped by Americans. According to H. L. Mencken's The American Language, the euphemism "rooster" took precedence over "cock" in the USA during the Victorian era (and parts of the bird were similarly renamed, such as the "drumstick" for "leg") to avoid ostensibly sexually provocative language. In American slang, the word "cock" can refer to the male sex organ. However, "cocky", another American slang adjective meaning "arrogant" and derived from the "proud" strutting walk of the bird, is still considered acceptable in conversation.

Related Topics:
Cock - English - H. L. Mencken - The American Language - USA - Victorian era - Slang - Male sex organ - Adjective

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The cock is the (unofficial) national mascot of France, in particular for sports teams.

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The sound made by the cock is spelt (onomatopeia) as "Cock-a-doodle-doo" in English, but otherwise in some other languages, such as: {{ll|Arabic}} KooKooKoo-koo, {{ll|Chinese}} goh-geh-goh-goh, {{ll|Dutch}} kukeleku, {{ll|French}} cocorico, {{ll|German}} kikeriki, {{ll|Greek}} kikiriku, {{ll|Hebrew}} ku-ku-ri-ku, {{ll|Italian}} chicchirichì, {{ll|Japanese}} ko-ke kokkoh, {{ll|Korean}} k'ok'iyo, {{ll|Polish}} kukuryku, {{ll|Portuguese}} Cócórócócó, {{ll|Russian}} ku-ka-rye-ku, {{ll|Spanish}} quiquiriqú, {{ll|Swahili}} KokoRikoo koo, {{ll|Swedish}} kuckeliku.

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The cock is often pictured in art as crowing at the break of dawn, and this is accurate. He can often be seen sitting on fence posts or other objects, where he crows to proclaim his territory. However, he will also crow during the rest of the day, and even sometimes on a bright moonlit night. He has several other calls as well, and can cluck the same as a hen.

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The Talmud refers to learning "courtesy towards one's mate" from the cock. This may be because, when a cock finds something good to eat, he calls the hens in his flock to eat first. This call is distinctive from regular clucking or crowing.

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