"Rock-a-Doodle" received mostly negative reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 20% of critics gave the film a positive review based on 15 reviews, with an average score of 4/10. In a positive review, the "Washington Post" wrote "The young ones, who certainly don't give a sticky-fingered hoot about animation production values, are likely to have a good time with this. There are many passing delights. Composer T. J. Kuenster has some funny songs. They're not Ashman and Menken ("The Little Mermaid" songwriting team), but they're sprightly. The best is probably a Bach-like fugue number, in which the Grand Duke and his owlish goons sing "Never Let Him Crow" around a church organ. But in a movie like this, it ain't over till the rooster sings." "Empire" found it more compelling than Bluth's previous effort "All Dogs Go to Heaven", labeling Chanticleer as "good-natured kitsch," its "successful if unspectacular" live-action/animation mixture, and the use of the real-life Jordanaires as backing vocalists.