Help! Matter of Life & Death! (for my Rooster, that is)

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I've kept a few chickens for several years but I have some new neighbors who aren't too happy about the early morning crowing exercises of my young Barred Rock rooster. Anybody have any suggestions as to a permanent cure for the crowing? Several years ago I talked to a vet about it who went to my church and he said he might be willing to experiment on surgically altering him, but that vet has since moved away. I'd really like to keep this rooster.

Gerald

-- Gerald R. Cox (grcox@internetwork.net), August 15, 1999

Answers

Oh boy...

I went through this thought process last year and finally settled on a crowing rooster. First of all several vets said it was risky, fairly expensive and no guarantee of success - sometimes the crow is worse than before surgery.

Suggestions I have read:

Find highest points he has access to (where he likes to crow most) and make it "rock" or slippery - Did not work for me.

Darkened cage, windows, box, etc. for overnight - probably would work, haven't tried as my neighbors have said they don't mind the noise - though I still cringe and worry a bit.

At 5:15 this morning I heard him start up (as well as several juveniles) and I stepped out and gave them some scratch/feed on the ground - he got busy scratching and clucking. Also decided today was the day to put the juveniles into the freezer/jars.

Good luck!

-- Kristi (securxsys@cs.com), August 15, 1999.


Gerald:

About the rooster's crowing: not much you can do short of putting him in the freezer as well.

About the neighbor's complaints? Well, maybe giving them a dozen real eggs every week will temper their miffedness (is that a word?) and show the value of a nice rooster.....

Anita Evangelista

-- Anita Evangelista (ale@townsqr.com), August 15, 1999.


Kristi- Last night after all the chickens were at roost, I got the rooster and brought him in the house. I put him in a closet off the garage that didn't have much stuff on the floor (just a trash barrel, and I pulled it out). I put newspaper on the floor to lessen the mess my wife would have to clean up (aren't I considerate?). At least the neighbors didn't have an early morning wake-up with his crowing since I didn't let him out till nearly 9AM. Maybe that will have to be the solution: put him in a light proof cage each night and let him out after the neighbors normally get up and around. I'm sure the crowing wouldn't be too objectionable later in the day. Sure is going to be a lot of bother, though. Oh well, most things in life are not as easy as they ought to be.

Anita-- I offered the lady of the house a dozen eggs. I even put them in an egg carton and made sure they were all perfect with no stains, etc. on them. She refused them saying she would never eat a FERTILIZED egg. Just my luck it would be city folks that moved in!

Thanks to all.

Gerald

-- Gerald R. Cox (grcox@internetwork.net), August 15, 1999.


One of the first characteristics to try to develop is not caring what the neighbors think about the rooster.

One sure way to keep the rooster from bothering you is start going to bed earlier and earlier each day until you arise before the rooster each morning.

If you are really into vengance, you can then, each morning, go out to the chicken coop and blow a trumpet or other loud instrument and wake the rooster up. This will not overly affect the rooster but may make you feel better.

-Greybear

-- Got Musical Instruments?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), August 15, 1999.


When I had chickens I found that the roosters kept quiet if it was dark. A lot of bother, but there are benefits of having a rooster in the flock.

As far as the neighbor not eating fertile eggs, I can understand that from someone who isn't familiar with poultry. I have it from a well-informed friend that fertile eggs are lower in cholesterol than infertile eggs. I know from experience that they also keep better (as long as they aren't under the hen). And unless the hen has dropped something of a fowl nature on it, an egg should not be washed until ready for use - the reason being that the hen puts a sort-of sealer on the shell, and washing it removes this seal, and the egg does not store as well.

I hope you can get your neighbor to try your fresh eggs. Most folks have never tasted a really good egg, since those in the stores are often several weeks old, and are all from caged layers. Oh, I eat 'em just like everybody else, but I still miss the fresh ones.

good luck

gene

-- gene (ekbaker@essex1.com), August 15, 1999.



Gerold, I just have to think your new neighbors really are maroons! They will probably will complain about what color you paint your trim next time too.

You need to nip this one in the bud and right now. Do a web search for coon hounds, blue tick hounds, hound dog field trials, etc. E-mail your closest houndsman and explain to him your rooster noise problem. Borrow (or just offer to board) 3 or 4 good working hound dogs. Feed 'em at 4:15 in the morning. But don't feed em. Just walk out with the big bucket of dog food and wander around a bit. Go back inside. Come back outside about 15 minutes later and feed the dogs. Oppologise(sp.) to your old neighbors. Repeat daily for about 2 weeks. Return the hound dogs. If the maroons still whine about a poor little rooster ask the local houndsmen to help. (I'll bet they'll figure out something.)

-- Roger (pecosrog@earthlink.net), August 16, 1999.


Too funny! Serenading the coop and singing hungry hounds! Are you zoned for your poultry? Then "maroons" is right, ignore them. They'll probably change their minds about those eggs if they get hungry.

-- Mumsie (Shezdremn@aol.com), August 16, 1999.

Gerald,

Definitely check your zoning restrictions before ignoring your neighbors complaints. I live where we are allowed 12 hens only. I manage to keep those plus 30 or so juveniles, a rooster or two, 2 goats and a few ducks. I work hard to keep relations good with my neighbors and gave them my phone number to call if they have any complaints. So far so good. The efforts you made with the rooster in a darkened closet may be a nuisance but if it allows you to sigh in relief and not cringe/worry every time he crows at 5:00 am then it is worth it. Good luck!

-- Kristi (securxsys@cs.com), August 16, 1999.


I didn't find the darkness effective. I built a special cage that was light proof and my Rhode Island Red didn't seem to mind that at all. Every time he would crow I would run out with some sort of food to keep him quiet. He had me trained. No one in my neighborhood complained but I still found him a new home with some friends on the beach. He's happier now too since he is the only rooster with 20 or so hens. Penda

-- Penda Zone (PendaZ@excite.com), August 17, 1999.

The only reasonable solution is to live where there are no near neighbors, then your roosters can crow their heads off. I live in the middle of 160 acres in the middle of nowhere, and hear zero complaints over my 20 some roosters...

jw

-- J Werner (jwerner15@hotmail.com), August 17, 1999.



Can't imagine not liking crowing of roosters. would dearly miss our four each morning- full scale- soprano(banty) on up......

if chickens aren't against your zoning- offer the neighbors ear plugs.

-- farmer (hillsidefarm@drbs.com), August 17, 1999.


Who even needs a rooster?? Nasty loud ole things. We keep chickens for eggs and our hens are busy all day eating and clucking. No getting chased out of the chicken pen for us. Old gent down the road raises 20 kinds of chickens and guineas so replacement chicks are no problem. This is our solution to noise pollution...after 30 years in the country we've raised every kind of farm animal there is. Who needs daily agravation? Good neighbors,like ours are hard to come by...now the other kind....time to get some pigs if they think chickens are a bother !!

-- MUTTI (windance @train.missouri.org), August 17, 1999.

To all respondees:

Thanks for your suggestions. I DO live in the city limits and there are zoning laws prohibiting my keeping chickens. Although I have never had any complaints, I do have a new neighbor that I am not too sure about. I am just trying to head off any official complaints involving the city officials who could request that I get rid of ALL my chickens.

I am going to try one other thing. I got a collar made for dogs that is supposed to keep them from barking by delivering a small shock when they do. It is a rather small unit that should not hamper the rooster in his day-to-day duties, but maybe a small shock ever time he starts to crow will make him reluctant to crow so much. I know it is deeply ingrained in them to crow, but if he just limited it to a couple of times in the morning at a somewhat spaced interval, it would be OK.

I'll let you know how it works. I have heard it works on goats that bleet excessively.

Thanks again to all.

Gerald

-- Gerald R. Cox (grcox@internetwork.net), August 20, 1999.


To All Followers of this Thread,

I put the anti-barking collar on the rooster late yesterday afternoon. He didn't like it at all. He kept backing up trying to get away from it, and would emit a squalk which would deliver a shock which would make him try even harder to get away (and squalk again), and the cycle would continue for a full minute or two till he was exhausted. He behaved much like the proverbial "chicken with his head cut off", running (backwards) and flopping. I was afraid he would die from heat exhaustion, so I removed the collar after about 30 minutes of this and decided to try a different procedure. This morning I put the collar back on, but with the protective insulation covering the shock probes. I let him loose and he again began doing the backing-up-and-crashing into-everything scene. After a little while, he discovered the thing wasn't hurting him any and he behaved normally; that is eating the bread scaps I threw to the flock, and jumping onto the back of a R.I. Red hen! I caught him a little later and took off the insulators. He continued to do his normal thing. Once, this afternoon, I did hear him start to crow, then he abruptly cut it short. So maybe it will work. I'll let you know for sure tomorrow. The test will come at 5:30AM!

Gerald

-- Gerald R. Cox (grcox@internetwork.net), August 21, 1999.


To All Followers of this Thread,

I put the anti-barking collar on the rooster late yesterday afternoon. He didn't like it at all. He kept backing up trying to get away from it, and would emit a squalk which would deliver a shock which would make him try even harder to get away (and squalk again), and the cycle would continue for a full minute or two till he was exhausted. He behaved much like the proverbial "chicken with his head cut off", running (backwards) and flopping. I was afraid he would die from heat exhaustion, so I removed the collar after about 30 minutes of this and decided to try a different procedure. This morning I put the collar back on, but with the protective insulation covering the shock probes. I let him loose and he again began doing the backing-up-and-crashing into-everything scene. After a little while, he discovered the thing wasn't hurting him any and he behaved normally; that is eating the bread scaps I threw to the flock, and jumping onto the back of a R.I. Red hen! I caught him a little later and took off the insulators. He continued to do his normal thing. Once, this afternoon, I did hear him start to crow, then he abruptly cut it short. So maybe it will work. I'll let you know for sure tomorrow. The test will come at 5:30AM!

Gerald

-- Gerald R. Cox (grcox@internetwork.net), August 21, 1999.



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