Raising a rooster as a housepet, advice?

[Dod0o]

For some backstory, I am raising two young chickens, a cockerel and a pullet. I hatched them myself from fertile eggs I retrieved from a local chicken farm and they are now currently 5 weeks old. I've always had the intention of keeping these chickens as indoor housepets. I never wanted to keep a guy however, and always had the plan of re-homing any cockerels that hatched. However, the young lad has just such a vibrant personality and I've completely fallen in love with him so I really, really do not want to give him away.

The problem with keeping a cockerel is that my municipality does not allow for roosters. I live in an area where it'd be very annoying for the neighbours to hear a rooster cock-a-doodling away every morning so it'd get reported immediately. Second, I have a young girl I'm keeping with him as well. I did some research and the main problem with caring for them together is that once puberty hits, I'm very concerned that she will become victim to my horny cockerel and be over-bred as the only relief for his sexual desires. I've heard of many cases where keeping too little hens with a rooster results in the hens becoming injured, and I don't want her to get hurt.

My first plan of action was to caponize the young boy as I heard it keeps them from growing into a full-fledge rooster and stops aggression and reduces their crowing, but a few dozen calls around to nearby clinics found that they don't know and have never neutered a chicken. The only place I found could attempt it, but they said it was a high-risk procedure and the cost for the procedure is way too high for me to afford either way. I've seen Youtube videos of farmers doing it themselves, but I don't think I could ever lay a hand on my chicken and I've never attempted surgery on an animal anyways. The chance of me killing him is too high.

My second plan was to keep him anyway and just have a chicken saddle for my hen on standby, as well as a no-crow collar. This is definitely the cheaper route, but I'm not sure how effective a saddle will be in keeping my rooster from mounting her and how safe the collar is. This will most likely be the plan I carry out, but I'm not too sure.

My final resort was to ultimately re-home my cockerel, but this is the last thing I want to do.

I need advice on what to do or if I'm missing anything major, perhaps if there's an item that will stop the rooster from mounting my hen entirely (diaper?)? Or if I can do anything to reduce these rooster behaviors without hurting him? I'm wondering if it's too dangerous just to keep one girl and one boy together as well. I'm a first-time chicken owner so I appreciate any and all words of wisdom. Thanks for reading

Here are pictures of him. Maybe I've interpreted his gender incorrectly and he's actually a hen and there's nothing to worry about?? My hen is to the right of the second picture for comparison purposes.

 

[nuthatched]

Can I ask why you want chickens as indoor pets?
Chickens are flock animals really do best in an outdoor environments, with large groups. It's bad for their mental and physical health to keep them indoors with only one or no friends. Not to mention there are several issues you can get from close exposure to birds that are pretty serious and can cause lifelong conditions.
Since chickens are dust bathers as apposed to water bathers like flying birds, the chance of getting these medical issues increases.
No crow collars do not work to keep a male from crowing, they may slightly reduce the volume but the most likely outcome is strangulation.
Saddles do not keep a rooster from mounting a hen, it just reduces wear and they can't be kept on permanently.
Animals are going to mate, its what they do. Chickens mate a few times a day. It's normal and natural.
A diaper will not prevent it.
If you're uncomfortable with animals mating, I would recommend you rehome the cockerel, get a few more hens and build a coop outside so the pullet (a young hen under a year) can live her best life.
Female chickens can be even noisier than roosters. Much, much noisier.
If this can't be done, you may want to reconsider your choice in pets since this doesn't sound like a good situation for chickens or you.
Please know that cockerel personality can do a complete 180 and change drastically once puberty hits, your sweet lad can turn into a monster if raising/genetics line up wrong, and it's actually pretty likely that it will since few people breed for personality.

 

[Mrs. K]

Well, he is in the darling stage. And those young cockerels are incredibly darling. They are brave, curious and willing to approach people, which seems to indicate a liking for the people, like puppies and kittens. Chickens are really not great house pets. But there are people on here who do keep them in the house, so it can be done.

The big problem becomes when cockerels leave the darling stage and become the nightmare. It is nearly impossible to believe at this age. And some do remain darling, but dang few do that have been raised with only one other bird, in a smaller confinement.

Not only can he attack your pullet, and long before she is ready for breeding, but they can become people aggressive. Most inexperienced people vastly underestimate the violence of the attack for no reason from a pet that has been dearly loved and well cared for.

I do agree with the others above, but not to completely rain on your parade - keep him as long as you like him and he behaves, but have a plan, a concrete plan what to do when he no longer does. Something you can pop him in a crate and take him somewhere else. When you need the plan, you need it NOW.

The chance of this no working is not really 100%, however it is a pretty strong 90% chance of it not working.

Mrs K

 

[DonyaQuick]

I live in an area where it'd be very annoying for the neighbours to hear a rooster cock-a-doodling away every morning so it'd get reported immediately.

Depending on how far away the nearest neighbor is, they may be able to hear your cockerel anyway even if indoors, which could lead to being reported. Indoor crowing will be extremely loud for your household as well. It can start well before dawn and can also happen in response to any bump in the night. It can be throughout the day too. If the cockerel becomes very attached to you, he may also crow to try to call you whenever it hears you (much like some parrots will).

 

[fluffycrow]

Can I ask why you want chickens as indoor pets?
Chickens are flock animals really do best in an outdoor environments, with large groups. It's bad for their mental and physical health to keep them indoors with only one or no friends. Not to mention there are several issues you can get from close exposure to birds that are pretty serious and can cause lifelong conditions.
Since chickens are dust bathers as apposed to water bathers like flying birds, the chance of getting these medical issues increases.
No crow collars do not work to keep a male from crowing, they may slightly reduce the volume but the most likely outcome is strangulation.
Saddles do not keep a rooster from mounting a hen, it just reduces wear and they can't be kept on permanently.
Animals are going to mate, its what they do. Chickens mate a few times a day. It's normal and natural.
A diaper will not prevent it.
If you're uncomfortable with animals mating, I would recommend you rehome the cockerel, get a few more hens and build a coop outside so the pullet (a young hen under a year) can live her best life.
Female chickens can be even noisier than roosters. Much, much noisier.
If this can't be done, you may want to reconsider your choice in pets since this doesn't sound like a good situation for chickens or you.
Please know that cockerel personality can do a complete 180 and change drastically once puberty hits, your sweet lad can turn into a monster if raising/genetics line up wrong, and it's actually pretty likely that it will since few people breed for personality.

This, a million times over

 

[alinas2010]

This, a million times over

Can I ask why you want chickens as indoor pets?
Chickens are flock animals really do best in an outdoor environments, with large groups. It's bad for their mental and physical health to keep them indoors with only one or no friends. Not to mention there are several issues you can get from close exposure to birds that are pretty serious and can cause lifelong conditions.
Since chickens are dust bathers as apposed to water bathers like flying birds, the chance of getting these medical issues increases.
No crow collars do not work to keep a male from crowing, they may slightly reduce the volume but the most likely outcome is strangulation.
Saddles do not keep a rooster from mounting a hen, it just reduces wear and they can't be kept on permanently.
Animals are going to mate, its what they do. Chickens mate a few times a day. It's normal and natural.
A diaper will not prevent it.
If you're uncomfortable with animals mating, I would recommend you rehome the cockerel, get a few more hens and build a coop outside so the pullet (a young hen under a year) can live her best life.
Female chickens can be even noisier than roosters. Much, much noisier.
If this can't be done, you may want to reconsider your choice in pets since this doesn't sound like a good situation for chickens or you.
Please know that cockerel personality can do a complete 180 and change drastically once puberty hits, your sweet lad can turn into a monster if raising/genetics line up wrong, and it's actually pretty likely that it will since few people breed for personality.

Yes agree with others. Chickens love being outdoors and it is unlikely they’ll thrive indoor with you. They need a lot of stimulation that life in a house cannot offer - foraging for bugs, dust bathing, sun bathing, nesting, roosting space, areas to scratch and wear their claws down, etc. If no one can change your mind on these being house chickens, at least invest in a small outdoor coop or let them out into your yard daily to do chicken things. I also do not think your lone hen will do well with the roo, considering the safe ration hens to Roos is like 5 to 10 hens to 1 rooster. I know it sucks to get rid of something you have bonded with, but wouldn’t it be wonderful to find him a home where he can have a whole flock of ladies all to himself and not worry about getting in trouble for his noise? If you do decide to get rid of him, your pullet will need a friend. You could consider sending them off together as a pair to somewhere where they would have a flock. Most chickens that are “house chickens” end up that way because they have been injured or are sick or special needs chickens that cannot be reintroduced to a flock or have been miserably rejected by a flock and it is dangerous to them to try to be reintegrated.

 

[ShrekDawg]

They can have both! You can take them to parks, or let them play in a yard.

Parks are loaded with diseases plus probably chemicals for the lawn as well as dogs to worry about. Horrible idea.

 

[fluffycrow]

As for all of you discouraging this person from keeping the rooster, and saying chickens aren't indoor pets, you are contributing to roosters being killed or dumped.

OP was very clear in their first post, keeping a male is illegal in their area. If said male's crowing annoys any of the neighbours to the point of reporting it, what do you think will happen to this cockerel? In addition, Mrs K put it very well. In this setting, it is much more likely that this male turns aggressive, at which point he will definitely have to be given away; and an aggressive cockerel will not easily find a home. Only one where he is likely to be eaten

 

[fluffycrow]

I can rehome him for sure if things get worse

At which point, your pullet will be left alone. What will the plan be for her?

 

[alinas2010]

As for all of you discouraging this person from keeping the rooster, and saying chickens aren't indoor pets, you are contributing to roosters being killed or dumped.

It breaks my heart knowing how unfair life can be for roosters, and I can’t say it would not cross my mind to confine a rooster at least sometimes in my house had i become attached to one. But the fact of the matter is that sometimes even those attempts don’t work, particularly if you’re trying to provide him with outdoor time, (which I think is important). You could be forced to give him up due to laws and regulations despite your best intentions and efforts. I think no one is intentionally trying to promote the killing and dumping of roosters, certainly not me. I intend to one day have a safe place for unwanted roosters, in fact, as we are purchasing rural property within a year or so. But what I am getting at is that in this circumstance, it’s best to at least be prepared, and again as Mrs. K said, have a plan for separating him from his lady and a place to send him to if the current situation becomes unmanageable or he is forced to be removed.

Also @SueT is correct - where are all our manners? I apologize @Dod0o This site has so much useful information, you really will find chicken advice for about any conundrum, including this. Perhaps someone who has a house rooster can assist you better than we, who have no house roosters can. I think we all just get caught up in our emotions and emotional attachments to our birds, I know that’s the case with me. My motto is always, as long as the chickens are happy, healthy and cared for well, that’s all that matters.