Roosters and crowing

[Rosekitten]

So my husband has suggested getting a dozen or so fertilized eggs and hatching them ourselves. My main worry / issue.. we will 100% end up with at least 3 or more roosters. haha.. We live somewhere that we can't have roosters due to the noise.

Is there a way to keep them quiet? I was reading on a collar but I dunno how effective that would be. Or should I plan to just call the roosters a loss and expect to rehome half or more of the eggs I hatch out?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Don't bother with crow collars. And don't count on being able to give them away, especially more than one. Most likely, you'll have to process them

 

[NatJ]

Or should I plan to just call the roosters a loss and expect to rehome half or more of the eggs I hatch out?

Of what you've mentioned, I think that plan is the most likely to work (unless you want to butcher them yourself.)

But rehoming roosters can be difficult, especially in an area that does not allow roosters, so be prepared for that possibility too.

Is there a way to keep them quiet? I was reading on a collar but I dunno how effective that would be.

I've also read about collars. I've read stories where they worked, stories where they didn't work, and stories where the rooster died (strangled.) I decided not to try them, because it appears there is very little difference between "tight enough to work" and "tight enough to kill the rooster."

I would say that there is no practical way to keep roosters quiet enough in a no-rooster area. (Possible exception if you keep them inside your own house all the time. But most people, and most roosters, would be unhappy with that. And the crowing might still get out enough to make people complain.)

 

[Rosekitten]

Of what you've mentioned, I think that plan is the most likely to work (unless you want to butcher them yourself.)

But rehoming roosters can be difficult, especially in an area that does not allow roosters, so be prepared for that possibility too.


I've also read about collars. I've read stories where they worked, stories where they didn't work, and stories where the rooster died (strangled.) I decided not to try them, because it appears there is very little difference between "tight enough to work" and "tight enough to kill the rooster."

I would say that there is no practical way to keep roosters quiet enough in a no-rooster area. (Possible exception if you keep them inside your own house all the time. But most people, and most roosters, would be unhappy with that. And the crowing might still get out enough to make people complain.)

Yeah I was concerned with that too, though my vet has told me I was the first person to walk into her clinic and have the flea collars adjusted properly.. haha..
I live a street from being considered out of city limits.. so I may be able to get away with one roo but that'd be about it. Maybe if I make really good with my neighbors.. free eggs with the egg prices and all that haha.
or my house sells and I'll be moving in a few months anyway ;P
still may not be worth the risk.. id be nervous the eggs wouldn't hatch and I'd be out 50$ plus on them.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I don't have trouble giving chickens away for free online using the local classified adds. I don't process them myself but plenty of people have no problem doing it where I live. They just come over with a box or sometimes not even that and off they go. Into a pot I assume.