I am lazy tbh so my cockerels get a light on a timer with food and water till I tend to them. They start crowing when I set the light to come on. (except the 4am dude, he knew what time it as regardless)
They are all different let me tell you!
The collars do work a little for some but ironically they usually do not work for the boys that really want to be heard!
I will second the box idea. It's good to see I'm not the only one.
I even had one cockerel who carried on crowing in the pitch black...