Are Crow Collars Abusive?

[Abriana]

Found the ordinance.........I'm only allowed six females

So sorry! You can still hatch chicks though, and sell them, or buy two hens and hatch four chicks for the experience, using purchased fertile eggs or your neighbor's roo.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Found the ordinance.........I'm only allowed six females

Sorry about that. If roosters aren't allowed, I wouldn't keep them. You don't want to get attached and then have to get rid of them.

 

[Acre4Me]

Found the ordinance.........I'm only allowed six females

Sorry about that. But now you know. You could risk having a roo (like your neighbor) and then have problems if someone complains. And that may come with a fine.

If you want to hatch eggs, because it's amazing, you can likely do that and then make sure the chicks are in new homes within a few weeks, or just after hatch. We have a livestock auction in our area, and that is how we got rid of some unwanted males. Maybe there is one near you, we found it by using Google maps and using the search term "livestock auction"

Good Luck.

 

[yickenscarf23]

I just wouldn't get a roo if they aren't allowed. Mine is a cochin bantam and he's LOUD. Not only his 3 am crowing, but he's a big talker in general.

 

[IamRainey]

If you live in a residential area and they permit roosters then you don’t need a collar. Most residential area do not allow roosters. The no crow collars are hit and miss with how they work. Best to not get a rooster if you’re concerned.

We ended up with an unintended rooster. He's beautiful and we enjoy him but, living on a half-acre lot surrounded by others, it's a constant anxiety. We are zoned to have a rooster but that doesn't mean that there aren't consequences. Our neighbors have been indulgent and complain in a cordial way but every day we live with the knowledge that we've become a nuisance. It's a very uncomfortable feeling.

Our roo wears a no-crow collar. It makes his crow hoarse rather than quiet. We contain our birds in the coop until 8 on weekdays and 9 on weekends. Maurice still crows (tho less and it's muffled while he's inside). I'm trying to insulate the interior of the coop further with jute carpeting that will be safe for the chickens to peck at.

What I'm saying is that it's really worth thinking long and hard about keeping a rooster in close neighborhoods whether you're zoned for it or not. You should also know that beyond the question of noise, there's the issue of how you'll deal with aggressive behavior when the time comes. And how you'll deal with it if you're lucky enough to get a hatching and some of those chicks turn out to be male as well.

We will keep our roo for as long as we can because our prospects for re-homing him in Los Angeles aren't good and anyone we don't know who wanted him might well want him for cockfighting. We will miss him when we have to let him go. But I think we were right when we made the choice to order females exclusively. Wish it had worked out that way.

ADDING: I don't see any evidence that Maurice suffers in any way from wearing the no-crow collar. I got one regretfully 'cause I'd rather he had a perfectly free life but I wouldn't call it "cruel" in any way.

 

[CoturnixComplex]

Found the ordinance.........I'm only allowed six females

I am sorry OP! I was following your initial question with interest and was sad to learn this I think it maybe wouldn't have worked out ideally wether or not you were zoned for it, for reasons some others have stated.

If it helps put it in perspective I am CRAZY jealous y'all can have chickens at all. My state has gotten too expensive; anywhere with a doable income:expense ratio pretty much strictly prohibits them. Prohibited and ruled out by predator activity even in the more rural area I'm in now. I think you are going to have a fabulous time with your hens still!