Can we talk about rooster raising?

[JaeG]

So Oscar crows very early (5 am today) anywhere from 10-15 times. Does not really crow during the day. Will he always crow that much? Is that normal? I guessed I assumed it was more like 3 at a time. No clue where I came up with that number though. Lol

Also, he is jumping on the girls anytime he thinks they are easy targets. He jumps on, gets tossed off and then runs! Lol

This evening he walked up to my 9 lb black dog and tried jumping on her! She was like WTH just happened!! She turned to look at him and he was a bit thrown off too

I hear him cluck to the girls but they all ignore him as of now. But he doesn't really share treats. If I give him some he eats it right away. Will he grow out of this teenage shenanigans of jumping any unsuspecting girls and eating all the treats??

Early morning is the time our boys will crow the most and they generally start around 5am and crow on and off for maybe half an hour. Our English Araucana cockerels crow more than our little bantam boy. Our bantam only crows in the morning but their coop is far from the house, and he sounds more like a dog's squeaky toy than an actual rooster, that unless there's a window open we can't hear him. He likes to crow most when he is first let out of the coop, flying up into a tree to proclaim his territory.

It sounds like Oscar is being a typical cockerel, trying his luck and trying to fool the girls into thinking he has a tasty treat (good on them for not falling for his tricks). Hopefully he'll discover than being a gentleman gets him further than being a hooligan does.

I'm not sure when a large breed cockerel will figure that out/be more mature. Our 5 month old English Araucana boys are separated from everyone else in their own coop and run as they are still very much little hooligans. They are a lot louder than our little guy.

Your poor, patient dog. Our dog has been kicked out of her kennel by a young drake who is still finding his place with the ducks. The drake would happily share but the dog isn't keen on that. She has to put up with the drake following her around all day, running after her when she runs, and sampling her food. It doesn't help that 3 of our ducks are broody, one of which went broody at the beginning of December! So they aren't interested in boys in the least. He's a bit young yet anyway.

 

[bhawk-23]

Does anyone know about trying to muffle an early morning crow? I won't close up coop or cover eyes and bring into the garage or house or anything like that. I want him in the coop with the same comfort the girls have always enjoyed. I am thinking about stacking straw bales along the corner closest to my neighbor's bedroom windows. If there are straw bales between them and the coop/run will that insulate some noise? Or am I wasting time, money and energy for little reward? Probably worth a shot? They have not complained as of yet but I don't want it to escalate to that if I can avoid it.

 

[Mrs. K]

I have had chickens for years. I rather like a crow... AT A DISTANCE. A great distance!

I would not want a rooster outside my bedroom window. Some roosters have more pleasing crows than others. But crows are a noise that is meant to be carried on the air, and does.

Some people use the thing around their neck to prevent the crow from being loud, some people do take them in their own house, or garage or a darkened box, some go to desperate means.

Personally I could not expect a nearby neighbor to sleep next to that noise, when nearly anything can set it off at any time during the night. This is why many cities do not allow roosters. A lot of people will say it is not worse than a barking dog, but years ago, I had a neighbor with one of those. When my husband went out on the deck, and hollered at the dog to "Shut the f*** up!" at 1:00 in the morning, the neighbors got the hint and got bark-less collars for them. Another few days, and I would have called the cops.

Getting along with neighbors, you have to admit, what you might be willing to put up with, they may not find too pleasant. You would not want to loose the girls, by keeping a rooster?

Mrs K

 

[bhawk-23]

@Mrs. K

I agree. And barking dogs drive me nuts so I always call mine in as soon as they start. Lol

I decided to just go ask if he's disturbed them since starting his morning crow. She answered the door and smiled so I knew she at least didn't hate me yet. Hahaha But I was so shocked when she said they hadn't heard him yet! I am absolutely freaking over nothing!!

I did put up some sound barrier 2" insulating board on the side and corner facing their window. Hopefully that will quiet it down enough to not become a bother for a bit.

And I'm sure it helps that we keep them supplied with eggs when the girls are laying.

 

[Brown Chick]

After reading all your comments I feel so bad. My copper maran rooster attacked me this morning. I was going to get the eggs. Six times he came at me with his claws. I had to kick him off of me. He was only 5 months old. My son went out and cleaned him for supper. I am now without a rooster. I had ordered an EE roo but my order got messed up so I got him later from a local breeder. I hope to find a breed that is not so aggressive.

 

[Sally PB]

@Lbrown123, where are you located? There are a lot of "state" threads, so look to see if yours has one. There are a lot of nice roosters in need of homes, and maybe someone near you has one. Craigslist is another possibility. Good luck. Good guys are out there.

 

[Brown Chick]

@Lbrown123, where are you located? There are a lot of "state" threads, so look to see if yours has one. There are a lot of nice roosters in need of homes, and maybe someone near you has one. Craigslist is another possibility. Good luck. Good guys are out there.

Louisiana. I am more concerned about finding a breed that has a mild disposition. My mom said they also had a Copper Maran that had to be killed because of meanness. My EE chickens are all so Sweet! I am wondering if an auracana might have a better temperament.

 

[Sally PB]

I'd heard Buff Orpingtons were sweet and docile... I got three out of three cockerels when I got straight run. Two were nasty and I culled them at 4 months. I still have the third, but he surely isn't sweet and docile.

Any breed can have nice or nasty individuals. I'm working with my cockerel to make him respect me. He doesn't have to be my best buddy, but he has to respect me.

If the specific breed isn't important, ask around for a nice boy. There are a lot of them out there that people have to rehome because they can't have roosters.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Each breed has nice and mean roosters. Roosters are wired to protect their flock and if they don’t like what you do or did, they will show their dominance. Most of these roosters end up in the crockpot or freezer.
I have EE roosters and I haven’t had issues with them but I also got them from a local farmer that only keeps and breeds nice roosters.

 

[Brown Chick]

Can anyone guess what this hen is mixed with? She has the sweetest personality.