Hiding roosters?

[Jilara]

I've got a very sweet little young silkie roo who was raised up from an egg, but I'm not allowed roosters where I am. Has anyone had any luck with hiding roosters? I've heard of folks taking them in the house at night, or putting them in lightproof boxes to keep them from crowing in the morning and ratting you out, but does it really work? He hasn't started crowing yet, but I am hoping to maybe let him get it out of his system in the garage ("Oh, that? It's my rooster-sound generator. It's motion activated. Great, isn't it?") or the like, then letting him into the run for the day.

Sigh, why did he have to turn out to be one of my favorites?

 

[farmin'chick]

Try...."Did you know that when you don't have a rooster, a HEN will take its place? It will even CROW! Isn't that amazing???"

 

[possumqueen]

farmin'chick :

Try...."Did you know that when you don't have a rooster, a HEN will take its place? It will even CROW! Isn't that amazing???"

And he's a silky. Aren't they harder to tell apart, hens from roos?​

 

[Junkmanme]

Not much sense "worrying about it" until there is a complaint. Then it is just too late.

Try changing the "law".

too many darned laws,
-Junkmanme-

P.S. A law should be passed that says for each law passed...two laws must be removed from the books. After a while, sanity might return.

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

i've been hiding one in my insulated garage along with most of my girls, the coop area is also soundproofed with quilt batting and thick curtains. the garage coop will be my breeding area during the summer so my neighbors will not notice him much. i have a bigger summer coop at the back corner of my yard that the younger, quieter roos have been able to grow out till they start getting too loud and consistent, early crowers for my neighbors.

i have 3 more in the basement of my house. 2 are only a few months old (1 is a silkie and hardly crows) and they will eventually be moved out to the coop, and the other is 10 months old but cannot be put with my hens since he was babied and will attack them every time i've tried to introduce him. but he is my cuddler and has been a great pet for me. i used to take him outside when we had nicer weather to run around the yard and would come when called if he got too far out of sight.

so far the only complaint i had was a 5:30am, 1 1/2 year old roo i had bought with a hen. after that i set up some pens in my basement for those waiting for new homes, deciding on keeping, or freezer camp (only 9 out of 20 went there). no neighbors can really hear them to notice any of them.

 

[WildBurroShirts.com]

I sooo wish you all the best with this, but...none of my roos, even the juveniles, are something that could be hidden unless it was in a soundproof booth like a recording studio.

That said...I've seen some people get them declared 'therapy' animals or license them like a therapy dog and skirt by some laws...

Best of luck.

SOME day someone will breed a mute roo: and make millions!

 

[twentynine]

Not a good idea.

All kinds of things can happen if you decide to usurp the codes, laws or bylaws of your HOA, none of them good.

Try to get the rules changed, best idea, I have heard. But get the rules changed BEFORE you get a rooster. Stay on the right side of the law.

"letting him get it out of his system"
Kidding right? Some roosters crow all day, I have a little sicilian buttercup that crows round the clock. But I am totally legal, I can have 100 roosters, and no one could say a thing. Nieghbors? They all understand that we are rural, most of them grew up rural, they have heard a rooster crowing their entire life.

I am pro chicken, I am pro property rights.

BUT----

You knew or should have known what regulations applied, regarding the use of your property when you purchased/moved in. Now after the fact, to decide to ignore the bylaws you agreed to in the first place. That ain't right. You have rights, but so do your neighbors.

 

[chseeads]

I think the rooster laws are kind of silly, because hens clucking the 'egg song' can be just as loud, if not louder, than a rooster crowing, and more prolonged.

 

[OhMyItsAndyy]

I'd deffinatly try to change the law. I know it is harder to distinguish the differnence in silkies so you could blow it off with the neighbors until then =]
But still, get the law changed!
Besides, if he's as quiet as my roo was, you wouldn't get in any trouble. I had mine for ages and my neighbors were unaware i had got ANY chickens xD
Plus, my hens where twice as loud as him xD

 

[Mahonri]

I have a friend who would put her roo in a box in the house every night.

I don't know why... there are roos all over that neighborhood.