Hope not dumb question, but is it only light that tells a rooster when to crow?

[appps]

we have one unplanned, now childrens pet, rooster in a suburban area and to preempt any neighbour problems Id like to see if I can get him to sleep in a little later.

I woke this morning to hear him crowing at 5.30am, and unfortunatly the pen is closer to the neighbours bedrooms than ours.

What I was thinking of doing was putting some light stopping shade mesh over the areas that are currently clear with just wire (just the top 2 foot of their house) so that it stayed darker in there just that little bit longer.

If you have had experience with trying to stop a rooster crowing do you think this would work, even if it just puts him off for an hour, or a waste of money?

 

[aoxa]

It would be more worthwhile to make the coop soundproof. Roosters crow at all hours. Doesn't matter. If they wake up, they will crow.

 

[appps]

Hmm, I wonder if I could put some sort of shutter over that area instead then so I could shut them of a night and open it when the kids are getting ready for school. Keep a bit more noise in in the wee hours but let the ventilation work during the day.

 

[phalenbeck]

I have had Roosters that crow 27/7, some that crow when clouds blow by, and temp changes up or down. Currently we have a deep voice crows infrequently, and had a Rooster that showed up in the yard that (almost) did not crow at all. A closed coop should stop the A.M. crowing from being heard, and you may find neighbors that do not care, or like it. I have neighbors that like crowing, 1 that claims it is fine, and 1 that says he did not move to the country to hear all that stuff. I think that change causes crowing, not dawn.

 

[aoxa]

I have had Roosters that crow 27/7, some that crow when clouds blow by, and temp changes up or down.  Currently we have a deep voice crows infrequently, and had a Rooster that showed up in the yard that (almost) did not crow at all.  A closed coop should stop the A.M. crowing from being heard, and you may find neighbors that do not care, or like it.  I have neighbors that like crowing, 1 that claims it is fine, and 1 that says he did not move to the country to hear all that stuff.    I think that change causes crowing, not dawn.

I agree with you there! The younger rooster will crow more frequently and more during peak mating season as well.

One of the reasons they crow is to tell the world "This is MY territory" to let other roosters in the area know that if they trespass here, they can expect a fight.

They crow triumphantly when they think they chase something away, a person, a predator or another roo; they crow to communicate with other roos, to call the hens, because they're happy to be alive and it's a nice day, a million other reasons

 

[salt and pepper]

to stop a rooster from crowing you would probably have to make the coop sound proof. a rooster crows whenever he is alarmed that means, change in light, a car going by, of a wind rustling something. hope you luck!

 

[donrae]

Some folks here have crated the roo in a dog crate or similar and put him in the garage each night, with a cover over to help block the light. I do know if he can't stretch his head up it will inhibit his crowing. Some birds will crow anyway, but it usually slows them down.

Just be aware, depending on how old the roos, that roosters aren't designed to be children's pets. If he hasn't hit adolescence hard yet, he may still need to go.

 

[appps]

Just be aware, depending on how old the roos, that roosters aren't designed to be children's pets. If he hasn't hit adolescence hard yet, he may still need to go.

Yeah, that has been in the back of my mind. My only experience with a rooster was as a kid and all I remember was that my Dad used to have to wear gumboots because the bantam rooster used to attack him all the time if he went in the coop. I dont however remember being scared of it so who knows, maybe it was only the boots it hated LOL

My youngest goes and spends time with them every day and Ive said to her she needs to make sure she keeps doing that so that he thinks she belongs. Only time will tell I guess, really hope he stays well behaved because its going to be so difficult to find a good home to rehome him and the kids will be devestated. He from chick stage has been the friendliest of the four so he is sort of a favourite.

When do you class adolescence? Noticed this morning he is trying to mount (not very successfully) the three hens. (He's 16 wks old)

 

[aoxa]

Just be aware, depending on how old the roos, that roosters aren't designed to be children's pets. If he hasn't hit adolescence hard yet, he may still need to go.

Yeah, that has been in the back of my mind.  My only experience with a rooster was as a kid and all I remember was that my Dad used to have to wear gumboots because the bantam rooster used to attack him all the time if he went in the coop.  I dont however remember being scared of it so who knows, maybe it was only the boots it hated LOL

My youngest goes and spends time with them every day and Ive said to her she needs to make sure she keeps doing that so that he thinks she belongs.  Only time will tell I guess, really hope he stays well behaved because its going to be so difficult to find a good home to rehome him and the kids will be devestated.   He from chick stage has been the friendliest of the four so he is sort of a favourite.

When do you class adolescence?  Noticed this morning he is trying to mount (not very successfully) the three hens.

I would class adolescence between 4 months and a year.