How have people sound-proofed their coops?

[The Zoo]

One of the chicks we bought this April turned out to be a rooster and we'd like to keep him. Up until today he has behaved himself with crowing but this morning he was going at it at 6am from inside the coop.
I live in the Bay Area CA and so haven't needed to insulate the coop so it's just plywood walls. Any suggestions on how to soundproof it? Cork walls? Padding? Insulation? I'm open to all suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Our coop is insulated due to cold winters, but I still hear our four girls plenty loud in the morning before I let them out. If you have proper ventilation, the sound will get out no matter what you can do to the walls. (Sorry about the roo)

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

I have no suggestions on insulation other than to be sure they can't eat it and still make sure you have plenty of ventilation. That being said.... I don't know if my roosters are different than others, but after they learned to crow it started in the mornings, then mornings and evenings, and now they crow MOSTLY in the morning and evening and will quite a bit, but also they crow in the afternoon if the mood strikes, if you can hear something crow faintly pretty far away, if there is a lot of activity here (people they don't know walking around, cars in and out), and God only knows why else. I like them so it doesn't bug me and in fact I love it, but you should be aware that that is one of the joys of keeping a rooster.

 

[The Zoo]

I certainly don't mind the crowing but it's a noise ordinance issue. I'm concerned about the neighbors who are closest to the coop complaining (they're the type who would). And giving them eggs won't make them not complain and they're perfectly within their rights as the coop isn't 50 feet away from their house (and I can't move it).

Maybe I will try insulation - it's a small coop - only 4 chickens and it's ventilated but not with huge holes. If I can dampen the sound even a little bit that will help hugely. I'm not concerned about him crowing after 7am, it's before that that's a problem.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

My suggestion would be to put your rooster in your garage, a shed, or inside the house at night. i have the same problem here with 6 roosters who get going at 3 am. So far i have cleared room for the two loudest ones to sleep in our shed. That muffles the noise a bit. But still need to clear more room for the others.

 

[The Zoo]

Oh he'll love that! But would be worth it to keep him. I may try that if they complain and the insulation doesn't work. Thanks!

 

[Matt A NC]

When I build/position a new coop, I make sure the windows/vents are facing away from the neigbors'. It is not a matter of insulating, but redirecting the sound.

Matt

 

[SimplyForties]

There was a post on here somewhere about someone who kept their rooster in a sort of partitioned-off space in the coop that had a low roof so the rooster couldn't stretch to his full, crowing height. They put him in there at night and let him out in the morning, said it stopped him from crowing.

 

[Amethyste]

Quote:
Yes I have heard that too, but I have also read things about how other people simply had roosters that crowed anyway even in the small space. They just hunkered down and let it fly, as it were.

So I dont know if it would really work unless you have a rooster willing to go along with it lol

 

[LuggNutt]

I was told or read that you can de-crow a roo. Check with your vet.