i live in town how do i get my rooster to stop crowing

[ReikiStar]

If you're able to keep the coop relatively dark, that would be your best bet. Its mostly the daylight that sets them off in the mornings. But through out the day, he may crow as a "Hey! Someone's here...look at that dog...you're home!" they crow as an alarm so other things can set him off. Hopefully, it's just the morning crowing that bothers them. It CAN be managed.

(I was just being thankful this morning that I live in the boonies. All the neighbors are fine with our roos (3 that are crowing and do so all together in the mornings) plus...there isn't much they could do about it if it did bother them. Ha! I feel for people keeping urban or suburban chickens. Usually you ply your neighbors with free, fresh wholesome eggs and they simmer down.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

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I would try the first couple of suggestions from colebarnhart. Also, keep the pop door closed until later and try to keep the coop interior really dark. Your neighbors are probably beyond the point where they would accept the gift of a white noise machine for their bedrooms (I can't hear my chickens or my husband's snoring much over the white noise of a febreeze plug in fan.)

I think your roo might prefer being rehomed to being caponized, but I don't speak from experience here.

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

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We do this, (see photo below of coop with insulated walls and ceiling) but my neighbors have told me over and over that they DONT MIND the crowing. People here say they like it, so I am blessed; some call it a joyful noise.
Still, I believe I would mind if somebody was leafblowing, revving car engines or power-mowing at 5am, and I really DID mind when my neighbor's twin toddlers were under my window screaching and wailing as I tried to sleep. So I have tried hard to reduce the noise, and at first I tried hard to re-home my roo even though my neighbors said they liked the crowing. Now, I'm glad he's here, he's a very good pet bird and I just love him.

There's a nice BYC thread about a guy who overnights his darling Silkie Roo in a cat carrier overnight, where he can't stretch his neck up to crow. Some people just put their chicken's roost bar so high up to the ceiling of the coop that crowing is greatly reduced. Our Silkie Roo's crow is muffled by coop insulation til we let him out after 8:30 am, but we also keep them locked up with their Purina Feed so they'll actually eat what's good for them out of sheer boredom, so our chickens are a little less noisy and a little more nourished

.

We DID rehome this teenroo, against the wishes of my neighbor who said "it's sweet, don't worry it's fine" (and gave me a gift of rooster mugs), because he was the loudest thing on this green earth, I could feel my brain bleed when he crowed (others said it was "musical" and "charming"):

It's also possible your complaining neighbors are just using your rooster as an excuse to bugger you, because that's the way some people are. Complainers just love to point their bony fingers and judge.............. and tell others how to be............... are they sort of, well, righteous in their own little minds? Is their way the ONLY way, in their opinion, about most things? If so, they will complain about everything, not just your rooster. Some people just hate anything different from themselves, and they generally complain at their neighbors no matter what.

If these are people you enjoy and like, maybe invite them over for chicken supper if you decide to get rid of your roo, to help celebrate impending quiet mornings, and patch things up between yourselves?

 

[Lovable Chicks]

I am so glad I have great neighbors. I have 5 silkie boys who crow now. We put them in the darkest coop but they still crow to tell 'dad' bye when he leaves for work. Once hubby leaves they settle down again...LOL

 

[jjthink]

As mentioned above, insulate coop (and have great air flow in summer without open windows during 'quiet hours') and if at all possible, don't let birds out till 8 a.m. or so. This is what I do to try my best to keep neighbors happy. Seems to do the trick. Some of the neighbors dogs bark relentlessly and they seem like they could not care less about being considerate, but I care.
As others said, you could also give him and indoors place to sleep at night if the above measures are not possible.
JJ

 

[Lyssa]

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I learn something new every time I come on this site! Thanks for caponize, I never would have thought of that, there is a good reference here on BYC on how to do that. That said, I don't think I am up to that task...

 

[Nicole01]

Maybe you can keep him in the garage or in the house at night? Our ordinance says crowing can occur from 7am_10pm only. My husband won't let me get a rooster because he doesn't want to tick off the neighbors. I have several neighbors with roo's though and our houses are pretty much spread apart.

We have a sound proof coop in our garage. It's 100% pitch black until I open the door. Even the hens can be noisy. I make sure noise is at a minimum here. I can't stand barking dogs either.

I do agree with the posters above. Your neighbors have a right to sleep past 6am. I'd try and fix the noise.

 

[BuffyGRL]

I wish I knew what to do, I have 15 roosters! I leave for work about 4:30 am and they crow to tell me bye, when I am off work they crow whenever I get in sight, and when I pull in the driveway they crow to say hello. My neighbors have yet to have anything to say. i have family that live nearby and they say its nice to hear the roosters crow....Yeah Right...but I do wish I had a Rooster Coop that they could all stay in except for 1-2 times a week when I am home and EVERYONE in the neighborhood could sleep in

.

Maybe one day i could build a little Rooster Garage with Separate dark quarters for each of the boys to stay in that is insulated but airy for the hot months. Locate it to a shadier corner of the property and keep them occupied...Not much else I can think of to do

 

[EELover]

Mine wake up at 3:30. My neighbors don't hear them but I do. (yawn!)

 

[BuffyGRL]

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This is what I say when I have to turn on the first light to get ready for work in the am....Those little boogers are just so excited to know that we are still alive and moving