Is my rooster collar too tight?

[Ruby Rogue]

I put the sticky sides of the Velcro together, put it on the cockerel's neck soft side down. I can put my index and my middle finger down between the neck and the collar. It seems really tight to me but what little information I found says that it should be okay. The boys are starting to act normal again, the collars have been on for about 40 minutes...I've heard no crows yet so I can't judge if they're working. One cockerel is mating fine, the other boy is still making lots of sounds that sound normal. I'm really scared of strangling them.

 

[AltonaAcres]

Just keep an eye on them, they should be ok. If the roos start acting sluggish or their combs turn pale, I would take immediate action.

 

[589205]

You can usually tell if the collars too tight by listening to their breathing. If he's gasping and hanging his head down low not wanting to move at all then you got it too tight and if his crowing volume seems to be unaffected then it's too loose. Just carefully tighten it up little bit by little bit to where you can still fit the edge of your pinky finger underneath all the way around it and keep an eye on him when you let him go to make sure that it's not too tight. The collar should fit snug above his crop at the base of his neck, under his hackle feathers so that it stays in place

 

[Ruby Rogue]

It ended up too loose the first time. I adjusted it so just one finger fits between his neck and the collar. He is breathing and acting fine. I'm still afraid of hurting him. The other one hasn't even attempted crowing, his collar is still on quite loosely.

 

[589205]

It ended up too loose the first time. I adjusted it so just one finger fits between his neck and the collar. He is breathing and acting fine. I'm still afraid of hurting him. The other one hasn't even attempted crowing, his collar is still on quite loosely.

You're doing good! I know how you feel. I have one I made out of industrial velcro that I use for my roo Teddybudz. I put it on him every morning and take it off every night when I put him away in his basement crate cause I'm not comfortable with leaving it on him while he's sleeping. The only reason he has to wear one is cause he crows super LOUD and I'm not trying to piss any of my neighbors off with his crowing so I've been using the collar to keep his volume on the down low

 

[589205]

As long as they're still going about their business as usual then you're doing alright!

 

[Ruby Rogue]

As long as they're still going about their business as usual then you're doing alright!

Thank you

 

[Augie1]

Thank you

How did it turn out?

 

[589205]

Coming back to this thread to update with helpful advice & my advice is: don't freakin' use no crow collars cause if they're losing feathers around their neck then that's obviously not a good sign. I stopped using mine because of that. Thankfully my roo grew all his feathers back.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

I agree. They are useless.