Is there a way to keep my rooster from crowing constantly?

[NHchicks]

This topic is probably covered all the time, but my rooster is driving me c-r-a-z-y. He's very handsome, very sweet, very good to the hens. We got him a few months back from another family who had him since he was a chick. He's a year old.

I usually first hear him around 3:30 a.m. or so. But he really starts in about 6:30. I let him and hens out of the coop at that time (in order to shut them all up, because then they all get to whooping and hollering) and they free range. But all morning long he has bouts of crowing, and into the afternoon. My 4 hens may just be too independent for him - they go their own way and he probably has a nervous breakdown trying to get them all into one place. Maybe he's crowing to call them. But they are often dawdling somewhere else and could care less.

So - any ideas on how to keep a rooster either happy enough or sad enough to not crow continually? I hate to get rid of him, but he's driving me to the brink.

 

[jennh]

Quote:
Did you try BYC's google? I'm sure there are lots of suggestions there

Jen

 

[katdam]

i have 4 roos at 9weeks old and 2 have decided to try out their crowing skillls... right now they sound like a broken horn, but very loud. i can just imagine what all 4 will sound like together once they get the hang of it. i'm a newbie with chickens so i hope someone can answer your question cause i might be looking at the samr prob in the future

 

[NHchicks]

Quote:
Wow - you're right - lots of topics there. Well, let's take a few hours here to read thru those...

 

[Sissy]

I keep mine locked up until 7-8
and feed them a little at 4 the night before,
but just a little.
and make sure they have plenty of water.


I stopped filling their feeder before nightfall
due to the fact a few critters were thinking it was the Hilton buffet.
but we caught the family of mice..

 

[rancher hicks]

Are their any other roos in the area? You may not know their there but he might. Too, you don't say what breed he is. I have a Delaware who is older and I don't hear him that often. Usually starts at 5:00am. When I had two they crowed more often. Especially when they couldn't see each other.
If you expect to have more than one roo start them together as chicks , thy'll get along better.

 

[elmo]

An experienced poultry keeping friend told me that his roosters crow the most in the spring of their first year, tapering off (somewhat) after that. Of course, it depends on the individual bird, too.

It's possible that if you can just tough it out this first spring/summer, he'll slow down on the crowing.

 

[NHchicks]

Quote:
Ooh! That's giving me hope! He's about one year old, but his first spring at our house. Maybe he'll quiet down.

I don't think there are any other roosters in the area. He's some kind of mix of Rhode Island Red or NH Red, with a white tail. Other than the crowing, he's perfect. He even picks me (dead) dandelions when I walk near him, and puts them on the ground for me.