Keeping a rooster vs. being a nice neighbor

[BrattishTaz]

Quote:
We don't really worry about people complaining here. There is an unwritten rule that all neighbors go to any meeting dealing with zoning issues or complaints. The last "newbies" in the area that complained lost their case and was then cited by the county for all of their violations which were promptly reported. It seems they had quite a few.

They were upset for a year or two but now fit in just fine. They have a few roos of their own now.

 

[flowerchicks]

I would keep him in a box in an enclosed shed at night and let him out after sunrise. Hopefully, that will be sufficient for the complaining neighbor. This worked for me at night, but I had to get rid of my 2 roosters because the "annoyed" my neighbor during the day. But, unlike you, according to our stupid town ordinances, I wasn't allowed to have roosters. Good luck!

 

[F-One]

Insulate the coop well and put up a sound deadening wooden fence panel or two to block the sound. Lombardy poplars grow fast and would help block sound on the property line. Also move the coop as far away from them as possible. A rooster in an insulated coop is barley audible in an enclosed home. Try to make an effort but if thats not enough for them, "feed em fish heads."

 

[chickendales]

i would do what i do now say who care to the neighbor u dont like too bad
deal with it there lot thinks i dont like that neighbors do so they deal with one lil rooster its not like it 10 roosters

 

[Capvin]

It is very possible for a city to make someone give up their dog because it was barking. It happens all of the time and it is called "noise ordinance" where loud noises are not permitted during certain times. If a dog ig continually barking from midnight to 3AM then I am certain that the owners would have to better control the barking or they would be forced to get rid of the dog or it would be taken from them. The same could easily go for a rooster. It does not have anything to do whether it is permissible to have and keep a rooster, it would have to do with nuisance noise at what may be considered an unreasonable hour. My guess would be that if your rooster began crowing a 4 in the morning and continued for an hour or so, and you had neighbors that were close and the noise was such that it disturbed their life, then they would have a legitimate compalint regarding the noise. I do not have a real practical answer for you since you are not unreasonable and you only have one rooster. My advise to anyone who is planning to get chickens, including a rooster, is that you be on great terms with your closest neighbors, otherwise they will certainly find something to complain about and your life will be miserable. There was another recent post here about a person who had several roosters and the neighbors complained. Most of the responses were to tell their neighbors to shove it and make more noise and trouble. That is not a good idea in any situation and in the end, that type of response will cause you, your family, and your chickens with problems you cant even imagine. Think of guns in the night, loose dogs and poison. Make someone crazy enough and their response will be to react with something just as crazy and before you know it it becomes like the Hatfields and McCoys and you spend the next several years in the legal system.

 

[anderson8505]

One side of me says this: I would give them eggs and ask them to be open with you about their annoyance. Is it merely an annoyance at the rooster, does it bother them everyday? If they are jerks to you and seem like they might do something stupid, like, say poison your chickens, you may want to move the coop farther away from their home or do something more drastic like get rid of the rooster. If they seem nice about it, see what you can work out.

The other side of me says why sould you have to change anything if you are within your legal rights? Forget them!

Either way, a barking dog is different than a crowing rooster. Dogs that bark constantly for no apparent reason are a noise ordinance issue. A rooster that crows a few times during the daytime hours, yes even when the sun is just a dim light, is just doing what comes naturally. IF it is a rooster that crows all the time, then it's a noise ordinance issue and I'd be annoyed at my own rooster and get rid of it.

Roosters are cool for many reasons!

 

[JodyJo]

they say you can keep a rooster from crowing by putting him in a tight box...but really...do you want to do this to him every night? Seems cruel...I would go offer some eggs...

I live in the country also, on over 300 acres...but I have neighbors close enough...no issues, but we are now weaning our baby calves..they make 10X the noise a dog or rooster make...constant crying for the mama cow...they can't make me get rid of the cows...I see a rooster the same way, they are more quiet than a crying calf!

Try the egg offer thing...I would hate to see you have to get rid of your rooster...it is allowed, it is NOT like a barking dog...mine do not crow at night, not till first light. Try a dark curtain also...good luck, let us know what happens.

 

[debid]

I'd try talking with them first of all. Explain why you have a rooster, ask them how often they hear the crowing, etc. If you show an interest in their side of things and tell them what you're doing to attempt to control/block the sound, you'll have a much happier neighbor than if you just go with the "screw you, it's legal" attitude. And let me tell you, having a good relationship with your neighbors can come in very handy.

FWIW, my cockerel crows well before the sun for no apparent reason. We have enough stuff between the coop and house that you really have to strain to hear him (the owls are a whole lot louder) and we're friendly with the nearest neighbor so I'm sure he'd say something if it were a problem. Heck, he told us to let him know if his playing drums in the garage was annoying and I've NEVER heard him play! Trees work great at muffling sounds.

IMO, fast growing trees, relocating the coop, egg bribes, whatever is reasonable for you to make everyone happy is worth the effort.

 

[OldGuy43]

This kind of thing happens here a lot when city folk move out into the country. They just don't understand that things are different here. They leave gates open 'cause they're "only to be a few minutes." They complain about the smell from the livestock. They complain about the horse apples on the ground. They complain about the gunfire when I shoot targets. (They usually call the sheriff on that one and the deputy has to come out and explain to them that it is legal Travis County.) They complain about the lack of wildlife after putting up half a dozen yard lights. They complain about snakes and rabbits. In other words they think that living in the country should be like living in the city except that you have a bigger yard.

 

[Mattemma]

I have a rooster and I keep everyone locked up till 10am.I can hear Jackie Chan crowing at 7am,but it is muffled. I would keep the roo and let him out later.Personally I think the crows sqwaking all day is way worse than the roo.Some people just focus on the roo and go bat poo crazy when they hear a roo.

You get rid of the roo they might focus on the egg song or something else. It is a farming town.You are lucky I am in the city!

When I first got my roo I freaked everytime he crowed.Put him in a carrier under a solid tote box and he still crowed.Some roosters crow more than others.You could try another roo,but if you like the one you have tell your neighbors you will do all you can short of getting rid of the roo.

Keep locks on the coop and a game cam.Sometimes people get so annoyed they will kill or poison an animal.