Let's talk - everything I don't know about Roos but wish I had asked

[Davaroo]

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And while I would rather hear a rooster over the infernal hound currently behind us, not everyone is so amenable. Many people associate the sound or a rooster with aggravation, filth and disease. This is mostly because of the errant way chickens have been kept over the years. Since far too many people yard them in too small areas on mud and moonscape, they equate flies stink and nastiness with chickens. It is a simple leap to then hate the rooster for his crow.

Cant you just hear the uppity, horse loving neighbors?

"Did you hear that? They have a rooster! That means they probably have a bunch of them... nasty birds. Pretty soon theyll be over here running amok.
And all the flies... ewwww!
We gotta do something about this..."

Dont assume anything where neighbors are concerned. Learn the law and then talk to the local gentry. Odds are good nothing will some of it but that which you teach them.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Yes, the rooster will crow at 5AM, especially in summer. He will crow whenever he feels the gumption during the day or night. Mine (I have 3 at the moment) don't usually crow right now until about 6AM, but something aggravated them the other night and I heard one of them crowing at 4:30. And mine do crow here and there throughout the day, but I like the sound.

Roosters have many, many vocalizations from purring to a growl. (scared the crud out of me the first time I heard him growl) Also, the intensity and volume of the vocalizations will change depending on how close the threat is. A hawk flying high doesn't get much of an alarm, but it gets watched. But a hawk flying low gets a very loud, intense alarm.

I have heard bantam roosters, and those little guys can really belt it out! I find them louder than my LF roosters.

My head rooster was beaten up by my hens when he was young. Someone here told me it was the hens teaching him humility. When he matured, he climbed the pecking order one hen at a time. He's been head of the flock ever since.

No idea on the duck, I don't have ducks. I've read here about chickens mating with ducks (it doesn't accomplish anything, but they try). The only problem I've read about is male ducks trying to mate with chickens, as they can injure the chickens because male ducks have "equipment".

 

[Ridgerunner]

Mine crow at 2:30 in the morning if there is a full moon. If your coop is where someone driving by at night shines lights into the coop, that could set him off.

How loud he is depends a lot on how far away he is and how well the coop is noise insulated, if he is inside. You should have vents so some sound will get out, but being inside a coop does muffle it quite a bit. My only neighbor that lives close enough to hear them likes the crow. Not sure how his wife feels about it, but they cannot hear them at night when they are in the coop. They are not that close. Occasionally giving them a dozen eggs doesn't hurt either.

Legally you need to check on animal ordinances, especially to see if they differentiate livestock and pets, and if they specifically mention chickens or roosters. The other one that might get you is noise ordinances. Both of these have been mentioned by others, so I'm just repeating for emphasis.

Good luck!

 

[babalubird]

I am no expert at this, as I have yet to buy my first poultry of any kind, but what about a male muscovy duck? They only hiss, make very little noise at all. They can't really even quack. There is some chance he would breed with your peking duck. If he did the ducks would be "infertile" mules. So you would want to be sure to gather and eat all your duck eggs to avoid a population explosion.

Questions to ask others here more knowledgeable, would the larger muscovy house in peace with your other poultry. I don't know.

Connie

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Most likely, given enough room. These larger waterfowl can be territorial sometimes, hoggin' the food and water. They can be "mean" to visitors, too, whom they see as intruders.
This means a second feeder or watering station is sometimes needed and you might have to warn the in-laws.

But given proper space, there should be little lasting concern. But 'Scovies don't do much, except eat and make a mess. At least none of those I've ever seen did more.
If one of your goals is to have a "yard confetti" flock and collect eggs, you might find a Muscovie a food pit and kinda boring.