My neighbour has complained 😔

[Chicalina]

I've just got a letter from the local council saying a neighbour has complained about my early morning crowing cockerel.

I've kept chickens here for 15 years and no complaints until now. I'm really annoyed and disappointed that they didn't come to me first to talk about it rather than go straight to the local noise police.

I live in a rural community where the houses are fairly close together in a village, but there are fields all around and 2 working farms within 100 yards! I'm also not the only chicken keeper here.

Any tips for handling the situation?

I want to knock on all my neighbours' doors and ask if it was them and what I can do to resolve it. Not sure that is a good idea.

I've had this particular silkie rooster for 5 years and he isn't especially noisy. I've got chicks growing out and some of them are cockerels, so they will be crowing until I find new homes. And I wanted to keep one little bantam.

I've listed my rooster online for sale. Sad to break up the lovely flock I've got. He is great with the hens. Am I being too hasty?

Is it realistic to shut him in a dark box every night instead?

 

[LaFleche]

Have a look into you local laws and ordinances to learn about your rights.

Living in a rural community with neighbouring two working farms might just have your local council dismiss the complaint.

 

[NatJ]

I live in a rural community where the houses are fairly close together in a village, but there are fields all around and 2 working farms within 100 yards! I'm also not the only chicken keeper here.

What rules are there? In the USA, where I live, I would have to check rules for the state, the county, the village, and possibly HOA (Home Owners Association.) I see that you are in the UK, so I don't know what levels of rules you you would need to check.

Check for rules about poultry, livestock, and noise.

If you are allowed to have roosters, then finding a way to keep him quiet until a reasonable time in the morning should be enough. (Maybe keep him inside your house at night? That would certainly help contain the sound.)

If you are officially not allowed to have roosters, then finding him a new home is probably best.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I personally would call the number in the letter to ask specific questions as to if the complainer is confused as to where the crowing is coming from (your flock or the others or the farms).

 

[Chicalina]

Hmm yeh it is a problem in this country with houses so close together.
Our old neighbors called the police on us because our hens started digging in their flower bed, like seriously guys, just tell us about it first.
The good thing about hens is that they don't crow. Is it going to be a huge issue to get rid of your cockerel? Might be the only option. I'm not a fan of crow collars, plus they don't really work.

British police won't bother with it so it's more just a case of keeping a good relationship with the neighbors I guess.

Good luck anyway.

Called the police on your hens? That's ridiculous.

Yeah I wouldn't use a crow collar either.

I'm extra pissed off because both sides to me have dogs that bark all day and I've never complained about them. I try to be a good neighbour, taking in parcels, being pleasant, bringing my dogs in if they bark, etc. Why couldn't they just come to me about this, the cowards. My next door neighbour even cut my fence down and burned it and I said I'd replace it, rather than him, just to keep the peace.

 

[Chicalina]

So I have an update.

I have been night boxing the rooster and that is going well. He doesn't like it much but it seems like a fair solution for now, even if only temporary.

I spoke to the Council official today. I now believe I know who complained (not fence burning guy). The official couldn't tell me, but it was unsaid iykwim. Also yesterday I passed the neighbour's house and he was by his front door. I waved a cheery hello and he mumbled and scuttled indoors quite quickly. Ordinarily we would have a nice chat. So I knew it must be him, all embarrassed to talk to me.

Anyway. Council official was really nice. He explained that they look at the context. It is a rural community and they have no problem with me keeping hens or roosters. I do have to take reasonable steps not to cause a noise nuisance though. So location of the coop to adjacent properties etc is a factor, as is how close the houses are to each other and the location itself.

I explained I was trying to rehome him, and he said that was a bit drastic and they would never ask me to get rid of the rooster, but I should take steps to reduce the noise if I could. I explained about putting him in the night box further away in the garage and he said that was perfect!

I also explained that in 15 years I've never had any complaints from the neighbours, and that my chicken keeping predates the neighbours moving in, so I was utterly shocked to find out about this one. He said he was satisfied that I was a good neighbour, reasonable and willing to work with them to find a solution and he would write to the neighbour to tell him they have no problem with me keeping the rooster and that I have taken steps to resolve the issue, so the Council will take no action and he can stfu now. Ok, I added that last bit!

I also asked him to write that the neighbour should just come and talk to me directly if he has any issues, because I'm a decent person and want us all to get along in the village.

He was really nice, and I'm so glad I spoke to him rather than just pinging emails back and forth. He out my mind at rest and I feel like I've had a small victory in winning over the Council!

You catch more flies with honey than vinegar!

I'm going to go talk to the neighbour next and gloat, sorry, smooth the waters, haha, and explain about the box. I shall enjoy being super sweet and pleasant and making him squirm, because the coward obviously thought I'd never realise it was him.

Anonymous keyboard warrior, that is what he is.

What he doesn't know yet is that some of my chicks are boys and I'm planning on keeping one or two. I'll perhaps set up one or more extra night boxes if I think that is feasible long term (just for the summer months). They are teensy tiny banties, so hopefully not loud anyway. Am I asking for trouble? Part of me wants to quietly rebel!

 

[LaFleche]

I'm also not the only chicken keeper here.

How do they know it is your rooster then? Or did they add a record of each and every crow, noting the time of day etc.?

 

[Sierra G]

I would guess whoever is complaining is someone new to the neighborhood. If it's the neighbor who took down your fence I'd complain to the council about him damaging your property. Even if the fence had been rotten, it's not his fence. Complaining is a step toward having him pay to replace it. More importantly, it lets the neighbor know that you aren't a pushover and if he's going to try to use the law to harass you you're willing to push back.

The guy is a jerk and accommodating him will validate his behavior. You'll have to take a stand and draw the line somewhere. Might as well do it now before you've surrendered any ground. If you aren't the only neighbor with a rooster but you are the only one he's complaining about it's personal. If he's complaining about all the roosters then you have allies. Check with the other chicken owners and work on a collective response to the complaint.

Just because your neighbor is complaining and playing the victim doesn't make her right. Especially since modern homes are so well insulated you can't hear crowing when you're indoors. Even if her name is Karen she still has to prove her case. If she's the only one complaining and the rest of your neighbors will confirm it's not a problem for them I can't think that any council should go out of their way to accommodate just your neighbor. If they do, you can complain that his mower or his children or whatever is too loud.

If these neighbors started by complaining to the council, they aren't interested in being good neighbors or accommodating you. They just want to get their way. Fight to maintain what you have not because the neighbor is a jerk, but because you're fine with the way things are and you shouldn't have to change for people new to the neighborhood. JMO.

 

[Chicalina]

I personally would call the number in the letter to ask specific questions as to if the complainer is confused as to where the crowing is coming from (your flock or the others or the farms).

I've emailed them asking for more info (was too angry and upset to have a sensible phone call without sounding like a loon)

 

[LaFleche]

My next door neighbour even cut my fence down and burned it and I said I'd replace it, rather than him, just to keep the peace.

How dare they?! So it might be them complaining about the rooster, as obviously they prefer to take immediate "selfadministered justice" instead of having a reasonable conversation with their neighbours.