Neighbor's Rooster Roams Free in the City!

[ADoodle]

Hi all. I don't raise birds (maybe one day, though!) but was hoping for some help and opinions, please! I live in the big city and have a neighbor on the corner with a rooster that roams free. They live in a small trailer with no real yard or anywhere to keep it. There are at least two little boys that come and pick it up and it seems very "tame", but as I understand they are never totally free of aggression. I am not aware of them having any chickens or anything.

I like it but it comes up on our porch to eat the cat food and having it around makes me feel nervous, especially with my small child. It started scaring the cats at feeding time. We can't put out cat food on the porch anymore. It runs all around the house crowing, etc and likes to hang out near my truck. It seems maybe they are letting it run around to eat stuff so they don't have to feed it. I have a small child who doesn't know to fear it and tries to run right up to it, so I have to carry her outside when it's near. It's not fair she can't safely walk around and play outside. It's starting to get more and more curious/territorial around our place and comes up to me and makes me feel uncomfortable. It's not overtly aggressive but it does fluff/flap its wings sometimes and that kind of thing and just follows and gets close to us.

They have been asked by my neighbor not to let the rooster come on the porch but either didn't understand (kids/Spanish speaking household) or don't care.

Is there anything I can do or any compromise that can be reached that doesn't involve the boys losing what seems almost like their pet or calling down the law on them? I just don't have the heart and wish they could keep it somehow. I read spraying with water might work and I think I'll try it. Or will that just piss it off? Are there humane options to contain it we could ask them to do (i.e. tie it out)? Hope you don't mind me asking here.

Thanks.

 

[Folly's place]

Don't leave cat food out!!! Feed your outside cat meals, like I do; Better food twice daily, picked up after 5 or 10 minutes, NEVER left out. NO skunks, coons, or feral whatevers mooching. Mary

 

[ADoodle]

P.S. Is this in the wrong subforum?

 

[MnMPoultry]

Hi all. I don't raise birds (maybe one day, though!) but was hoping for some help and opinions, please! I live in the big city and have a neighbor on the corner with a rooster that roams free. They live in a small trailer with no real yard or anywhere to keep it. There are at least two little boys that come and pick it up and it seems very "tame", but as I understand they are never totally free of aggression. I am not aware of them having any chickens or anything.

I like it but it comes up on our porch to eat the cat food and having it around makes me feel nervous, especially with my small child. It started scaring the cats at feeding time. We can't put out cat food on the porch anymore. It runs all around the house crowing, etc and likes to hang out near my truck. It seems maybe they are letting it run around to eat stuff so they don't have to feed it. I have a small child who doesn't know to fear it and tries to run right up to it, so I have to carry her outside when it's near. It's not fair she can't safely walk around and play outside. It's starting to get more and more curious/territorial around our place and comes up to me and makes me feel uncomfortable. It's not overtly aggressive but it does fluff/flap its wings sometimes and that kind of thing and just follows and gets close to us.

They have been asked by my neighbor not to let the rooster come on the porch but either didn't understand (kids/Spanish speaking household) or don't care.

Is there anything I can do or any compromise that can be reached that doesn't involve the boys losing what seems almost like their pet or calling down the law on them? I just don't have the heart and wish they could keep it somehow. I read spraying with water might work and I think I'll try it. Or will that just piss it off? Are there humane options to contain it we could ask them to do (i.e. tie it out)? Hope you don't mind me asking here.

Thanks.

Sorry your first post here is about an obnoxious rooster that has, what I assume, is bad owners...

Like was already said, don't leave the food out long enough for the roo to come around and get a meal. My birds LOVE cat food, so the barn cats get fed prior to the chickens being let out, and after they're up for the night.

Spraying it with water *might* work, but eliminating it's reason for visiting (the cat food) will be the best bet.

Roosters don't always have aggressive tendencies, especially when there aren't any hens around they feel the need to protect or dominate, but you can turn a tame mellow roo into an agressive one by doing things like chasing, spraying, etc.

I would recommend speaking with the "owners" and discussing your concerns while suggesting alternatives to free-ranging it in the city. Perhaps suggest that they build a small pen to contain him. Chicken wire isn't expensive and is easy to work with.

 

[Kev]

cat food on porch attracts: skunks, possums, racoons, coyotes, rats, mice, cockroaches, other cats and dogs allowed to roam free. those ARE concerns. Not leaving it out or letting anybody feed it at your place can help reduce his visits but this should not be the main reason for stopping feeding the cat on the porch.

Also note this implies you let your cats roam free. Your cat is likely roaming the place, just like the rooster is. Free roaming cats annoy a lot of people- pooping in gardens, sandboxes, play areas for children etc.

water hose can work, however as long as there's food to be had, it can simply learn to come around when nobody's near the hose.

 

[ADoodle]

Thanks a lot for the welcome and the quick replies and info! To clarify, I live in a multi and the cats are neutered ferals that were there before I moved in. Plus, having outside cats is a little different... My neighbor was feeding them but stopped leaving food out front a while back. But the rooster is still around. I feel it really just shouldn't be loose. The pen is a good idea to ask them about.

 

[HouseCat]

It sounds like you may have a slight chicken-phobia. I have a cousin that won't come over because he feels uncomfortable when the chickens "look at him". If 2 little boys can run over and pick it up, it's probably not going to be a threat to you or your child. As long as it isn't teased or chased, it won't just start attacking people. I don't see how a chicken running around is any different that a cat or dog running around loose.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i feel sorry for that rooster. Probably got it as a chick at Easter for their kids, now it's big and living in a totally unsuitable situation. i agree with the suggestion to only feed those ferals at certain times of the day, so the food doesn't sit out as an attraction. And that does make me wonder if that family is even feeding the rooster. The ideal situation would be to get that guy to a farm or with someone who already has chickens. i suspect it is not legal to have chickens where you live, if you are in a dense city-type of area.

You are right to be apprehensive around the rooster. Some roosters are as friendly as can be. But i have had roosters that were friendly to me, then one day they turn and try to attack. i don't know why that happens. Perhaps the hormones kick in. But i wouldn't want a small child around a strange rooster. They can do some damage.

Best thing all around is for that rooster to be living with some hens in an appropriate area.

 

[bluegiantsc]

I would do what Enchanted Sunrise says, try to find a farm for it to live on. I would ask the people if they want it, it was probably an Easter gift that didn't turn out the way they wanted. It doesn't lay eggs and doesn't have anything to protect, so the roo has little purpose being in the city like that. Call around some farms or drive out into the country and find a farm, ask them if they want a new friendly rooster and see if you can take it out there. If the kids can catch it, have them catch it, put it in a large enough animal carrier (maybe with some cat food) and take it to its new farm.

Other than that, try to shoo it away when you can. But I wouldn't challenge it too much. I'm in the process of working with my rooster right now for his aggression, he wasn't always aggressive, but sometimes something just snaps in their brains and tells them that you're the predator. The rooster you have doesn't have anything to protect, so maybe he won't turn into an aggressive roo. But chances are, if the rooster is being held and handled by children, then it might not be aggressive.
I would do like everyone says and try to feed the cats before the rooster comes around, I have to do the same thing. (sometimes they will learn what the cup you feed the cats looks like and they'll come when they see the cup. My roo does. And they know what the food hitting the bottom of the food bowl sounds like. That sound will draw my chickens out of the woods every time.)

But I would really try to place him somewhere. Or maybe since you're on BYC now, you can see who is in your area and see if they want a new rooster. The people on here are VERY helpful, so maybe someone else will have better suggestions.

 

[patty12]

sounds like you aRE ASKING IS THE ROOSTER DANGROUS, ANSWER NO.




sounds like you are asking is a rooster dangrous answer no. they are loud but only know to fight to protectm their hens so he doesn't have a reason to attack. take a broom to him he will go. he would make a nice pot of soup.