Orange Tabby...He Stays and His Name is Finn (Update with Videos Dec 31)

[Peanutsmomma]

Probably nothing. I've been through this so many times, enough to know there is no hope. I can do penicillin just because I have it here, just in case there is a minute chance for her. I'm not sure how long she's been like this because she's not one to like to be picked up at all. And I can't reliably tell her eggs from some of the other Rocks' so I don't know how long she has been halted in her laying.

In retrospect, had I known what I know now I would not have taken any drastic measures to save Peanut either, other than to give her Baytril just in case. It saddens me when I think back on everything I did to save her in those 2 days before she died probably just made her even more uncomfortable. If I ever have another chicken who displays the same symptoms, I will make her as comfortable as possible and let her know I love her and let nature take its course. Since you are my chicken guru , it makes me feel a little better to know that I am not totally off base in my conclusion. I wish things could be different for Gloria Jean.

Totally off topic... I know that you have never used a crow collar since you live on acreage but have you (or anyone reading this thread) ever heard any of experiences good or bad about using one? Our little guy has been crowing at 5:15 for the past few mornings and I know that sooner or later Cranky Pants next door will goosestep over here and make her annoyances known. We live in a big neighborhood with lots of people that work shift work so I really do want to be a considerate neighbor but I don't want to rehome our little guy because he is such a little chocolate love button. However, if a crow collar would hurt him in some way, I would rather rehome him. I need to so some research on the whole crow collar topic.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote: I'm really the wrong person to aske about that subject, Angela, since ( I know it sounds harsh) I don't care about being a "good neighbor" if I'm within my rights to do what I'm doing. I've seen so many folks bullied into getting rid of their chickens when they were 100% within their rights to have them, including their rooster. It makes me absolutely crazy when someone thinks they can dictate to someone else who is doing what they can legally do on their own property. I know nothing about those crow collars whatsoever, sorry. I mean, one bantam rooster, how is he going to make anyone nuts? Gosh, the whipporwill carrying on half the night here makes more noise.

I do love the "goosestep" crack, LOL.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

I'm really the wrong person to aske about that subject, Angela, since ( I know it sounds harsh) I don't care about being a "good neighbor" if I'm within my rights to do what I'm doing. I've seen so many folks bullied into getting rid of their chickens when they were 100% within their rights to have them, including their rooster. It makes me absolutely crazy when someone thinks they can dictate to someone else who is doing what they can legally do on their own property. I know nothing about those crow collars whatsoever, sorry. I mean, one bantam rooster, how is he going to make anyone nuts? Gosh, the whipporwill carrying on half the night here makes more noise.

I do love the "goosestep" crack, LOL.

Oh yeah, she is piece of work, bless her heart.

I appreciate your take on it and this is one of the many reasons why we want to buy some land in the mountains. Unfortunately, he is going to be a big bantam (he is pushing 5 lbs right now at 10 months) and his crow is getting louder by the day. Personally, it thrills me because he was so sick and near death the first month I had him. We live in the county so we can have roosters but the covenant of our neighborhood states that as long as animals don't present a "noise nuisance" they will be permitted. Although "noise nuisance" is a completely subjective term. LOL! I am not as much concerned about Cranky Pants next door as I am about the sweet couple behind us who both work shift work and their house is at the back of their lot so it is maybe 50' away from our coop.

How is Nugget today? And Gloria Jean?

 

[speckledhen]

Oh yeah, she is piece of work, bless her heart.

I appreciate your take on it and this is one of the many reasons why we want to buy some land in the mountains. Unfortunately, he is going to be a big bantam (he is pushing 5 lbs right now at 10 months) and his crow is getting louder by the day. Personally, it thrills me because he was so sick and near death the first month I had him. We live in the county so we can have roosters but the covenant of our neighborhood states that as long as animals don't present a "noise nuisance" they will be permitted. Although "noise nuisance" is a completely subjective term. LOL! I am not as much concerned about Cranky Pants next door as I am about the sweet couple behind us who both work shift work and their house is at the back of their lot so it is maybe 50' away from our coop.

How is Nugget today? And Gloria Jean?

Yes, bless her heart. WE know what that means, don't we?

I had a friend in CA who is the source for the Ameraucanas I have/had. Her n'hood covenants said specifically that she could breed chickens and keep numbers enough for her own family's use. So, to breed, you must keep a rooster. Roosters crow, no way around that. She had one, Gypsy's grandsire, Jet, a show quality black Ameraucana. Her two-faced neighbor took free eggs, then constantly complained about the rooster's crowing to the county, again that stupid subjective noise ordinance thing. She got rid of him and I would not have (the rooster, not the neighbor-I'd have opted for the latter). If I did, I would have played a recording of him crowing daily and when they came out, invited them to search for the rooster. Eventually, they'd have decided he was a nut and quit coming. I have recordings of my roosters crowing at the ready, LOL.

"Noise nuisance" is entirely subjective.To me, weedwhackers, lawnmowers and ATV's are nuisance noises, as is loud country music. Do I complain? No, I do not. My next-door neighbor has a huge, expansive lawn that must be mowed and he uses a tractor. You can barely hear yourself think because we are uphill from him and sound travels up. You take the good with the bad, no matter where you live. Country life is not silent.

I haven't seen GJ today. If we decide to treat her, will go get her and inject her with a big PenG dose.

ETA: not to insult country music fans, but that's what they mostly play around here. Loud anything music would make me cringe.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

Quote:

 

[carikermoon]

I have recordings of my roosters crowing at the ready, LOL.

I have a gameplan now for when my suspected cockerel starts to "violate" the noise ordinance.

 

[Teila]

Hi Peanutsmomma

We are not allowed to have roosters where I am and so that I do not risk the unwanted attention of having the authorities on my doorstep, I have not attempted to keep one so, have no experience with the no-crow collar but I have a friend who has.

Her first BCM rooster she tried it on was not happy with it initially but got used to it. She was not that happy with the ones she bought and ended up making her own.

I have heard of a few roosters choking to death while wearing the collar. Even with the correct setting, sometimes there is the risk of them eating something a bit bigger than normal and it not being able to move past the collar.

My friend nearly lost her boy when she was tweaking the collar and it was a little too tight; so if you are going to try one, obviously watch very closely. It took her probably two weeks of early morning tweakings to find the right setting.

However, this rooster still had to go into his man cave at night because even with the collar on the best setting she could find, he managed to make enough noise that the neighbours could hear.

So, he used to sleep in a crate, with his collar on and in a dark corner under the house (she has an under house coop).

After getting some bubs from him, she ended up rehoming him and keeping one of his sons. She loved him so much, which is part of the reason she went to the lengths she did to keep him, including sending out letters to the neighbours letting them know she had a rooster, was taking steps to keep him quiet and that if they had any issues, to come and see her. I believe that part of the reason she rehomed him was the having to ensure he was locked up every night. While he got used to that also, she felt that it was not fair on him.

Anyways, he is now living on a farm and can crow to his heart’s delight.

His son, who she kept, now has a no crow collar but with him it is enough to keep his crows at a less audible level and he does not have to sleep in a man cave and sleeps with his hens on the roost.

With what I have read about the collars (extensive), it works for some and not for others. I note that you are not trying to conceal the fact that you have a rooster (I do not think the collar achieves that) but if you are simply trying to reduce the volume, it may be helpful.

It is definitely a judgement call on the part of the rooster owner.

This is a good thread regarding the collar, lots of stories and pros and cons:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/906916/no-crow-rooster-collar/140

I know of someone else who has a number of roosters in a no rooster zone. He built a rooster night box which is sound proofed and remains darker for longer in the morning:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/792990/our-diy-rooster-night-box

 

[Peanutsmomma]

Hi Peanutsmomma

We are not allowed to have roosters where I am and so that I do not risk the unwanted attention of having the authorities on my doorstep, I have not attempted to keep one so, have no experience with the no-crow collar but I have a friend who has.

Her first BCM rooster she tried it on was not happy with it initially but got used to it. She was not that happy with the ones she bought and ended up making her own.

I have heard of a few roosters choking to death while wearing the collar. Even with the correct setting, sometimes there is the risk of them eating something a bit bigger than normal and it not being able to move past the collar.

My friend nearly lost her boy when she was tweaking the collar and it was a little too tight; so if you are going to try one, obviously watch very closely. It took her probably two weeks of early morning tweakings to find the right setting.

However, this rooster still had to go into his man cave at night because even with the collar on the best setting she could find, he managed to make enough noise that the neighbours could hear.

So, he used to sleep in a crate, with his collar on and in a dark corner under the house (she has an under house coop).

After getting some bubs from him, she ended up rehoming him and keeping one of his sons. She loved him so much, which is part of the reason she went to the lengths she did to keep him, including sending out letters to the neighbours letting them know she had a rooster, was taking steps to keep him quiet and that if they had any issues, to come and see her. I believe that part of the reason she rehomed him was the having to ensure he was locked up every night. While he got used to that also, she felt that it was not fair on him.

Anyways, he is now living on a farm and can crow to his heart’s delight.

His son, who she kept, now has a no crow collar but with him it is enough to keep his crows at a less audible level and he does not have to sleep in a man cave and sleeps with his hens on the roost.

With what I have read about the collars (extensive), it works for some and not for others. I note that you are not trying to conceal the fact that you have a rooster (I do not think the collar achieves that) but if you are simply trying to reduce the volume, it may be helpful.

It is definitely a judgement call on the part of the rooster owner.

This is a good thread regarding the collar, lots of stories and pros and cons:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/906916/no-crow-rooster-collar/140

I know of someone else who has a number of roosters in a no rooster zone. He built a rooster night box which is sound proofed and remains darker for longer in the morning:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/792990/our-diy-rooster-night-box

Thanks so much Telia for taking the time to write such a thoughtful reply and posting the links. I will definitely read them. Oddly enough, for the past two days he has been more quiet than usual so I am hoping that will be the trend moving forward. The day I wrote asking for advice he crowed 26 times at around 5:15 AM but for the past two mornings he has only crowed 6 or 7 times around 5:50, that we can live with.

I have toyed with the idea of putting up a black out shade of sorts in our coop but it is just so darn hot and humid here that I do not want block their ventilation.

Our little guy is such a sweetie (he is a bantam Chocolate Orpington) that I don't want to do anything to make him uncomfortable so for now I am keeping my fingers crossed that he will keep it toned down a bit.

 

[speckledhen]

Not long after I laid my head on the pillow last night, heard crashing through the leaves in the back yard out the open window behind my headboard. Told DH it was either Finn after something or something after Finn, but I never heard Finn meow or make any other noises. About 2 a.m., was woken from a sound sleep by a fox close to the house alarm barking. He was loud and insistent, did it probably five times. DH went outside with a flashlight. He said Finn came from under the deck and shot up the steps, wrapping himself around his leg and going toward the kitchen door, back to his legs, back to the door, as if trying to get his dad to come inside. DH went down the stairs, saw a huge deer next to the driveway, scanned the flashlight, saw a pair of eyes and pointed ears. The animal ducked down, but DH said it seemed to be large and stalking the deer. I don't think a fox would stalk a deer so maybe a coyote was stalking the deer and the fox was alarming to its kits or mate. I don't know for sure, but foxes don't hunt deer as far as I know.
So, Finn was definitely in danger last night. I am tired of the land work and my back fence being down-I only removed it right after he was here last because he made the remark that it would be only 3-4 days before it was ready to seed. That was over two weeks ago. I texted the guy that we wanted it 100% finished before the end of summer. I guess his daughter is graduating from either HS or college today and he finally has time freed up so I expect him to show up Saturday and scrape that back fence line so we can put our livestock fencing and gate back up. This morning, there was a year old whitetail buck in the yard near the house. Though fencing doesn't keep them out of the yard, I hadn't seen them around the house in quite some time, not until the back fence was taken down.

 

[carikermoon]

Not long after I laid my head on the pillow last night, heard crashing through the leaves in the back yard out the open window behind my headboard. Told DH it was either Finn after something or something after Finn, but I never heard Finn meow or make any other noises. About 2 a.m., was woken from a sound sleep by a fox close to the house alarm barking. He was loud and insistent, did it probably five times. DH went outside with a flashlight. He said Finn came from under the deck and shot up the steps, wrapping himself around his leg and going toward the kitchen door, back to his legs, back to the door, as if trying to get his dad to come inside. DH went down the stairs, saw a huge deer next to the driveway, scanned the flashlight, saw a pair of eyes and pointed ears. The animal ducked down, but DH said it seemed to be large and stalking the deer. I don't think a fox would stalk a deer so maybe a coyote was stalking the deer and the fox was alarming to its kits or mate. I don't know for sure, but foxes don't hunt deer as far as I know.
So, Finn was definitely in danger last night.

Poor Finn!