Rooster/cockerel starting to crow- who’s used a ‘collar’?

[21hens-incharge]

The freezer just isn’t an option for me - it just baffles me that in this day n age there isn’t anything that a vet can do to reduce the sound or stop the crow…

I get it.

I understand the no to the freezer too.

I have heard of a procedure for decrowing but the survival rate is really low. Same with caponizing after a certain age.

Finding him a home can also be problematic.

Yes it would be nice if there were more options for folks wishing to keep their rooster.

 

[MaeIstrom]

I tried with a Araucana cockerel for about a month or so and either it was too loose to affect his crowing or so tight that he pecked and clawed at it till it became loose. I ended up feeling so bad about I took it off, the neighbours complained and now I don't have a rooster
That said I don't claim it could never work, I've seen convincing videos on youtube, also seen an advocate admit in the comments section it worked for 6 months then the rooster strangled himself trying to scratch the collar off on a fence post. I'm hoping to try again with the son of my last rooster since he has a calmer temperament and I've hand-raised him so I'm hoping for better results this time but not overly optimistic. Even it does work I'd be thinking of moving him to a farm after 12 months and trying with a new rooster since I wouldn't want to keep him in it his whole life. Maybe it gets easier if you think of it as a choice between near-certain death and the collar.

Another option might be bringing him in at night, keeping him in a box and not letting him out before 9am or some time you negotiate with the neighbours. A lot of neighbours will be less upset by a rooster crowing between 9-6 than one going off at 3 in the morning and you can definitely work for that. Keeping lights on the henhouse for a couple of hours and making sure it's light proof can also push back his crowing for a couple of hours. Maybe even a combination of these attempts plus keeping your neighbours informed and in fresh eggs can buy you some leeway while you try to find the right solution.

 

[JaneBrook]

Crow collars are bad, in my opinion. Some use them successfully, others are met with a sad end. The roosters squirm and jump and flip to get out of it. The usual story is that they choke whilst eating and die.

Are you allowed males where you live? You could try keeping him in his coop until a reasonable time to dampen the loudness. Roosters crowing is as natural as us talking. It’s their duty to protect their flock and they’ve been doing it for thousands of years. I think that if people don’t want to let a rooster be a rooster, then they shouldn’t have one. I really don’t mean that in an offensive way but it’s like debarking a dog or declawing a cat, not humane in my opinion. Others will disagree but I’m sure they’ll share their opinion.

In the UK we have something called a ‘noise abatement order’ which the local council issue - I haven’t received one but it’s possible in the future…

I’m so tempted to try a ‘crow collar’ but as the second person on this thread to tell me how cruel they are I’m going to have to give that a miss…

Looks like it’s back to the old fashioned method of blocking light from coop & insulating it…
Thanks for your input & advice, much appreciated

 

[JaneBrook]

I tried with a Araucana cockerel for about a month or so and either it was too loose to affect his crowing or so tight that he pecked and clawed at it till it became loose. I ended up feeling so bad about I took it off, the neighbours complained and now I don't have a rooster
That said I don't claim it could never work, I've seen convincing videos on youtube, also seen an advocate admit in the comments section it worked for 6 months then the rooster strangled himself trying to scratch the collar off on a fence post. I'm hoping to try again with the son of my last rooster since he has a calmer temperament and I've hand-raised him so I'm hoping for better results this time but not overly optimistic. Even it does work I'd be thinking of moving him to a farm after 12 months and trying with a new rooster since I wouldn't want to keep him in it his whole life. Maybe it gets easier if you think of it as a choice between near-certain death and the collar.

Another option might be bringing him in at night, keeping him in a box and not letting him out before 9am or some time you negotiate with the neighbours. A lot of neighbours will be less upset by a rooster crowing between 9-6 than one going off at 3 in the morning and you can definitely work for that. Keeping lights on the henhouse for a couple of hours and making sure it's light proof can also push back his crowing for a couple of hours. Maybe even a combination of these attempts plus keeping your neighbours informed and in fresh eggs can buy you some leeway while you try to find the right solution.

Aww thank you what a great post!!!!! Full of great ideas & advice…
I’m going out now to insulate the coop & like you hand raised him - he rarely crows through the day, once if ever although he’s only 3 months & I fear still maturing his vocal cords…
He’s a Legbar & such a pretty chap & friendly so I’m going to persevere…

 

[roosterhavoc]

The freezer just isn’t an option for me - it just baffles me that in this day n age there isn’t anything that a vet can do to reduce the sound or stop the crow…

It’s a rooster they crow. Why would you want to alter the bird just to suit you and you’re modern living arrangements? If you live very close to neighbors you had to know there was a pretty good chance you would end up with a rooster when you got chickens.

 

[Pork Pie]

In my experience they reduce crowing by no more than 50% and that doesn’t cut the mustard at 4am.

 

[MaeIstrom]

Also there is a surgical procedure that some vets will do but it's controversial, high-risk and best performed before the rooster starts crowing. There's a thread about it at
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/decrowing-roosters.705084/ and also
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/decrowing-surgery-my-roosters-experiences.932729/

I also have to say I'm amazed at how many people have opinions on the cruelty of collars/surgery but not on keeping hens without access to a rooster, given how often my hens crouch down for me in the absence of a rooster and how they never did when I had one I have to conclude they're very sexually frustrated and when you consider the drive to reproduce is the single strongest natural drive there is (surpassing even survival even some species) claiming hens are just as happy without a rooster comes from the same school of thought that fish don't mind having a hook through their lip and being pulled out of the water. On the day I had to give away my rooster I swear my hens had a wake, they just stood in the shed and moped for several hours.

Anyways that my 2c hope you have a good result.

 

[Sarasarasara222]

My experience was that I tried limiting light in early morning to trick their inner clock as I read but that didn’t work and I tired a collar and it quieted the sound however he choked on bulky foods and I had to take it off. Eventually I just rehomed him because I was uncertain about if he would choke when I’m not around

 

[Ted_Harrell]

JaneBrook, sorry I was unaware of you being a vegan. The next option would be rehoming them. Maybe someone close by would care for him.

 

[MaeIstrom]

My experience was that I tried limiting light in early morning to trick their inner clock as I read but that didn’t work

Most roosters have an internal body clock that lets them start crowing half an hour before sunrise so to do this properly you also need to provide an hour or so of artificial light after sundown. Sometimes I bought my rooster in and let him stay up late watching netflix with me and this would push back his crowing from 6am to 8am (it was winter).