rooster collars??

[nicole63021]

Have any of you guys put the collars into use yet? Just wondering how they worked for you.

 

[insanity]

Not yet, but my little roo should start crowing soon. He started challenging my decrowed roo last week. It didn't end well for him so he is keeping a low profile now.

 

[rottnwarrior]

I haven't. I've only got one roo and I don't mind the crowing. But I am very curious about how well they work.

 

[insanity]

I just picked up a blue Americana roo and am trying the collar tonight. He isn't very happy about wearing it right now.

 

[Serenity Sav]

Ah!! I have much (recent) experience with regards to rooster collars.

There's another thread about them, here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/820771/sound-of-silence-6am-no-more-crowing

About 3 weeks ago, I wanted to look into the rooster collar thing. I have 2 roos, a golden sebright and a mille fleur d'uccle; both bantams. They were crowing quite regularly for extended amounts of time, and between the two of them it became a crowing war, whoever crowed last wins.
After seeing the above mentioned forum, I contacted the "rooster collar" maker on facebook, as well as via email; no response at all. I made a trip to the local fabric store and bought some velcro, and sewed + glued it together to make my own rooster collars; total price was less than $4.
I waited until thew crowed before putting on my collars, so if nothing else it could be viewed as a punishment of sorts.
The louder of the two, the sebright, would crow A LOT, he got the collar first. After securing it, and making sure he could breathe well, etc., I let him go, and he spent the good part of an hour trying to "back out" of it. Eventually he was content, he ate, drank, talked, as normal. But when he eventually tried to crow, he just made gargly sounds. He hasn't tried again since, when the collar is on.

My second roo, my mille fleur, eventually got the collar when he started crowing too. He didn't try backing up, instead he kept scratching at it with his foot. Eventually he tried crowing while wearing it, too. He was much more successful; his sounded as an audible crow, but less projective and powerful than normal, and the end of the crow was gargly. He has crowed 1-2 times at a times while wearing the collar before quitting.

Now, three weeks later, I still use my collars, but mostly as a punishment tool. The crowing overall has gone down at least 75%; on the worst days they will crow twice each. If they crow once, collar goes on. Collar goes off after a few hours of silence. I've gone many days with no crowing at all, without using collars, since then. But they still will crow once in a while and I still use the collar to keep consistent with my "punishment", lest is get worse. I have family that visits a few times a week, and since using my collars, they exclaim at how there's no crowing like before, and how peaceful and quiet it is.

Hope my experience is helpful to some.

 

[Barn Maid Ann]

Wow, what a shame to silence the roosters. I love the crowing.
We are soon moving from our 31 acres in CT to 6 acres in FL. I sure hope we have no complaints! But if so, I will keep this method in mind. I love my roosters and would hate to give them up.

 

[nicole63021]

Wow, what a shame to silence the roosters. I love the crowing.
We are soon moving from our 31 acres in CT to 6 acres in FL. I sure hope we have no complaints! But if so, I will keep this method in mind. I love my roosters and would hate to give them up.

Backyard keepers in suburbs need things like this just to be able to consider roos. Sad, but that's just how it is.

 

[insanity]

Well 3 days of adjusting the collar and he is still crowing. I have found a home for him at a friends house who can have a roo. I guess my next step is to find another decrowed roo,the one I have is very quiet. I was hoping the collar would work....maybe on a younger roo who is still learning to crow.

 

[GD91]

I am training my rooster not to crow, so far its not even a week & we already have good results.

Its been taking a lot of time & I've had to really persevere so far, mind.

My tactic is, every time he crows more than twice, I catch him, tap him on the beak and tell him "Bad Peter! Quiet!" & then remove him from his ladies. Either I bring him indoors or tie him to the "Naughty Rooster Post" for a bit. Sometimes he needs scolding 2 - 3 times until he finally gets the message, but that's happening less & less often. This is a year old Rooster & my first time training any sort of bird.

Originally, he was crowing a lot, all day, everyday. Now he only crows once or twice a day. In less than a week.

When he is being very quiet I say "Good Boy Peter, quiet, Good Boy!" In a pleased tone & give him lots of fuss as I would with our dogs. Sometimes he will get a treat,

When he does crow now, its only if I'm not nearby, he seems to think I can't hear him at a distance, but boy does he get a shock when I catch him & tell him off. He tries to avoid being caught, but I always make sure he can't get away with the behavior.

The way I see it is it may be natural for roosters to crow, but its also natural for dogs to bark / howl & if you can train a dog to be quiet, then you can train a rooster to be quiet. If I didn't have close on - the - other - side - of - the - fence - neighbors then I wouldn't care about his crowing, but sadly I live in a town.

I might state though that our rooster is a bit of an oddball, he sleeps in the dog bed with a Rottweiler & a staffy & he also searches out a warm lap to sit on if there is one available. We have never had any problems with aggression with him,

At night he sleeps under the stairs where its dark & cool in a pet carrier & doesn't crow at all of a morning. Otherwise, If I want waking up, I'll leave him out overnight & he'll crow on the other side of the bedroom door at 9:10AM of a morning (DH swears he has an alarm clock stuffed down his throat, or if he hasn't then he will have one down there soon!) & get me up. I'm trying to teach him that "Quiet" means QUIET. Once I've given that command, I don't take any messing about from him with noise.

He is quite funny when he gets caught & picked up, his head will stretch out over my shoulder & stare back at the hens as I carry him reluctantly back into the house.

DH described the look in his eyes as " Oh, no! She's got me again, Nooooooooo!"

Poor Peter,

if only he knew what a £2000 noise disturbance fine is.......

 

[lazy gardener]

Very interesting!!!