Rooster Crowing

[MissMo]

My roosters crow throughout the night. Is this normal? They are about 5 months old. Rhode Island Reds. My neighbors are not fans. Any suggestions?

 

[Judy]

This is their "teenage years," lots of hormones, plus they are probably competing with each other. How many males/females do you have? Are you planning on keeping more than one male?

 

[MissMo]

I have 6 chickens total, two of them are roosters. I bought all hens, so wasn't planning to have any roosters. I cannot bring myself to kill them, and have tried getting rid of them on Craigslist. My neighbor's would be much happier if they would disappear soon. I like them but am limited as to how many fowl I can have and would rather have eggs. Plus good relations with the folks next door.

 

[Judy]

Unfortunately, dealing with unwanted roosters is part of the bargain when owning chickens. Most of us have had to do it one time or another. Even if you didn't have neighbors, you would probably have to get rid of one of them, or build a separate pen for the boys or one of the boys, to avoid overmating.

Craigslist is usually a pretty good way to deal with it. Are there by any chance any poultry auctions where you live? If you lived in my community, I'd suggest asking at the feed store. They probably know people who would take them and butcher them for the free food.

I know this is a bit distressing; it is for many of us. Good luck!