Rooster has begun crowing incessantly

[joebryant]

My rooster will be one year old on May 14. This past week he has begun to crow nonstop all day. It's about to drive me nuts, and I'm worried about what the neighbors are thinking. They've been very tolerant, but even I am upset about this, so I'm sure they're getting fed up with it too but haven't said anything.
What could be causing this? Is there any way to make him stop or at least take an hour for lunch.
BTW, he's also become very aggressive towards Anne and me.
Does this usually stop? If not, he has to go!

 

[Hobbley_Farm]

I'm no expert...but I think some roo's are just more verbally PROUD than others. My bb red is so noisey! I have one roo that maybe crows once or twice a day (that I notice). Then those that are inbetween.

About the agressive thing, I have seen all sorts of options on here. From carrying the roo around to drop kicking it. I just got to the point that if I have a roo that's agressive (aside from my bb red) I just get rid of it *one way or another* But if you're fond of this one, you may be able to work with him and carry him around. Good luck !

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Joe have you and Anne shown agression toward him? If not, do that first. He could be crowing because he is either hearing another roo or there are predators about. Mine crows hello and thank you

 

[Chicken Fruit]

I'd chase the bajeesis out of him whenever he crows. Its a territorial thing. If he thinks you rule the roost he might be less apt to crow over how proud he is of his little corner of the world.

Put some heavy jeans on and some leather gloves and harass that rooster!

Aside from that I dont know what to tell you, except to eat him.

 

[joebryant]

Thanks for the frank and candid replies. I guess I'm going to have to make his life as miserable as he's making mine. I have caught him a couple of times this week, carried him around, even upside down, but to no avail. I might take the water hose and spray him when he crows. When I was holding him a couple of days ago, I noticed that his spurs have grown and are now about an inch long. I hate to cut them off because he might need them, but if they're to be used on people, especially ME, ...

 

[averytds]

Other than in the coop for about 10min in the AM, we rarely heard a peep out of ours. Then someone a couple blocks away moved in with about 6 roos that crow non-stop. Within a week ours were about the same, no matter how much I harassed them.

After some threats from neighbors, ours are now in pens in our basement. We're building a well insulated coop/room into our garage. Once that's done, they'll basically be on lockdown except for a few hours of yard time in the evening. Unless the other people move or get rid of theirs.

Prior to the other roos moving in, we had little to no crowing. But we have a huge yard and our roos had free reign with plenty of distractions. I found the other roos. They are all clustered in small cages with little to nothing in the way of distractions. I was told that's why they crow non-stop.

 

[SunAngel]

My Blue Ameraucana roo is about to drive me crazy as well. I laid in bed this morning around 5am and heard him, locked up in his coop, crowing non stop. I counted at least 15 in a row before he took a short break. It wasn't even light out yet!

I am all the time locking him back up in his coop earlier than the rest of the chickens, just because he won't shut up! I don't mind the occasional crow, but 10 times in a row on and off all day is very annoying. I have chased mine and sprayed him with the hose, it helps some.

Thankfully he isn't agressive, cause I would like to hold onto him til I can get a decent hatch, or 2 or 3, of chicks.

Hope you get yours to quiet down before you have to get rid of him!

 

[columbiacritter]

Being low roosters on the totem pole didn't shut up my Dutch boys. They definitely knew they were second and third fiddle to the Cochin roo, but they still crowed allllllll day long.
I've had Nuncio tucked in the pocket of my hoodie sweatshirt, which has to be pretty dominating, and he'd crow with just his head sticking out. He's my good roo and he's still allowed to ride on shoulders or in the hoods of our coats.

 

[Mrs MIA]

I've managed to "soften" a few aggressive roos by showing them that I'm head roo. I wait in the pen until he tries to mount a hen, then immediately pull him off. I have several roos in the pen, and that's what the dominant roo will do to the younger ones. As soon as one mounts, he's chasing him off. So that's what I do. I will grab him off the hen, and carry him around while I do some of my chores. Then gently put him back down. I've also caught them while they're attacking me, and turn them into the submissive bird by holding them down like they're hens (holding head and tail) until they stop struggling. I do that every time they come at me. Some it has worked on. I have one roo that doesn't attack me, but if I try to pick him up he still bites (and yes, I mean grabs on and holds on like a pit-bull!). So he's still a work in progress, but at least he's not flying at me. Any that do not respond to the treatment are invited to dinner.

As for the crowing, they won't stop, and if there's more than one, they will just keep crowing. Mine are locked into the coop at night, and I only let them out during the day, so any night-time crowing is muffled at least. It gets loud when you have 20 roosters competing! But so far my neighbors don't know that I actually have a hatchery!

 

[joebryant]

Thanks, all, for the suggestions. For some strange reason he has pretty much shut up for the last two days. (?) I supposed he smelled the dumplings boiling. Can't imagine what got into him, but it sounds awfully peaceful around here now.