Rooster help

[animal boy]

I have a 4 hens and a rooster in a suburban area. While I don't mind my rooster crowing, my one neighbor does. For some reason my rooster crows more towards the evening and in the night then the day. Rather then risk him being taken away from me I gave him his own coop in the very back of my yard. I do worry that
1. A predator is more likely to get him ,because he is now a lot closer to the woods, or will get my hens without his protection
2. He will be lonely
3. He may be even louder since he's away from the flock
4. He's closer to other neighbors now

But at the same time I feel
1. I still may get to keep him
2. It may lower his aggression
3. He will still get to be with the flock during the day ( neighbor only complaines that the rooster keeps them up at night) so he can still free range with them during the day
4. It will give my hens a bit of a break from... Well you know

Any ideas or thoughts?
Also I just want him to sleep in the coop, he will free range for most of the day, and is there any way I could get him to not crow as much at night?

 

[sourland]

Worries:

1 If your coops are secure a predator will be unable to get either him or your hens - the greatest protection a rooster generally offers is as an alarm system.
2 He will be lonely - this may cause him to crow even more.
3 Yep.
4 Closer to other neighbors - may definately aggravate them.

Positives?

1 You may get to keep him at least for a while.
2 It may increase his aggression because of increased anxiety for his flock
3 This is a real positive.
4 It will give your hens a bit of a break, or he may redouble his 'efforts'.


Roosters crow - that's a fact. Some more than others, but roosters crow! Is there any possibility that you could try putting him in a dog crate in the cellar or a garage at night? Good luck, this is a tough situation, and it is always best to try and get along with our neighbors.

 

[Mrs. K]

I disagree.

Generally roosters only 'do' hens in the daylight. At night everyone is on the roost, no mating. One roo for 4 hens, is too much roo. Generally the whole flock does better if there are at least 10-12 hens per roo.

Roosters and chickens are flock animals, they do not like to be alone, so you are keeping him alone for your pleasure in keeping him?
And in the winter, he will not have the other body heat to keep warm, he will be cold. And if you free range him during the day, I think you will find it harder and harder to separate him at night as he catches on to your plan.

I think you are asking for trouble with your neighbors over a rooster. Not worth it in my opinion. Your flock will probably be happier without the roo, your neighbors will be happier without the roo..... just why are you keeping him?

MrsK

 

[sourland]

I disagree.



MrsK

With what?

 

[Mrs. K]

With her keeping the roo in his own pen as a solution. I don't think it will solve anything.

 

[sourland]

Oh, thanks for clarifying. Realistically, I don't think that it is a solution either just a possible option for a kid who is probably wanting to keep his rooster.. That is why I never suggested that it WOULD be effective. I've been around long enough to know that I do not have all the answers.

 

[animal boy]

I've been keeping the rooster in the main coop again and last night I kept the windows open, couldn't hear a thing and I'm closer to the coop then my neighbor so I think we're all good... For now

 

[roostersandhens]

Couldnt that make him crow less? I read that when a rooster crows they are saying '' Dont take my hens'' He will be lonely. He may be less lonely as an indoor guy.
Good Luck! I hope u can keep him

 

[animal boy]

I hear that raising the roosting bars closer to the ceiling might help with night crowing. Is this true?

 

[farmer boy]

I disagree.

Generally roosters only 'do' hens in the daylight. At night everyone is on the roost, no mating. One roo for 4 hens, is too much roo. Generally the whole flock does better if there are at least 10-12 hens per roo.

Roosters and chickens are flock animals, they do not like to be alone, so you are keeping him alone for your pleasure in keeping him?
And in the winter, he will not have the other body heat to keep warm, he will be cold. And if you free range him during the day, I think you will find it harder and harder to separate him at night as he catches on to your plan.

I think you are asking for trouble with your neighbors over a rooster. Not worth it in my opinion. Your flock will probably be happier without the roo, your neighbors will be happier without the roo..... just why are you keeping him?

MrsK

actually chickens are not flock birds at all people say they are but I don't know why could I have some examples why you think they are flock birds because I have reasons to say their not flock birds .. flock birds stay more together and follow everyone but mine don't do that some of my hens follow the alpha rooster but that's normal because their his hens and they follow him every where but I have some smaller breeds of chickens and they stay by the barn and not follow everyone else they go down there sometimes but they like staying with some of the other smaller breeds and not following the roosters .. I have 8 roosters 16 hens and 3 ducks but most of my roosters have pairs and they don't mate with the other breeds a lot and the other roosters are a smaller breed most of them I have 4 big roosters but I am getting rid of one or two big ones but my alpha rooster is a big bird partridge chantecler and the beta rooster is a white bird I think a leghorn then the omega I think they are called are the rest of the roosters don't have much breeding rights they try to breed but the alpha or beta rooster kicks the crap out of them but each rooster has at least their own little fav hen .... so yeah I will stop yammering lol but I just want to have some examples please .. thanks ...
Jason