Rooster Woes

[Kinney's Urban Ranch]

We are relatively new chicken owners (almost a year) and discovered this morning that our buff Orpington is not the hen that we purchased as a pullet last winter, but is in fact a rooster. He let us know this morning by issuing his first crows. We had not even noticed a voice practice in the past few months that would have stirred our suspicions. We did note that she looked different than our other hens, but she was the only Orpington, so we had no frame of reference.
So, now we are in a pickle. We live in uptown Denver. And, granted, the city is reviewing new legislation to determine if citizens can have up to 8 chickens without a permit, but still roosters are a big NO WAY in the city.
We really do not want to see our Roo culled, as there have been no problems with behavior, etc. But, I need options or resources to rehome this bird asap. I feel terrible with the crowing at 5:45 am and can imagine that my neighbors feel the same.
Any thoughts?

 

[GoldenSparrow]

until you find a home for him,
cover any windows of the coop with black tar paper, that should stop the early crowing.

also if you put him in a cage where he has to sit down to sleep. that way it is uncomfortable for him to crow when he is in there. (roosters like to crow standing up, so they can streach there necks) just for bed time, thats what we did, and it worked great!

let me know what happens.

if you can keep him, know that some roosters dont crow as much when they get older.
But many are MEAN!!!

Good luck

 

[bustermommy]

Are you looking to sell him?

 

[uncle rico]

Wish I could pick him up if I had lived closer.....alas, Denver is a long way from WI

Hope he finds a nice home

 

[bustermommy]

Kinney's,

Did you solve your rooster problem?

 

[galanie]

Another solution is a zip tie on the neck. I've been told to put one on there but make it loose enough that a finger can still fit under there. Doesn't stop them completely but they can't get out a huge crow if it's the right tightness. I haven't tried this myself because my rooster's crowing isn't yet a problem.

 

[bustermommy]

Um, I was actually going to offer to take him but don't know if you've already found him a home.