Silencing a rooster

[Es_In_Miami]

I have a difficult decision to make. One of my four new chicks is a rooster. Hopefully the only one.

He is a pretty awesome bird. Tame, allows me to pick him up easily and likes my big hens. They all share our yard plus an 18 x 16 pen.

We live in the city where chickens are not welcomed. Either I find a way to keep him quiet or he has to go.

Going away is a problem. I haven't found any takers. A few places are dealing with predator problems and have lost several birds. Tried the collar but he freaks out something awful. Even had a friend who uses one check it out. Luci does not tolerate the collar.

Lucifer (previously Lucille) is not loud (yet) nor does he crow a lot. I've accustomed the chick flock to stay in their ample coop until at least 8:30am. I have to be quiet in the morning or he will call for me. There is food water treats and multiple levels for them to hop around. My big girls are in a different coop next to the the chick coop. They're very quiet until they see or hear me. Then they too call for me.

Now, I'm cognizant of the fact that Luci will get louder and more active as he matures.

Short of building them an actual house is there anything I can do? I don't want to mutilate his vocal chords but I don't want to endanger him either.

Help!

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Sorry, but I there is no humane way to keep a rooster from crowing. I personally would not use a crow collar, because I think they are cruel. I'm sure others would agree. Good luck.

 

[dondi76]

I have a difficult decision to make. One of my four new chicks is a rooster. Hopefully the only one.

He is a pretty awesome bird. Tame, allows me to pick him up easily and likes my big hens. They all share our yard plus an 18 x 16 pen.

We live in the city where chickens are not welcomed. Either I find a way to keep him quiet or he has to go.

Going away is a problem. I haven't found any takers. A few places are dealing with predator problems and have lost several birds. Tried the collar but he freaks out something awful. Even had a friend who uses one check it out. Luci does not tolerate the collar.

Lucifer (previously Lucille) is not loud (yet) nor does he crow a lot. I've accustomed the chick flock to stay in their ample coop until at least 8:30am. I have to be quiet in the morning or he will call for me. There is food water treats and multiple levels for them to hop around. My big girls are in a different coop next to the the chick coop. They're very quiet until they see or hear me. Then they too call for me.

Now, I'm cognizant of the fact that Luci will get louder and more active as he matures.

Short of building them an actual house is there anything I can do? I don't want to mutilate his vocal chords but I don't want to endanger him either.

Help!

I was also blessed with a rooster who didn't only crow in the morning, but all night long! My poor neighbors actually said it was disturbing them and could I please do something. So...I bought a playpen at a thrift store and bring him in every night and he sleeps in the garage. When we go away, he comes along with us in a cat carrier. We have become the joke of the neighborhood, but I felt this was the best option.

 

[keesmom]

Roosters crow. It's what they do. Unfortunately there is no effective way to keep him from crowing.

You can check around to see if there are any SPCA places that take livestock such as poultry, swine, horses and cattle.

 

[Feath3rDust3r]

When I was a kid we had chickens and our rooster would crow late in the evening and very early morning...the neighbors weren't impressed. My dad lifted the roosts and the floor so that when we shut the chickens in for the night they could sit comfortably but not stand up tall ....I guess the rooster couldn't crow without stretching his head because after that he would only crow after he was let out in the morning.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Since dogs can be de-barked by a vet, why has not one come up with a way to de-crow a rooster...

They have. From what I understand it's not very successful and surgery is more difficult on a bird, they don't do well going under, plus cost and general lack of poultry vets is a factor.

 

[NatJ]

Dark box? That sounds cruel too. I haven't heard of this, someone explain? Would he be in the dark forever or just to a certain time of day? Animals need light just like we do.

The idea is for the rooster to sleep in it at night. It needs to be dark enough that he can't see the sun come up in the morning, so he keeps sleeping and doesn't crow.

At some reasonable time in the morning, the rooster is allowed out. At that point, he sees that it's light and starts to crow--but crowing at 7 am or 8 am does not disturb people nearly as much as crowing at 4 am!

 

[Aunt Angus]

I just read through this whole thread. I had a similar dilemma. I am "between" houses, waiting for the loan on my new house (in a rooster friendly area) to close. Roosters were allowed at my last house. Here, not so much. All was fine until a neighbor complained that I had 6 or 7 roosters. Lol! I've got one bantam cockerel.

Talked to the county folks, and found out we can keep him IF we bring him inside. Well, we now have a house cockerel. He crows ALL the DAMN time! Haha! But he has his own bedroom, so it not so bad. And he sleeps in now because he goes to bed when we do. He wakes up around 9:00 am now.

He misses his hens, I'm sure, but he gets to run around the house in his diaper. And he goes for walks on the weekends.

We were worried about the neighbors hearing him with windows and doors open. The county says it doesn't matter. The cockerel can be as loud as he wants indoors. Neighbors can't do anything as long as he is inside the house.

My son thought we ought to go in the backyard and imitate the crowing at the top of our lungs just to be petty. I'm just not that mean, but it would be funny!

Tl, dr: There are options for roosters, but rehoming was a great decision!

 

[getaclue]

The best solution is to re-home him.

 

[Jackiedyl68]

I have a difficult decision to make. One of my four new chicks is a rooster. Hopefully the only one.

He is a pretty awesome bird. Tame, allows me to pick him up easily and likes my big hens. They all share our yard plus an 18 x 16 pen.

We live in the city where chickens are not welcomed. Either I find a way to keep him quiet or he has to go.

Going away is a problem. I haven't found any takers. A few places are dealing with predator problems and have lost several birds. Tried the collar but he freaks out something awful. Even had a friend who uses one check it out. Luci does not tolerate the collar.

Lucifer (previously Lucille) is not loud (yet) nor does he crow a lot. I've accustomed the chick flock to stay in their ample coop until at least 8:30am. I have to be quiet in the morning or he will call for me. There is food water treats and multiple levels for them to hop around. My big girls are in a different coop next to the the chick coop. They're very quiet until they see or hear me. Then they too call for me.

Now, I'm cognizant of the fact that Luci will get louder and more active as he matures.

Short of building them an actual house is there anything I can do? I don't want to mutilate his vocal chords but I don't want to endanger him either.

Help!

My little peewee wears a collar it does not bother him and he sounds like a bike horn which is pretty hysterical! I had to bring Marty in the house at night and put him on a covered cat carrier which he did not mind at all he would just walk on the house and go in it! I did finally find him a farm to live at but anyway train him to come in and sleep in the house! It only takes a few days to get him in the routine and he sleeps until you uncover him! Good luck