Silencing a rooster

[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!

 

[sayccrn]

The idea is for the rooster to sleep in in 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!

Ahhh...Ok..that makes sense. Thank you for telling me.

 

[Malquid]

The idea is for the rooster to sleep in in 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!

Thanks for the explanation. Keeping a rooster in the dark for eternity seemed extremely harsh and cruel. I didn’t think about the time advantage.

 

[Cave Creek Chicken Mama]

For what it's worth, not advice, nor helpful, but i commend you in trying so hard to TRY and keep him....yes, they crow.....Funny, my husband and i just took on a rooster and a hen 2 weeks ago. New to this....the rooster was being evicted as a neighbor didn't like the noise....here we are on horse property, dirt roads, chickens, goats, everything around here. So we took him in with his bride. Only the neighbor wasn't too happy as he just moved a house over.....but i don't think she can hear him anymore. I can't.....so i appreciate hearing someone that is taking this so seriously. We just got another hen on Wednesday, so learning along the way. Best of Luck! I'm not sure where you are, but there must be people around on farms or some group that can help you, if that is what you end up having to do. Take care!! I'm not even sure this is an issue anymore? as i just noticed the date was 4/14/20. Maybe a better question is what did you end up doing? I don't seem to be very good at figuring out what messages are new and which older.......

 

[Cave Creek Chicken Mama]

Oh i just realized, the date of 4/14/20 may be when you joined! Duh, sorry, i guess i have a lot to learn! And i see you are in FL.

 

[Gottaluvthat]

I twisted and turned over the same problem with my beloved cockerel. The no crow collar didn't quiet him enough . I thought about building him a cinder block coop but then read that they will crow at different times of day, not just morning. I had to rehome or move to the country. Wish I could afford to move!

 

[Judy Todd]

With only one rooster he will become aggressive anyway and will fight with you

That is, absolutely bull----, I have had roosters that were gentle as can be, raised them from chick and held them, talk to them all the time. The last one was a sweety and took caring for the hens very seriously, Unfortanately, a varmint got him, in the middle of the day, I am sure he saved the girls.

 

[aart]

With only one rooster he will become aggressive anyway and will fight with you

@grandbayou so do you think keeping more than one male makes them 'nicer'?
Doesn't make sense to me.
IME multiple males almost always bring out the aggression of them all.

 

[AmytownUSA]

I’m originally from south Florida, and every neighborhood I lived in I would hear roosters occasionally, barely, over the traffic and air conditioners and roar of life. People keep their windows closed so much, it might be a very touchy community but odds are no one will notice and fewer will be bothered
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[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!