What breed is the quietest roo?

[Woodyheight]

I live in a quiet little neighborhood. Houses are decently far apart, but noise would still be an issue. I want a rooster to breed & procreate with my 4, gorgeous, sweet little hens. What is the quietest breed of chicken (as far as roosters & crowing go), and how can I keep my roo quiet until everyone has had time to wake up? I don’t want any angry neighbors!

I have 30, 4 month old Speckeled Sussex in the flock there are three cockerels. They were to be females when they were bought, but someone goofed. All three are pretty quiet. I let the flock out to graze around 10AM and except for clucking there is no other noise.

 

[Chickassan]

Just buy fertile eggs or chicks.
If you're worried about neighbors you don't need a rooster.
Breed, collars, bringing him inside are all pipe dreams he's going to crow...often....maybe for hours....at 2 a.m.

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

I live in a quiet little neighborhood. Houses are decently far apart, but noise would still be an issue. I want a rooster to breed & procreate with my 4, gorgeous, sweet little hens. What is the quietest breed of chicken (as far as roosters & crowing go), and how can I keep my roo quiet until everyone has had time to wake up? I don’t want any angry neighbors!

Most of the time, I've found that bantam roosters are louder, and more annoying. If you just have one rooster, he's probably going to crow no matter what you do, or what breed you get. In my experience (meaning that I have more than one rooster) the underdog rooster crows less than the one that is in charge. Roosters that are in seperate flocks are most likely to have what I call "Crow Downs" where they crow back and forth. If you were going to just have one rooster, he'd crow a lot less, but he's still going to crow. When roosters crow, they are saying that they are in charge, that this is their coop, and these are their girls.

 

[Ebony Rose]

I have a bantam rooster. He crows every morning at about 4am, when all of the other roosters in the neighborhood are sounding off... I liken the experience to listening to the WALTONS (television program from years gone by) "Goodnight John Boy, Goodnight Mary Ellen"... Pepper, my rooster, also sings when my hens are laying, going so far as to stand watch over his girls while they do their thing. These are his two regular times to crow or make noise. He occasionally squeezes a random crow into the day. He's not particularly loud, but I'm certain that the neighbors hear my guy, as I hear theirs. If you're permitted to have roosters, and if your neighbors don't have chickens, you might be able to buy more tolerance of your boy's noise with a periodic gift of fresh eggs.

 

[Woodyheight]

I'm interested in this as well. I have ducks and goats and am adding chickens. Want a roo for reproduction but have the same noise concerns. Has anyone tried a "crow collar?" I was planning on trying it, but wanted some input from someone who's actually used one. Thanks!

I have heard of the crow collara actually killing the poor roosters. I don't think I would take a chance.
If your concern is noise all livestock can be iirritating. We have meat goats (100+) and there is nothing noiser than weanng time for 150+ kids. They all want their momma's back and they all want them NOW! It is constant bedlam for almost a week. If the kids aren't screaming, their momma's are!

 

[NellieBird]

I live in a quiet little neighborhood. Houses are decently far apart, but noise would still be an issue. I want a rooster to breed & procreate with my 4, gorgeous, sweet little hens. What is the quietest breed of chicken (as far as roosters & crowing go), and how can I keep my roo quiet until everyone has had time to wake up? I don’t want any angry neighbors!

I have an Orpington roo and 2 banty roos. They're all noisy. I bought White Rocks and Dark Cornish this year to play with breeding my own Cornish cross. The White Rock roos are friendly and relatively quiet. The Cornish roos are SILENT so far (6 months + old). I'd suggest either but with the Cornish you might enjoy an improved meat cross.

 

[lifein1840]

Only have a rooster if your ordinance permits it. If not, you risk having the ordinance changed to ban all chickens! You can always buy fertilized eggs from the local 4-H or Craigslist. There are ways to let your hens hatch chicks without having a rooster at your place. By the way, have your hens ever gone broody?

 

[lifein1840]

I believe I have a rooster.. he is 4 weeks old and he never shuts up.. he is sweet and cuddly though. Not sure what to do because they are prohibited in my neighborhood

Check with your local 4-H groups, someone may be happy to take him!!

 

[JAFig]

My Dutch bantams we not too bad, then I got a bantam Wyandotte. He was very thoaty and loud. The Dutch sounded like squeaky toys by comparison

 

[MROO]

Most of the time, I've found that bantam roosters are louder, and more annoying. If you just have one rooster, he's probably going to crow no matter what you do, or what breed you get. In my experience (meaning that I have more than one rooster) the underdog rooster crows less than the one that is in charge. Roosters that are in seperate flocks are most likely to have what I call "Crow Downs" where they crow back and forth. If you were going to just have one rooster, he'd crow a lot less, but he's still going to crow. When roosters crow, they are saying that they are in charge, that this is their coop, and these are their girls.

Crow Downs. I like it! We have the "Echo Wars" at our place. Some of our breeding pairs are on opposite sides of the house and one is on the front porch ( I don't know WHY I thought that was a good idea!) The Echo Wars start early and run around the house ... literally ... most of the day. They can go a lot later when a car drives past. That can get teh Wars started anytime ... and Fella is pretty loud at 2 am!