What is reasonable time to let the rooster outside?

[tofupup]

I live on 3 acres in the country, where roosters are permitted. I have about 70 hens rescued from egg farm/slaughter, and one single rooster from the animal shelter.

My neighbor next door has 5 acres, no animals, and a pristine estate with a few full-time gardeners. She hates animals. (The other neighbors told me this, as did she.)

She recently started telling me that that I need to get rid of the rooster because the crowing annoys her. She doesn't say it nicely, either.

Only because I care about my other neighbors (not her), I started putting him in a box inside the bathroom at night. What is a reasonable time of morning to let the crowing commence? I decided on 7:30, but I think I might have some retired neighbors (it's hard to say, there are windy dirt roads I've never gone up that probably go to houses) who might sleep later?

Discussion with the complaining neighbor is out of the question, as we loathe each other.

What do you alll think is a reasonable time to let the rooster out of the box and into the yard -- 7? 7:30? I moved to the country so people would stop bothering me, and I like this rooster so I'm not getting rid of him.

Thanks for any suggestions! I don't know if I'm seeing this situation objectively or not.

 

[Bullitt]

I don't understand why you are putting the rooster in a box. Don't you have a coop? Or do the chickens just free range 24 hours a day?

I would say, you live on 3 acres so you can enjoy the country life, and your neighbors should expect a crowing rooster in the country.

Let the rooster crow.

 

[bobbi-j]

You are legal to have your rooster, so I would suggest that you just let him be with the hens. It seems to me that 70 hens would be far noisier than one lone rooster! If you're concerned about the neighbors you like, go ask them if the rooster bothers them. If not, let him crow his little heart out. The other neighbor needs to realize that when one moves to the "country" there are certain sounds and odors that go with it. If your neighbor complains again and tells you to get rid of your rooster, just smile sweetly and tell her that you are legally well within your rights to have him, and then offer her some earplugs. Or, you could try being nice and offering her some eggs. (In a carton, not thrown at her house!

) Just keep being kind and polite, and let her blow off steam. You keep being nice, and she's the one that's going to look like a jerk to the rest of the neighbors.

 

[Bullitt]

My neighbor next door has 5 acres, no animals, and a pristine estate with a few full-time gardeners. She hates animals. (The other neighbors told me this, as did she.)

By the way, I don't like people who don't like animals.

 

[chickenbythesea]

one rooster and 8 acres... she's just picking for the sake of being difficult. Let your rooster be with the girls.

 

[tofupup]

Oh, I put the rooster in a box for the night only, inside the house, to muffle his crowing. It's a big box. There is a big reinforced barn full of chickens he WAS sleeping in, but apparently my neighbor's supersonic bat hearing picked up the crowing at 5 a.m.-ish.

 

[Crazycomb]

I say put your rooster back outside and ignore your a** of a neighbor!

 

[Bullitt]

Let the rooster stay in the barn at night with the hens.

If your neighbor does not like living in the country, she is free to move into a city.

It is funny to me that someone who does not like animals would live in the country.

 

[Crazycomb]

I learned a long time ago to do what makes ME happy. I agree with the poster above, if she doesn't like your rooster, she can move back to the city. You have the right to do as you please on your own property. If the law says you can have a rooster, I wouldn't worry about Fancy Pants next door

 

[tofupup]

Thank you all for the rooster love! Of course, my inclination is to let the rooster be himself, and ignore the bad neighbor since she has always complained, even about the noise of the other neighbors' sheep bleating for food in the morning.

However, she is super wealthy and demanding, and I wonder if she might use her wealth and influence (which she told me about in detail when I moved in) to have the county ordinance changed to ban roosters? Although that seems extreme, I don't doubt she will try.

The other thing is that there is a zoning situation where the hen house has to be 30 feet from my residence. It is 24 feet away. I am certain that my wealthy, nosy, conformist, nit-picky neighbor is aware of the zoning law and will try to report me. (The hen house is the garage, so it was originally built to house nice cars, not hens.)

I guess it's just up to me to make a decision here on what chances I'm willing to take. I don't even understand what the big deal is; I don't think the rooster's noise is any louder than the incessant screeching of the jays around here, but, well..... . I don't have the supersonic bat hearing that my neighbor possesses.