What to do about a possible roo?

[GlenChick]

On the off chance that our almost 6-week old chick Speedy turns out to be a rooster I'd like some advice as to what our options are.

We live in an Aussie country town but the council ruling is that roosters aren't allowed, however I know of one gentleman who lives in town and has a rooster, and has neighbours who haven't complained and are pretty laidback about his rooster so the council ranger hasn't been called around to remove his roo.

Q. I've read about a special 'collar' that people put on their roosters to reduce the noise. Does it work? Does it harm or irritate the bird? How long does the collar last?

Our only other option is to rehome Speedy to a more remote property that is allowed roosters.

Here is a recent picture of Speedy - breed, hybrid Australorp/Wyandotte.

 

[krista74]

My gut instinct tells me that Speedy is a cockerel, so I think it's prudent that you are currently considering how to proceed in this case. I could be wrong of course, but that is a whole lot of comb for a chick so young.

As far as the No Crow collars are concerned, you can go online and see videos of them in action. They don't actually stop the rooster from crowing though, they just sort of muffle it a little. It's still an audible crow, and if you were in town the neighbours would certainly still hear it over the fence!

I think that Council laws, whilst meant to be obeyed, are quite flexible in this area. It seems that as long as no-one is complaining, the Council doesn't often act. If I were you I'd start making real good friends with your neighbours! Maybe you could host a bbq where everyone is invited and you can establish some solid relationships with them.

Bribery is a useful tool too - most people will tolerate a crowing rooster if a dozen fresh eggs land on their doorstep each week!

I wish you all the very best. Hopefully I'm wrong and Speedy turns out to be a pullet, but I'm leaning towards cockerel at this stage.

- Krista

 

[GlenChick]

Thanks for your reply - one lot of neighbours have a small dog that when chained up barks endlessly, they are also retired farmers, the neighbours on the other side we are friendly with too. I don't foresee much of a problem with either of them, but the others who live a little further away I'm not sure about.

If Speedy does end up being a rooster then I might offer him to the farmer who we buy our wood from. His wife keeps chickens and they might like another bird.

I've been reading some reports about the collars and they are pretty mixed reviews - some people have even had birds dying from the collars, and I don't want that.

Anyway I guess I have a month or two before I have to consider rehoming him (if he turns out to be a roo) so I'll just enjoy his company until then.

 

[GlenChick]

A quick question - Speedy's comb is still butter yellow - when should it be going red, and also when do spurs develop on young roos?

 

[krista74]

All chickens are different, of course, but if he is male I would expect his comb should start to redden up in the next two to four weeks. It actually happens very quickly - well, mine did, anyway! I had a hatch of four chicks, and all their combs were of similar size. Their colours were very different though. The two pale lemon yellow combs turned out to be the pullets, and the orange-y yellow combs turned pink, and then red in quick succession. It only took a week or so for it to develop to red.

As far as spurs go, again - all chickens are individual. My rooster is roughly 17 months old and has spur buds which are almost an inch long, but he still has not grown curved spurs. They take quite some time to develop. Interestingly, two of my hens also have spur buds!

I must add that I have no experience with Speedy's breed, so I might be out on the timing of the comb colour. Hopefully some more experienced chicken folk can chime in for you also.

- Krista

 

[aart]

I would think that it would already be red at 6 weeks and be showing red wattles too.
Can't quite tell what kind of comb, straight or pea or cushion.
Do you know the breed?

 

[krista74]

Hi @aart

I could easily be wrong! I'm only fairly new to chickens myself.

I noticed this afternoon that there are some more pictures of Speedy on the "What Breed & Gender" board. I think Speedy's name is in the thread title, and it said something about his breed there.

Best wishes,

Krista.

 

[Rowsdower]

A more close-up pic of the comb would be most helpful.

 

[Eggsoteric]

I see nothing at this point that would indicate that Speedy is a cockerel - looks to be a pullet to me.