What to do about rooster crowing?

[chickenbutt]

Two of my mypetchicken/mcmurray hens turned out to be roosters. 4 out of 8 of my tyson hatchery chicks turned out to be roosters and the two giant roosters crow like Barry White. The other two don't crow....yet. I didn't know they were Cornish Xs when I got them and I pamper them and sparingly give them food and they live for hugs.

So that means that I have 4 roosters that crow all day and all night. When we are at home on the weekends we hear them crow about every 20 seconds.

My neighborhood has 10 acre lots but the way it is arranged is that two of my neighbors are relatively close. I don't mind the crowing but I want to be a good neighbor. I have 3 acres of land cleared and the rest is pine trees. All 13 roosters/hens go all around the house and yard and a little into the trees.

Is there anything I can DO about the crowing? I couldn't find any vets in Central Virginia and decrowing may be lethal and expensive for 4-6 roosters. Is there a way I can get them to stop crowing? Is there anyone in VA who wants free roosters? They are spoiled feathered babies though and I want them to have a good life wherever they are so that means not eating them

 

[herechickchick]

I say keep the one you like the most and get rid of the others. The one you keep may pipe down some after the "competition" is gone.

Good Luck

 

[Wolf-Kim]

One would be quite a bit more quiet than four! LOL If you ever notice, they compete by crowing. Mine will crow back and forth for an hour, trying to get a longer, louder crow than the last.

I too, would get rid of all but one. You could always talk to your neighbor and see if it bothers them at all. You may be surprised, that it doesn't.

-Kim

 

[Chirpy]

I agree that finding new homes for three of them may lessen the quantities of crows from the remaining one. It may not too, however.

A possible way to find a good home for them is to put them on Craigslist for your area, or put a note up on your local feedstore bulletin boards, even on you local vet office bulletin boards.

I found a great home for my Roo from Craigslist. He loves his new home (I kept in touch with his new owner) and is doing fantastic with his new harem.

There is nothing you can do to stop a Rooster from crowing, that I'm aware of. However, you can sometimes keep them from crowing so early in the morning, and later in the evening, by keeping them in a completely dark enclosure until you let them out - there can't be any light getting in and that's tough to do. They may still crow even then but not as much until they see daylight and their crows at that time of day will be harder for anyone to hear since they are enclosed.

Good luck - it's so nice to know that you want to be the good neighbor that so many people on here don't have.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

I have never heard of anything you can do to stop roos from crowing. It's their natural instinct. That's why many people cannot have them in their neighborhoods. There are some breeds that don't crow as much as others. If you want to be a good neighbor, I would get rid of them or at least talk to them and tell them to be honest with you about the crowing. It can create a lot of hard feelings. Crowing is like barking dogs. It can drive some people crazy. I have three roosters, two crow all day, sometimes starting at 3am and one that doesn't crow at all. It is a good thing my neighbors don't live too close. But there are days when I want to kill them because they drive me nuts.

Good Luck to you!!

 

[chickenbutt]

Thanks so much for all the advice! First I'll write a nice note to each of my neighbors asking if they are bothered by the noise. If either of them are then I'll post on Craigslist/our coop electric magazine/feed store/ask around at work. I shouldn't have a problem finding a new good home. It makes me sad to think about it but I'll just have to see how the neighbors feel. They may not mind. Maybe the trees drown out the sound

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

I feed my Roosters before they get up and then they are so busy eating that they don't crow, a treat works better then just regular food

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

my neighbors LOVED hearing our rooster crow.
But my chickens are not legal, so I had to rehome him so as not to draw attention from those that werent neighbors and might have had a problem with his crowing. Also didnt help that the foolish roo started attacking me.

 

[dede_pira]

Here's some web advice that cracked me up!

..."My idea is like that of training dogs and cats. You should buy a cot and sleep in the chicken pen. Whenever a rooster begins to crow in the middle of the night, tell it to be quiet. You could even throw a shoe. Then leave at 6:30. If the rooster crows when you are gone, then you are on to something. Gradually the roosters will learn not to crow at the times you have stopped them..."

Link:
http://jimmiehov8.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-to-make-rooster-stop-crowing-in.html

 

[tammyd57]