4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[teri]

Roy the chick, named afterGrandad Roy, has developed into rather a noisey cockrel.

He is not a constant crower, just first thing in the morning for about 15- 20 mins then not a peep all day. he is getting louder and louder though

any advice would be great about tips for keeping him quieter.

thanks in advance

teri

[xScrunchee]

We have a pekin cockerel called Kev. He is also named after the children's grandad (my Dad) who died

 

Anyway-this is what we do............................

 

We covered the shed windows with board etc and covered any holes which let a lot of light through.

Around the door let a lot of light in so I made up a blind type thingy larger than the door opening which I hang up in the doorway before closing the shed door each night.

 

We have a cat box in the shed and Kev sleeps in there. The cat box gets covered by a thick, dark throw.

I have put some polystyrene between the cat box and the side of the shed wall to help muffle the sound.

 

Weekdays I let Kev out at 8am and like Roy-he crows for a while and is then usually silent all day. (Although Kev can crow on and off for a couple of hours each morning )

Weekends I let him out at 9am.

 

He does start crowing around 7-7.30 each morning but it is pretty quiet because he is in the shed.

 

As for daytime noise-if he has an outburst during the day I don't worry too much as there are lots of daytime sounds which we could all complain about but don't and if anyone complained and the council came out-I will fight till the end.

 

Kev is part of our family and he isn't causing anyone a nuisance.

Sometimes I wish he would crow to block out some of the noise the idiots around here make!!

 

 

 

 

Edited due to spelling mistakes

[Lewis]

I'd try keeping him in a cat box covered up so it is dark, for a few days and see if he is quiet(er). Could he go in a garage or shed overnight in the cat box?

[Redwing]

If he did it all the time it would be worse! what a shame they take to crowing first thing

 

I think if you can restrict his head height so he cant stretch his neck out it would help - maybe thats why cat carriers seem to be the cockerel box of choice! I agree with the others about keeping him in the dark and have read about people even putting cockerels in the cupboard under the stairs to soften the noise

 

If I remember correctly your chooks live in a three tier rabbit hutch???? could you maybe block up one of the living compartments from the rest of the coop (the bottom one would be best) and place Roy in there overnight through the front door with a bag of compost led up against the door and/or side to dull the noise, a good layer of bedding will help - dont forget some small holes for ventilation though, you could cover those with some dark fabric or mesh to keep the light level down

 

You could insulate part of the coop with polystyrene sheets but chooks do tend to eat those and they would need to be removable so you can clean behind them to keep the red mites away, again dont forget the ventilation

[teri]

hi tasha you're right about the three tier hutch! i'm trying the cat box tonight but making him his own section is also a good idea. we really don't want to part with him he belongs to my seven year old son and we have already had tears just at the mention of letting him go

thanks for the advice

teri

[xScrunchee]

Hope that the cat box worked out

I think it does take a bit of effort to make the situation workable but worth it at the same time.

 

I know for a fact that the whole family would be devastated if ever we had to get rid of Kev

I will make every effort to make sure that he is quiet until 8am weekdays and 9am weekends. If, for any reason the shed stopped working-I would put him under my stairs

 

 

As for the daytime crowing-if anyone complained, I would be furious

The only reason I think people complain about cockerels is simply because it is an unfamiliar sound and they are normally the sort of people who just like to moan and complain anyway

 

I would do everything in my power to keep him and wouldn't give up until the very last minute.

I hate the thought of one complaint about daytime crowing causing an investigation from the council.

I would insist on sound monitoring equipment being set up and also the duration of each crowing session and how frequent the crowing was happening in the space of 1-2 weeks.

 

Whilst the monitoring equipment was in place-I would like all the other noise factors to be taken into account also.

 

ie-neighbours smoke alarm going off at 10.30-11.00 pm when they have their dinner

Neighbours dog waking my daughter at 2am barking and chasing foxes in the garden, neighbours the other side fighting and using language that is most offensive, the list is endless-music, revving cars/motorbikes, sirens, low flying planes etc.

 

Kev is a joy compared to the people sounds we have to endure day and night and I feel it would only be fair for him to be judged providing that all other sounds were taken in to account also

 

Oooo-don't I go on??

[smokiechicken1969]

oooop here i come, anything with cockerel in the title and im on it like my chickens on a corn on the cob...

 

do you also mean that he's crowing when he's out and about or just in his box?

 

i have found that 8 times out of 10 if boris is having a tarzan moment and i want him to settle down, if i make up a batch of warm porridge/ready break he all the chickens gorge themselves and get all sleepy. it seems that when he's got something warm in his tummy he forgets about crowing.

 

im not sure how the egg production is distrupted by all the hens up against the wall dozing off a load of oats but it certainly quiets the cockerel down.

 

maybe worth a try

 

wonder how long it will be before he associates crowing with getting something nice and then screeches for it on demand

[BeckyBoo]

I'd try keeping him in a cat box covered up so it is dark, for a few days and see if he is quiet(er).

 

I'm really sorry but that just sounds cruel to me. It's all well and good trying to keep cockerels quiet but cockerels crow - that's what they do. It's their natural behaviour and whilst there's no problem keeping them in a bit later in the mornings or putting a throw over to keep light out ultimately if you shut him in the dark for three days then that's no different to keeping hens in constant light to encourage them to feed and get fatter. Sorry, I sound like a killjoy, but modifying behaviour to that extent to fit in with our lifestyle - I really don't think it's right. I've kept cockerels and albeit some were eaten they lived a natural life until the end and in the early summer they crowed at 03.30 and stopped at about 23.30! Cockerels crow.

 

BeckyBoo

[Patricia W]

I manage ( mostly) to keep Phillip from crowing too early by blacking out the cube, including putting a rug over it to absorb some of the noise. The cube is also under some trees which deflect some sound. I also make sure he has a full crop before going to bed and I've been keeping him up as I've noticed his unlikely to go longer than 12 hours.

 

You might like to try the blackout treatment where he is first.

 

Tricia

[smokiechicken1969]

hi betty

 

im not 100% but i think what teri meant was to keep him in a pet carrier at night, for the period of a couple of consecutive nights, not keep him caged up all day for three days. i think!!

 

she sounds pretty enamered with him so im sure she didnt mean she was locking him up.

 

she just wants to keep everyone happy including the cockerel so she can keep him without anyone complaining as her little boy clearly loves him. def with her on that one.

 

great name betty by the way. it was my beautiful mum's name too.

[smokiechicken1969]

and stil not picture of the ellusive kevin! so disappointed

[xScrunchee]

I have a mobile phone and a camera memory card full of pictures of Kev and the girls but I just never get around to putting them on the laptop and then onto photobucket. I'm too lazy I think

 

I will try to get it done tomorrow though-honest

 

Anyway-here is a pic from a few weeks ago just to keep you going till the new ones are sorted

 

 

(Same pic as my avatar)

 

 

Actually-might see if I can send some pics from my phone straight to Photobucket now

[HENthusiastic]

Hes lovely. He looks like my lad. Is he a cream legbar?

[Lewis]

I'd try keeping him in a cat box covered up so it is dark, for a few days and see if he is quiet(er).

 

I'm really sorry but that just sounds cruel to me. It's all well and good trying to keep cockerels quiet but cockerels crow - that's what they do. It's their natural behaviour and whilst there's no problem keeping them in a bit later in the mornings or putting a throw over to keep light out ultimately if you shut him in the dark for three days then that's no different to keeping hens in constant light to encourage them to feed and get fatter. Sorry, I sound like a killjoy, but modifying behaviour to that extent to fit in with our lifestyle - I really don't think it's right. I've kept cockerels and albeit some were eaten they lived a natural life until the end and in the early summer they crowed at 03.30 and stopped at about 23.30! Cockerels crow.

 

BeckyBoo

I didn't mean constantly for a few days, just early mornings for a few days then let him out at 8ish to see if it works while the neighbours are away then you'll know for when they're back.

Sorry!

[BeckyBoo]

No probs! My bad!! (Note to self - read things CAREFULLY before getting on high horse! )

 

BeckyBoo

[xScrunchee]

Here he is

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry-not great pictures. Taken from mobile.

 

 

By the way-he is a crele pekin:D

[HENthusiastic]

Ah yes, I can see now, he is nothing like my lad. Hes a completely different shape, but similar colouring. He looks gorgeous.

[smokiechicken1969]

arrhhgg there he is! he's a killer! well what a handsome boy what can i say! he definately lives up to his reputation, he's gorgeous and looks a right character!! never crossed my mind that was him in your avatar. i have definately got a soft spot for that cheeky chap!

 

x

[Old Speckled Hen]

Here he is

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry-not great pictures. Taken from mobile.

 

 

By the way-he is a crele pekin:D

 

He's absolutely gorgeous

 

 

 

 

Such a pity he has to spend so much time banged up in the dark

[xScrunchee]

He's absolutely gorgeous

 

 

 

 

Such a pity he has to spend so much time banged up in the dark

 

Yes-would have been much better if I didn't have him.

He would in fact be dead right now but hey- better than being in the dark for a few hours in the mornings

[teri]

hi betty

 

im not 100% but i think what teri meant was to keep him in a pet carrier at night, for the period of a couple of consecutive nights, not keep him caged up all day for three days. i think!!

 

she sounds pretty enamered with him so im sure she didnt mean she was locking him up.

 

she just wants to keep everyone happy including the cockerel so she can keep him without anyone complaining as her little boy clearly loves him. def with her on that one.

 

great name betty by the way. it was my beautiful mum's name too.

 

thanks for you support and you're right i'm just trying to get him to have a bit of a lie in! we love him to bits and would hate to loose him.x

[Griffin]

 

He's absolutely gorgeous

 

 

 

 

Such a pity he has to spend so much time banged up in the dark

But he doesn't though, does he? He goes out at 8am weekdays and an hour later at weekends. I know myself I don't let my girls out until 7.30am and slightly later at weekends so he's not living a life much different to my own girls. I would never have considered them banged up in the dark. I shall be attempting to keep Boris in the same way, bringing him in at night, because the alternative is he ends up on our dinner plates. I should imagine he'd appreciate an extra hours kip more than he would do lashings of gravy!

[xScrunchee]

But he doesn't though, does he? He goes out at 8am weekdays and an hour later at weekends. I know myself I don't let my girls out until 7.30am and slightly later at weekends so he's not living a life much different to my own girls. I would never have considered them banged up in the dark. I shall be attempting to keep Boris in the same way, bringing him in at night, because the alternative is he ends up on our dinner plates. I should imagine he'd appreciate an extra hours kip more than he would do lashings of gravy!

 

Cheers

[xScrunchee]

Teri-

How's it going? Is he still being quiet or is he sleeping in the garage now?

[smokiechicken1969]

Totally with you guys on this one. Mine doesnt come out until 8am. and yes the alernative for him would have been the pot. when i went to get the female bantams i asked the guy what he was going to do with boris and he said that he was too scrawny to eat, so just cull him!!

 

now i am a practical person and i understand the food chain etc. but i looked in that cockerels eyes and i felt so sorry for him. so home he came....

 

 

.....on the understanding that he didnt come out of his coop until 8am. he signed the contract to say he was happy to stay in bed until 8am and so far has not complained. like kev and the other boris, and grandad roy, hopefully he will live out his days with several wives and lots of treats.

 

i know he's just a chicken. but i have made a commitment to him and i intend to see it through.

 

his bed is warm, clean and cozy, i dont think he's under any hardship by not coming out an hour earlier.

 

and xscrunchee? boris wants to know where kev got his lovely trousers from?