Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[gingersam]

does anyone anyone know what a cockerel box is?, we have a very young cockrill and he doesnt make much noise at the minute but when he reaches maturity we may be just too attached to him to let him go so we have had a cockbox recommended but we dont know what it is how it works and if it is safe or cruel??? also is it true that high perches stop the male birds from crowing?? thank you all, any answers appreciated.

[amys garden]

gingersam I'm looking forward to findIng out too.

[Chortle Chook]

It is a box which can be made dark and which does not allow the cockerel enough room to stretch up his head to crow. He can't crow if his head is down, in a normal position.

 

The high perch also works in a similar way in that it puts the cockerel's head near the roof so he can't stretch up . . . but he can always hop down and crow his heart out from the coop floor (as mine does )

 

I have just bought a Dinky Duck house from Flytes so Fancy for my cockerel. However that is really to keep him off my girls in the early hours before I can let them out and they can run away. OH is going to paint it nice boysy colours (i.e. not my usual pink but red and blue) and I'm going to put in a special perch as the duck house does not have one of its own (ducks don't perch).

 

You might ask Ann from Flyte so Fancy, who is very kind and replies really quickly, if the house is the correct hight for stopping your cockerel from stretching up. I guess it will depend on what breed he is. My cockerel is a Silkie so he'll still be able to stretch up in this.

[gingersam]

thank you very much for your reply, do you think a cockerel box is humain or a bit cruel, i wouldnt want to stress my cockerel, also if we deprive him of light will this stop the noise???

 

thanks gingersam xx

[Chortle Chook]

I can't really make up my mind whether it is nasty or not. Possibly it is unkind rather than actually cruel. It does not really seem right, to me, to prevent a cockerel from doing what comes naturally but others might think differently. I do know that the box should not be so small that your cockerel is kept in a crouched position (as if in that torture camber called 'the little ease' which they had in Henry VIII's time and which prevented a human being from standing up or lying down). It should only be small enough to stop your cockerel from reaching upwards and extending his neck out. As for the darkness, I think that would only be cruel if you were blocking air vents. I'd recommend that if you are keen on your boy, you just keep him and see if the neighbours complain. Don't anticipate them complaining. Some people acutually like to hear a cock crowing. Also cockerel noise does seem to vary from bird to bird (but not necessarily from breed to breed). Some are much more screechy than others.

[Redwing]

I'm not convinced that the traditional cockerel box is very sucessful, a cockerel doesnt need to stretch upwards to crow as anyone who has travelled in a car with chooks in a carry box will confirm

 

the use of a cockerel box these days is usually simply to darken the environment to delay crowing and muffle the crowing

 

Some people recommend tucking the box under the stars at night but a cockerel's crow does echo alarmingly well through a two bedroom terrace house a shed or garage that has some ventilation would be fine. if you have tolerant neighbours the cockerel in his box could be left inside the main coop overnight

 

The box does need some ventilation so wont completely block the crowing

 

A box used for transporting chickens would do or a custom made box with a door on the front could be used