can a roo live in partial isolation?

[cluck-cluck]

I adore my roo, and want to keep him, but he really makes a lot of noise, and I live in the 'burbs. Anyway, I was wondering if he spent, say 4-5 hours a day with his girls, then was put up the rest of the time, would he do OK? I mean the other choice is getting rid of him into the unknown.

Also, If I kept one of the hens with him, will she get picked on when re-introduced with the girls? They all grew up together and are the same breed.

Thanks for help!!!

 

[centrarchid]

I think constantly changing his social arrangment with respect to hens will increase his noise making. Check with your neighbors to see if his current rowdiness is a problem. Not all folks are against such racket and some might be more accomodating if consulted about it first.

 

[cluck-cluck]

Hummm, well, Charlie was in the house with one girl since Friday afternoon, and I let both of them go back to the coop about an hour ago. The girl was a bit nervous, but the others didn't pick on her after all (they're bantam Sultans, pretty docile) and Charlie was happy as could be, greeting everyone, but as of right now, I haven't heard him crow........

It might be an individual thing, but I am worried about my up and coming Crevecoeur boys, who are growing up fast now... what will they be like? So far they seldom make noise, and the noise they make isn't as piercing, more of a goose honk, LOL. So they're outside still in coop and run.

I already know that my one neighbor doesn't want to hear it when she takes her siesta. But also, my husband insists that the neighbors should have peace after 4PM and on the weekends and no noise until 9:30AM on weekdays Hence my problem and need to find a workable, non-cruel solution (course they're unlikely to live if I don't do something.......

 

[centrarchid]

Your situation is the reason I moved back into country to land I owned in an area designated for agricultural use. My birds crow louder and I have a lot more roosters. It was worth it for me. I would not have been able to keep more than six hens if stayed in city limits and predator management more restricted since use of firearms and dogs not permeable.

Reduce number of roosters to one and get him de-crowed. Then invest in his protection becuase you will have invested a lot in him by then.

 

[cluck-cluck]

I never wanted to live in the city, let alone this one, but then I got married.... promises are not kept once they got ya, LOL. I don't believe there is such a thing as de-crowing, or if there is, I'm sure nobody does it around here. But I do have my coops and runs built / being built to keep my birds as safe as possible. In the daytime, it's the hawks, at night, it's raccoons, skunks, opossums and rats. Our cat is a good ratter as well as a good mouser and mole'er, LOL. This whole enterprise is basically therapy for me. It's done a world of good, but I'm still stuck in the city playing farm girl! LOL.

 

[centrarchid]

Try contacting Bluedogs only of following thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/705084/decrowing-roosters


I gave him a hard time about some of his logic but what he does and your needs might mesh well.

 

[cluck-cluck]

Well, it's great to see someone working on this, hopefully it will catch on. If he does have a high success rate, I think it would be no worse than spaying or neutering a dog/cat/bunny. I always neuter my dogs and cats as I believe the benefits outweigh the costs, even in their lives, but certainly in the lives of the unwanted animals that get caught and disposed of every day

I've only just started reading the thread, but I will continue to monitor how he is doing. He does live far away from me, so I doubt it will be an option any time soon, but good to see someone doing this!