I have hens and would like to get a rooster so we can have fertile eggs for hatching, selling, etc. The problem is, we have neighbors on all sides, and although I love the sound of crowing in the morning, my neighbors might think otherwise. So to keep the peace in the neighborhood, I started thinking that maybe a veterinarian could "de-crow" my rooster (like the procedure for barking dogs). Yeah, yeah, I know, what's next? Rooster shock collars? Anyone know if a rooster can be surgically silenced?

-- Eddie Miller (eddieannmiller@hotmail.com), April 19, 2002

Answers

surgical cure for crowing?? a HATCHET !! ! !!!

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), April 19, 2002.

Dinner!

-- Mike (uyk7@hotmail.com), April 19, 2002.

You guys are soooooo funny! NOT :D

We had a dog who we had "debarked" once. Basically what they do is to strip the vocal cords. However, if during the rest phase after the surgury. While the vocal cords are mending the dog barks or attempts to bark it developes scar tissue and can bark again. You guessed it the dog though quiet after the surgury did develope scar tissue and was once again able to bark just as well as before. That was awhile ago so maybe things have improved in the years since.

My advice? Ask the neighbors how they would feel about t rooster crowing. My neighbors never have minded and with just one the crowing won't be so bad. Crowing is a territorial thing, so, if there isn't any competition it should be hald to a minimum.

Good luck!

-- Susan in MN (nanaboo@paulbuyan.net), April 19, 2002.

Eddie

Here's my thoughts: If your local zoning allows for livestock/chickens and does not specifically dis-allows roosters - then - I'd get a rooster and not worry about things. 1 or 2 roosters should not cause an up-rising in the neighborhood! As long as you're in compliance with zoning. Most important! I doubt very much that you'll get any complaints though there always seems to be one sour grape sometimes. Most people feel the way you do about hearing a rooster crowing - those that do will set the sour grape straight. :-)

-- dottie - in E shore MD (mother-ducker@ebtv.net), April 19, 2002.

No such luck on de-crowing. However, do your neighborhood restrictions allow you a rooster? If so, you have the right to get one. If not, talk to your neighbors like the last person suggested and add that you'll be sure to keep the guy in a shed or your garage until...say 7 on weekday mornings and 9am on weekends.

Good luck!

-- Buk (noaddy@tiredofspam.com), April 19, 2002.

You guys ever see that PBS show on chickens? The one with the headless rooster? If your good with a hatchet.

-- John in Mn. (nospam@mywork.com), April 19, 2002.

I belive there is a surgical procedure that removes the pharynx [or the birds voice box if pharynx is the wrong term for it] in which the wind pipe is cut and resewn good luck trying to find a vet that will do it, and it will cost a bundle.

-- Thumper/inOKC (slrldr@yahoo.com), April 19, 2002.

Actually Eddie, quite a number of Vets, even in the city, de crow Roosters. Call around, it is not a complicated surgery, just takes a few minutes. The down side as mentioned above is, they do learn to crow again but usually it is very muted. If you feel you must have the dang things, get the surgery. Our clinic did a lot of these in 'Vegas. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), April 19, 2002.

You might ask the folks on the poultry connection forum if there is a breed of chicken that doesn't crow as much or as loudly----for example, the Silkies I have had did not crow all that much but an Old English Game cockerel will crow his head off. There are types of chickens that have been bred as "long-crowers" (their crowing lasts like 20 seconds) so maybe there's also the opposite---the short, quiet crower! But as for surgery? Good luck.

-- Jeff (lorianandjeff@aol.com), April 19, 2002.

Some avian vets will do the procedure. The fees I've heard around the country range from $300 to $1200. Not all birds survive the surgery.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), April 19, 2002.

You also might think about gifts from your garden or maybe some eggs from time to time. Nothing like getting some benefits from a project to get the support of the neighbors.

-- gail missouri ozarks (gefozarks@centurytel.net), April 19, 2002.

Eddie, Before resorting to expensive vetinary procedures or feeding the rooster glycol-marinated Stanburger, try this: in order to crow, a rooster has to stretch his neck skyward, so install a 1"x6" board over the perch high enough to allow him to roost but low enough to prevent him stretching.

This worked in city backyards in WW2 England when eggs were unobtainable except on a DIY basis or the black market.

-- Griff in OR (griff@hangnail.com), April 19, 2002.

Vets can "de-crow" roosters. Any operation is expensive and at least somewhat risky. Roosters crow when it starts getting light - they'll crow as the eastern horizon lightens, they'll crow at the full moon, they'll crow at house-lights, they'll crow at vehicle head-lights if they're in the mood. If you lock them in a predator-proof, light- proof coop overnight, then they generally won't crow, and even if they do the construction will generally be robust enough to muffle the noise. Since you need to build predator-proof anyway, the construction cost should be less than the cost of an operation.

Oh, yes, they'll crow anyway after enough time has gone by, but by then the sun should be well up, and you ought to have let them out anyway.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), April 20, 2002.

I always put my rooster in the chicken house at night. I raised him from a chick. When I brought my chicks home and made them a home in a box, one of them would cry. So I put him in my pocket and carried him around. He was the only rooster in the bunch. He grew up to be a fine big rooster. I named him Brooster. After dark I would go out and stand behind him, where he sat on his roost. I put my arm behind his legs and pressed gently. He stepped backwards onto my arm. He would be very docile then, because it was dark, and I could stroke his beautiful feathers. I'd set him down on a perch in the chicken house, with a few of the hens, and close it up for the night. I let him out in the morning, after my neighbors were done with their meditation and quiet time.

Another thing you could do, is when one of your hens starts sitting, go get some fertile eggs from a friend or neighbor, and switch out the duds for fertile eggs. As my husband's old dad would say, "Chickens don't care if you vote Democrat or Republican!" Hee hee. :)

-- Christine Baillie (towanda515@yahoo.com), April 20, 2002.

If you don't want an animal that makes noise (ie. bark or crow) then get a turtle. I think it is crual to de-bark a dog or de-crow a rooster. Whats next? De-crying a human baby?

-- Mike (uyk7@hotmail.com), April 20, 2002.

Now THERE'S an idea. Believe me, there were times early in my firstborn's life when his hold on life seemed somewhat tenuous. We called him "the mosquito" because of the incessant high-pitched whining noise, hour after hour, day after day, week after month - well it got tedious, I can tell you.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), April 20, 2002.

Oh, golly, gee, Mike we should just kill all the noisy animals, spending a bunch of money on them to save their lives and giving them a chance is too cruel. It is all so clear to me now. Yes, anyone with in hear shot of a complaing neighbor should not be allowed to have a rooster or a dog.

-- Thumper/inOKC (slrldr@yahoo.com), April 20, 2002.

What you want to do is disgusting. How would YOU like to have YOUR vocal cords ripped out so YOU wouldn't be able to speak? think about it.

-- someone who gives a damn (thats_me@www.com), April 22, 2002.