Roosters and Neighbors

Reader Contribution by Anna Twitto
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Once upon a time, the morning call of the rooster used to be an integral part of people’s routine. Sadly, many have grown so detached from nature, traditional farming and rural life that they regard the rooster’s crow as a “nuisance.”

Let me just edge in a quick word and say how unfair I think this is. If you live in the suburbs or on the outskirts of a city, and are trying to set up a small urban homestead, any complaint from any negatively-minded neighbor can be a dream-killer. If they keep a dog that annoys you by barking all day, or if their noisy lawn mower drives you crazy, you can hardly do anything. But if your rooster crows morning and evening, your neighbors can file a complaint and make you get rid of it, because it’s considered “livestock”.

So how do you reduce this possible source of friction with your neighbors?

Some people choose not to keep a rooster at all, but only a few laying hens, and replace them as they age. It can be a sensible approach in some circumstances, unless your neighbors are so fussy that even the clucking of a laying hen gets on their nerves. But keeping a girl-only flock is a disappointment if you have been planning on breeding your chickens and rearing your own tiny balls of fluff every year.

Choose your breed carefully. Some breeds are distinctly noisier, more dominant and, for lack of a better expression, cockier than others. Brahmas, Cochins, Wyandottes, Plymouth Rock and Australorps are known for their docility, and the roosters are relatively quiet, family-friendly, and easy to handle.

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