If we receive a complaint about a cockerel causing a nuisance then our Environmental Health team has a duty to investigate. Many properties have covenants to prevent the keeping of poultry and other livestock. For rented accommodation it is best to speak to the landlord to see if this applies to the property you are living in.
Chicken coops and runs, depending on their size may require planning permission. All cockerel owners must make sure that the crowing of their bird does not cause a statutory noise nuisance. If our Environmental Health team receive a complaint about noise we have a legal duty to investigate it. This may include:. In deciding whether the noise from crowing is a statutory nuisance, we will consider some of the following:. If we believe the noise is a statutory nuisance an Abatement Notice will be served on the person responsible for the noise under section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act The Notice is a legal document and will require the noise to be stopped.
Additionally, the cockerel could be removed from the property. There are three ways in which crowing can be kept to a minimum to prevent nuisance from a cockerel:. Vermin such as rats and mice may be attracted to any food or water that is left out for poultry. Additionally, any housing or shelters will provide shelter for vermin. There is a legal requirement for everyone to keep their property free from rats and mice. To prove the point, I persuaded my cockerel, Tweetie Pie, to come out from under the trees.
He put in a perfect performance. The issue of crowing cockerels clearly arouses strong feelings. So, why do cockerels crow? Is there anything that can be done to keep them quiet, and, come to that, why do people keep cockerels anyway? An attentive cockerel is like an old-fashioned gentleman, charming the hens with tasty titbits and standing back while they tuck in. Free-range hens may be more relaxed with a cockerel on look-out duty.
A responsible breeder will exchange a wrongly sexed bird — which is a good reason to be careful who you buy from. Not all cockerels are courteous with their hens either. Some will battle to the death. Unless there is plenty of space and enough hens to go round, keeping more than one cockerel is unlikely to work well. If eggs are offered for sale, customers should always be told if a cockerel is kept with the hens. Owning a rooster so that you can breed your chickens is generally not a good idea.
In allowing your hens to have chicks, you will end up with several more roosters. Although roosters can be kept together when they are young, as they mature they will often start fighting, which can lead to serious injuries. Therefore, if you are planning on owning several roosters they will need to be housed separately from other roosters once they are older or otherwise be rehomed.
If you are interested in having a rooster with your hens, there are several things you need to consider. Roosters are not allowed in some neighbourhoods because of noise issues from crowing. Roosters will crow throughout the day and people will often complain, particularly about early morning crowing.
However, these collars should not be used since they prevent normal behaviours and may also cause distress or breathing difficulties. Where it is considered necessary to use a rooster collar, the collar must be correctly fitted and removed immediately if there are any signs of distress. Roosters who have such collars fitted must be monitored closely for signs of distress or breathing difficulty.
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