Sad decision :(

As much as I love having my colourful boys around, I've decided it is just not worth the hassle with the neighbours

Personally I love the sound of the crowing (when it's occasional lol), but every time one does, I'm on a knife edge waiting for a knock on the door.

It's getting to the point where I'm so tense all the time, that I'm just not enjoying my chickens any more.

I have 4 24 week old copper blue marans, so they will make lovely dinners, and three laced dotte boys which will be filleted.  It's such a shame really, but my dotte boys definitely have "little man" syndrome, and they are full of, er, life at the moment and hardly shut up all day.

having said that, it won't stop me from hatching again next year... next door tends to forgive and forget once is it quiet for a while... but the pen will look very empty.

As a consellation, I have a half grown black Brahma who hasn't made a peep yet.  So he will be staying for the foreseeable.  I'm hoping that he will develop the same gorgeous deep crow as the brahma I saw at the garden centre the other day.

Could you give some of your neighbours the chicken meat as a gesture.  This way they might forgive the crowing if you tell them that they have to be a certain age to cull.  Then you could probably sneakily keep 2 or 3 cockerels whithout them knowing.