[zbenson]

I am looking to chat to anyone who is also fertilizing eggs to build a brood of chickens and use the young males for the dinner table. I've had my chickens for a year, 1 cock and 2 hens. The hen had 2 chicks who are both male and I intend to eat them when they are of age. However, my neighbour served an abatement because the cockrel crows and I had to give him up. Although I live in an extremely rural setting and there are only 3 houses in a row surrounded by farmland, the EH told me I couldn't have a cock because I wasn't a farm. There was no room for discussion and my only rights were to pay over £200 to appeal. I find this totally absurd, as do DEFRA. Has anyone had similar problems and how do you manage to fertilise an egg and eat home grown chicken when the males of the species must all be slaughtered. Thank you for any advice as I am incensed at having to give up my beloved Bertie Cockrel!

[woodside farm]

So sorry to hear this, I used to live in a small village near where I now live, and all of the villagers used to love the noise of my cockerels, so I have not had this problem, perhaps get in touch with the Citizens Advice you never know they may be able to help.

Good Luck

Michelle xx

[Roughlee Handled]

When you say EH do you mean Environmental Health?  If so how did they become involved?

[viettaclark]

EH do noise pollution as well as other things. Did the neighbour contact them?

[Caralou]

EH will have given neighbours a "noise log" to complete and return and a few on-spot sound visits usually before the abatement notice (I used to do the prosectutions that arose from serious ones of these  ), is there any way of discusing it with your neighbours. Explaining that you intend to cull males at say 5 months for the table. I live with many close neighbours and have spoken with them so they know that although I have boys they will be going to the table at 5 months which may mean a month or so of crowing. No one had a problem with it when I explained it, and bribed them with lots of eggs. It does help that another neighbour already has a cock bird so they know just what to expect and most of the row of house love the noise

[joyfull]

but not the noisy silkie females 

[Caralou]

...thing with them is nobody else when I've spoken to them minds, i just worry that eventually they'll get fed up of it - and my own sanity is going with them  as they just won't shut up, at least most cock birds stop with the crowing, the silkies just keep squarking for hours no matter what I do Blackie is crowing know, a little series of three of four in the morning and then the occassional through the day, a far more pleasant noise and no where near as intrusive on my sleep or my neighbours  Next door was really upset that the silkies are going bless them 

[joyfull]

well if you change your mind you can always keep them, if your sanity can cope  (although having said that I have just bought a banty ark for them to spend their first few days in - just until they decide to join the others in the big shed - it will eventually become a broody coup). I don't hear any of mine as their coop is too far away either that or I'm going deaf which is more than likely 

[Val H]

trust me, they're coming to you no matter what  they'll be happier where I'm not trying to throttle them for waking me up earlier and earlier (how when the mornings are getting later agian are they waking earlier  :blink: )  !!

EDIT: Just posted as Mum - oops  CARALOU !!!!

[joyfull]

Oh thats no problem with me as both of us are going deaf (old age) and think nearest neighbour is to far away besides my address is Farmhouse so hens and cockerels are ok here 

[andreadon]

mine are in the countryside, so the noise isn't a problem: however, it was really really really stormy last night and i don't think they liked it because when i got them up this morning they were shouting and screaming as if something was trying to kill them!!

 

[peanutbrain]

Hi all  - I'm new to this board, and have had chickens for a number of years. I recently branched out and got myself a barred rock female. She was lovely but now she is incessantly noisey. Not your usual bok bok that the other chickens do, this one is seriously stressed out. She makes 'moaning noises' all the time, and whenever she wants to lay starts to make the 'warning' sound. It lasts for ages. All the other chickens seem fine, but this one is constantly noisey and I am worried it will bother my neighbour who is always in the garden. Any ideas on why she is doing this all the time and how I might be able to keep the moaning noises down. I understand the laying the egg announcements, but the rest of the noises seem to go on all day.

[joyfull]

sorry but I think some hens are just born noisy just like some people 

[Vi]

Our chicken 'Duck' is a pretty noisy bird  I think she just likes to hear herself  

[shay]

You know its mad when you are out there trying to appease a load of chickens with rice, corn at 5.50am in the morning with just your boxers on whilst its raining.lol

Not so much to do with neighbours now but don't get enough sleep as it is without the chickens. I think an ex must be practising early reincarnation or something.

My other option is to move them down the allotment. The coop as it is now is protected on the bottom and sides by meshing so its fox proof, however not sure what else i can do to make it rat proof at the allotment. The mesh surrounding it is quite small but not sure how small it needs to be to keep them safe from rats. Any idea's?