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AIBU?

Perpetual rooster noise!!!

16 replies

OlandDaisysmum · 09/07/2009 07:01

AIBU? Our house backs on to a small holding, now, when we bought the house the smallholding at the rear had two horses and a dog, since then they have developed a duck pond type affair which seems to house lots of noisy birds, in particular a rooster and it is this that causes us problems (you can guess where this is going!!!).

The rooster wakes at four and begins crowing - the noise in itself is tolerable (live in a semi rural area - expect a bit of animal noise). The problem I have is that it wakes my children - the 3 year old I can rationalize with and DS will go back to sleep, my 10MO DD not quite developed such reasoning skills so we are, courtesy of the rooster up at any time from 4am.

My question is this - AIBU in going to complain and ask them to keep the rooster inside?

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Nekabu · 09/07/2009 07:03

Isn't it in a hen house overnight anyway? Your dd will get used to it, though I know it might not be much consolation to you at the moment!

OlandDaisysmum · 09/07/2009 07:11

Don't think it can be in a house the amount of noise it makes!!! I understand what you are saying about her getting used to it but it has been disturbing sleep now for about 3 months so have given her a while to get used to it. Do you not think i have reason to complain - please be honest.

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HeliumBee · 09/07/2009 07:28

I think I'd weigh up the pros and cons -and think what I wanted to achieve compared with what you may achieve.
You may find your relationship with these neighbours deteriorates and they might not be able to realistically do anything anyway!!
However I would appraoch your neighbours in a friendly way - and just let them know the effect its having and leave a pause for them to make a suggestion.
What's the life span of these creatures? (!?)

OlandDaisysmum · 09/07/2009 07:34

Not too concerned about relationship with them - don't have one! Have to be honest they are not the most considerate neighbours - earlier in the year they had taken to burning horse waste (IYKWIM!!!) at the end of their garden which is directly next to ours so children couldn't go out - was worried about fumes! I didn't complain about that as I thought I should be tolerant even though it repulsed me but since colcks canged the damn rooster will not have a lie in past 5.

Have also been considering the life span of creature but feel tht if it died they would only get another which is anotehr reason I feel I may go and see them. Just not sure if it a valid complaint.

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Merrylegs · 09/07/2009 09:45

No, I don't think you are BU at all to ask them to keep the rooster indoors. And I think the local council would agree with you. Wasn't there a case in Winchester recently of a guy being landed with a £5000 fine for not keeping his rooster in a hen house overnight and thus causing disturbance to the neighbours?

I sympathise. We have a rooster near us who crows all the time. However we are very rural and it is far enough away from the house to be no more than faint background noise.

But on a summer's morning when the windows are open, the noise really carries. It really is the most invasive, shrill sound. (The people who own the rooster don't even live here - they just rent the land.)

So I would say you have every right to ask them to keep the rooster in overnight - (how you do it and what the response is may be a different matter!)

Merrylegs · 09/07/2009 09:47

rocky the rooster and the fine imposed.

Bramshott · 09/07/2009 09:52

Oh God, I so know where you are coming from!! We had a similar incident with next door's rooster - both being left out overnight (earsplitting), and being shut in overnight, but in a hen house right up against the fence so he still woke us.

We talked to them about it, and the chickens are now always shut up overnight, in a house in the far corner of the garden and we don't hear him in the morningg any more ! The only time they forgot to shut them in, the husband appeared on our doorstep the next morning with a box of chocolates, so I think we got our point across!

pinkmagic1 · 09/07/2009 10:00

If you live in a truly rural area then I think its just one of them things you have to put up with, if not then I would have a polite word with the neighbours and explain how much the noise is upsetting you. Unless they plan on breeding they don't need a rooster. The hens will lay just as well without one.

OlandDaisysmum · 09/07/2009 10:30

Is that what a rooster is for? Was unsure of what the point of one is in farming terms which also made me wonder AIBU if they genuinely need one! We aren't really in that much of a rural area - more semi rural really.

Bramshott - did you ask your neighbours about putting something over the hen house or was it dark anyway - going to look over and see if they have a hen house before i go, but do feel i should have some sort of suggestion for them rather than just complaining.

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KIMItheThreadSlayer · 09/07/2009 10:39

I think you have reason to wring its neck and put it in a pie...

OlandDaisysmum · 09/07/2009 10:41

The thought has crossed my mind - as has encouraging a fox to have a nice picnic!!!

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Bramshott · 09/07/2009 11:25

I think if they are shut in overnight and let out in the morning, the noise should at least be muffled. Now that next door's chickens are shut in, you might hear the rooster if you happened to be awake at 5, but it wouldn't wake you. However, if the hen house isn't shut and the rooster can just come out when he wants to (most chickens will naturally go indoors when it's dark, and come out in the morning as soon as it's light) then that's a problem.

IMHO, it IS anti-social not to shut your rooster up at night if there are other houses nearby, regardless of how rural. When next door's rooster wasn't shut in, there was no way you could have slept through it, and they do start VERY early in the summer (between 4 and 5).

Nekabu · 09/07/2009 11:58

I'm surprised they don't shut them up at night; it's asking for them to end up being had by the fox. If you are reasonably sure they aren't then I don't think you'd be unreasonable to ask for them to be shut up at night. If they are shut in already then I think you would BU to complain about the rooster as it is one of those noises you get in the country. Same as you get traffic noises in town.

If you're talking about burning the muck heap or straw bedding, AFAIK the fumes are just pongy rather than harmful, though you wouldn't want to be hanging over it inhaling the smoke anyway! Weird thing to do though.

OlandDaisysmum · 09/07/2009 14:50

Thank you for your comments, have decided I am going to call round in a bit - if I manage to get the nerve to! and just ask about things and see what they say, thanks

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DesperateHousewifeToo · 09/07/2009 14:54

This rooster was obviously not brought up the GF way if he is waking so early. Suggest blackout blinds and a 'swift return to hen house' policy so that he learns rising at this hour will not be tolerated.

OlandDaisysmum · 09/07/2009 15:11

If only!!!

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