Things You'll Need
- Curtains
- Light timer
- Cage
- Hens
- Straw bales
- CDs
- Corncobs
Instructions
Seal all cracks and crevices in your coop that allow light to stream in. Preventing dawn light in will trick the rooster into not crowing to announce the start of the day.
Install blackout curtains or use any material that keeps light from coming in through coop windows.
Lock the rooster in the coop at night. Seal any access outside at night to prevent the rooster from getting out. This will confine the bird to the coop so it won't be outside at dawn. Even if he does crow, if he's in the coop it will deaden the sound.
Put lights in the coop on a timer and leave them on longer to keep chickens up later at night. You can reset the rooster's body clock to wake up later in the day.
Add some hens to the flock. If the rooster is crowing in excess in the daytime, he may be searching for more mates. Adding a couple of hens might solve the problem.
Place the rooster in a low cage at night. Roosters stretch up tall to crow. If you limit his space, it will discourage him from crowing. Use a cage that is large enough for him to sleep and stand, but not tall enough for him to stretch.
Make the chicken run more interesting. Cut tunnels into straw bales to create an obstacle course of sorts. Hang old CDs from the fence out of pecking reach. Chickens enjoy the reflection. Giving him a corncob can occupy a rooster for hours. If the rooster is crowing out of boredom, providing distractions in his environment will help.