What are Your Thoughts on 'No Crow Rooster Collars?

I don't have a rooster at this time, partly because my boy Barry was getting too aggressive with me.  He might have been less aggressive with me if I had hatched him out myself.  Perhaps then we would have bonded.  But I got him and seven other babies when they were just 3 weeks old.  I don't think they were handled much before us.

However, the noise was the biggest factor for us.  We live in a rural area so roosters are allowed, and I do love the sound of a rooster crowing, just not at my bedroom window at 4:00 am!  We thought he was a she until he started developing a much bigger comb then his sister.  Then one morning I heard the craziest noise coming from the coop.  It sort of sounded like a mix between a prepubescent human boy trying to crow like a rooster, and a chicken with his nuts caught in a trap.  Okay, I know they don't have nuts hanging, but the sound wasn't pleasant either way.   It was kind of funny to hear -once I knew what he was trying to do.  It took him quite some time to perfect his crow.  He was successfully mating with my older hen and fertilizing her eggs long before he got that crowing thing down.

Then it became a problem.  He would crow just before the sun came up, then right after it came up, then when he was trying to woo the girls in hopes of mating, then after each mating session, then...you get the idea.  We would be awakened by his crowing at 4:00am and hear him crow at least another 20 times before 6:30 am, which is when we gave up all hope of sleeping through it and just got out of bed.

Unfortunately Barry had to go.


Today while I was reading the current issue of Backyard Poultry Magazine I discovered a product that might have helped us.  It's called the 'No Crow Rooster Collar'.  Have you heard about this product?  I am not sure how long they have been around but I think it is a neat idea.  The theory behind this product is that you prevent the rooster from crowing by reducing the amount of air he can build up in his throat to make the crowing sound.  This collar doesn't obstruct his normal breathing airway, or inhibit him from eating or drinking normally, it only prevents the throat from expanding to hold a pocket of air needed to make the crow sound.

I found this video on YouTube showing how it works.  The rooster's crow sounds kind of like a tracheotomy cough, but it's much quieter than a normal crow sound I guess.  Also, as you will see in the video, it does NOT inhibit him from performing his masculine duties!  The guy who made this video, made his own collar using an extra wide Velcro strip.  The official 'No Crow Rooster Collar' is prettier and they have already worked out the fitment issues, (and actual users tell me there is a big difference) but if you didn't want to spend the $14 for a official one from the NCRC company, you could try to make your own I guess. 

[Author's note: I don't mean to sound insensitive to people who have a tracheotomy, it is just that I have worked in the nursing field, so when I heard the crow in these videos, that is the sound that it reminded me of.  Also, I have been informed by one of my readers who uses the official No Crow Collar that the sound is actually a muted crow sound.]  

Here's another video of a different rooster wearing the official 'No Crow Rooster Collar'. 

Do you have roosters? Is their crowing a problem at your house? Have you tried this collar or some other device or method to stop crowing, or at least quiet the crowing noise?  I would love to hear you thoughts. Maybe once we get the new coop built away from our bedroom I might get another rooster.  I haven't decided about that yet, but knowing that such a product is available if the noise became a problem, kind of makes the thought of another rooster to fertilize my eggs a little tempting.



*This was an unpaid, unsolicited post merely 'mentioning' a product that I have not tried, I am just curious what my readers thoughts are about this or similar products .  There are no affiliate links in this post.  Please see my Full Disclosure here.

Keeper of 1 husband, 2 grandkids, 3 dogs,
3 cats, and 17 Chickens!

 

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5 Facts About Me That You Probably Didn't Know

I enjoy reading blogs on subjects as varied as chickens & backyard farming to techy how-to's, and from living green to entrepreneur networking, but that isn't one of the 5 Facts.  While reading all these various blogs, that have been written mostly by women (and a few men), I've had the opportunity to learn a little something about the people behind the blogs.  In the past I kept my own personal stuff to myself.  Partly because my husband was leery about me sharing too much personal information on the world wide web, but also because some of my beliefs don't fall in line with many of the bloggers that I follow or who follow me.  I was afraid of losing those virtual friends if they knew more about the real person behind the Backyard Chicken Lady.  But as I said in my recent come back post, I've come out of hiding in the closet and I am ready to share more of myself with you.

So here we go...

5 Facts You Probably Didn't Know About Me...the Real Backyard Chicken Lady.

My first name is Anna.  But that wasn't my birth name. I was born PollyAnna. But try growing up with that name.  By the time I finished school I was so sick of hearing children chant, "Polly want a cracker?" or having the nick name "PollyWog."  Throughout my childhood I'd never met another child with my name. However I did meet several old women with this name.  When I was of legal age, and working as a Paralegal, I legally changed my name by dropping the 'Polly' completely.  Now that I am an old lady myself the name Polly doesn't seem so bad, but I'm kind of fond of Anna now.

Family story is that my mother saw this movie the week I was born.

I ride a motorcycle.  When I was turning 39 (but thought I was turning 40) I went through a bit of an early mid-life crisis.  I didn't fear growing older, heck I was celebrating my 40th when it was actually my 39th birthday. (I didn't figure that out until the next day).  Anyhoo...on this monumental birthday I decided that I was not going to live my next 40 years like I had my last 40 (or 39).  Nope, things were going to change.  Yep, I was going to do something I had always wanted to do...I was going to learn to ride a motorcycle.  My new husband rode motorcycles since he was a little kid so we were already surrounded by bikes.  I just needed to learn to ride.  I took a beginners riding course at a Phoenix motorcycle training school and got my license.  Since then I have been through 4 bikes and ridden over 30,000 miles on my own bike.

One of my favorite bikes (#2) a Suzuki Intruder 800.

I am afraid of birds.  Not chickens, I'm afraid of the sky-flying birds, but not just the really scary birds like buzzards and hawks, I am also afraid of crows, sparrows and parakeets too. I can thank Alfred Hitchcock and his movie 'The Birds' for this.  I watch it now and it seems so corny, but when I was a little kid it terrified me.  Still to this day I go into a bit of a panic if a bird flutters its wings near me.

Are you old enough to remember this movie?

I own guns, but believe we need gun control.  I would like to see guns registered like we do cars.  Then if you sell or give away your gun you have to report it so that you wont be held responsible for what the new owner (or thief) does with it.  And like driving cars, if you don't have a license to operate it, you don't get to legally use it.  I think too many people believe all the scare tactics being promoted by gun sellers, that gun control means taking away our guns.  That is so far from the truth, but the truth doesn't sell guns in record numbers.

Reality

We need gun control because not everyone is a sane, responsible gun owner like you. This image is from EsterGoldberg.com a very funny blog I read.

I believe I was born an Entrepreneur.  I have been self-employed most of my life.  I started my first babysitting business at the age of 12.  It truly was a business, I was the only girl in my neighborhood that carried a calendar and was booked up for weeks in advance during the summer after the 8th grade.  I was so sought after because I wanted to be a mom SO bad that I would literally pretend the kids in my care were my own children.  In addition to playing with the kids I would cook their meals, fold laundry, do dishes, vacuum, and still get the kids bathed and in bed on time.  One parent, a single mom, even hired me to just come help her clean house on occasion when her kids were gone to their dads.

I've had multiple businesses throughout my life.  I've been self-employed at everything from being a paralegal to a pet sitter, from a eBay power seller to owning and operating a brick & mortar baby store.  I have had businesses that did well and I've had businesses that failed.  I am currently self employed in a passive business but still find myself constantly thinking about different businesses that I could start today.  I sometimes feel the need to create businesses like you might feel hunger.  My two favorite magazines are "Backyard Poultry" and "Entrepreneur."

[Disclosure: These two are affiliate links.]

So now you know a little more about me.  I will continue to open up about myself in the future so you will learn more about my thoughts and feelings on lots of topics other than just chickens.   But don't worry, I still have lots to say about chickens...and the donkeys I am thinking about raising!

Keeper of 1 husband, 2 grandkids, 3 dogs,
3 cats, and 17 Chickens!

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Researching Cool Chicken Coops

As I prepare for my future backyard chickens I have been doing lots of research on chicken coops.  The hubby is a house builder so he has agreed to build me what ever coop I want, if I can find him the plans or some really good pics.  He has never raised a chicken, or even seen a live one up close for that matter, so he has no idea what a chicken needs in their coop.  So I have to educate him on a few things.

We could have a basic utilitarian style coop but I have seen some really cool ones that look like miniature country towns or kids playhouses.  They are so cute!  I want to find something that will look great in the yard while still being functional for the chicks as well as allow me easy access to the eggs and for cleaning.  Look at this one that was featured on the cover of the Backyard Poultry August/September 2012 issue.  I am already thinking about how much fun I would have painting and decorating the fronts with different chicken themed buildings.  

Speaking of the Backyard Poultry Magazine (I love that magazine), while visiting their online site I discovered an awesome giveaway going on called the Chick House Peepstakes sponsored by Nutrena .  There are several prizes that you can win including a Grand Prize of a Chicken Coop worth over $2,400!!  I have entered and to be fair I thought I would share the contest with you too.

If you have a really cool coop tell me about it.  Send a picture and I may include it in a future post!  If you have plans for building a cool coop I'd love to hear about them too.

Keeper of 1 husband, 2 grandkids, 3 dogs,
3 cats, and 17 Chickens!

 

I would love it if you 'Liked' me on Facebook too!

Did this post stir something inside of you? If so, Please leave me a comment, I would love to know what you're thinking!!!