Balancing Corporate & Homesteading Lifestyles
Silence is broken
Changing times
I don't know about you, but I do not like the time change! Neither do my chickens. The once peaceful and silent mornings are now broken with VERY early morning crowing thanks to my confused rooster.
Prior to the time change, we had an idyllic routine that worked for everyone. Now this "Fall Back" thing has thrown a wrench in our once so perfect schedule. It has wreaked havoc on Rooster Ricky who continues to crow on his old schedule. Or maybe it's me that's messed up and he was crowing this early all along and I didn't hear it because I was sleeping. Regardless, the time change has us all a little backwards right now.
Disturbing the peace
In my opinion, the morning crowing is not loud. With Ricky in the coop and the windows shut, the sounds are muffled and faint. I hear it, but that's because I'm already awake. Now the cat and her morning meows wake me up every time, but that's a different story. Back to Ricky ... my neighbors may see things differently, but knock on wood, so far so good. We will have to see what happens next year when many sleep with open windows.
On a side note, Ricky is about 7 months old ... he was supposed to be a "she" but oops. I bought 2 unsexed chicks knowing there was a 50/50 chance for a roo. Thank goodness I only got 1, I couldn't handle 2 in my small flock. Ricky only started crowing in late September, so we are relatively new in this adventure. Hopefully, to help block his "music," I planted a row of elderberry bushes along the fence. Once they grow, maybe they will create a little barrier and minimize the free flow of rooster talk. As a last resort, I have a crowing collar but I do not like it, neither does Ricky or the hens. It goes around his neck only allows him to let out a a weak sort of pitiful crow. I tried it on him once. It lasted 5 minutes. Between him trying to get it off and the hens pecking at him (even though it was hidden under his feathers), I did not like that option. Only time will tell ... if it should become a problem.
The ambiance of a rural neighborhood
During the day, the crowing is not much of a worry, the barking dog and bahs of sheep create a lot of noise. So, in the big picture, Ricky's intermittent crows add to the ambiance of a quiet rural neighborhood, plus I'd rather listen to him crow than the non-stop barking dog ...
But that's just my opinion ...
Note: Daylight Savings Time was introduced in the US in 1918 as a wartime measure to save energy. It's not about the farmers as many people believe (read here to learn more about the history of daylight savings time).
