The Poultry Keeper

mildred · Joined: 19 May 2008 Posts: 12 Location: Kent

Can anyone advise me on how to make a cockerel box and how to make sure the dimensions are correct.

Don't want to do this, but needs must!

Tarka · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 421

Had the very same problem .
Get to a local show lots of small wodden boxes for sale with vents that are ideal .
Mine has two sections that are seperated with a sliding peice of wood . I keep him in one section nice and small so he can't stretch his neck and cockerdoodledoo .

I put our cockeral in the nesting box and locked him up , but he managed to crow , so had to get a smaller box and lock him up in darkness .
So far so good .

JC · Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 1116 Location: Sussex

Tarka does your cockrel have air vents? Im thinking of getting a cockrel this year, well keeping one of the boys i will hatch out. I think i will make a box to put inside the hutch to keep him in at night to muffle the sound more.

Tarka · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 421

The box i keep my cockerel in has vents , 6 holes the size of 10 pence pieces .
I bring him in at dust and put a black towel over the box . Leave him in the out building and close the door just in case he crows .
When living in a built up area if you want a cockerel , you just have to bend over backwards to keep the coqs quiet .
I let him out at 8.30 every morning and haven't had a problem with neigbours YET ...
Hes home breed and much loved here , so i'll do all i can to keep him . My 10 hens love him .

JC · Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 1116 Location: Sussex

What breed is he? I live in a rural village so i reckon i could get away with it if people complained.

- I did a quick sketch of what i think id make... A smaller box inside a bigger box. with air vents on opposite ends so to avoid light going in.

Tarka · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 421

Dark Bramha cross Aracana , really nice big youngster and friendly too .

Make sure the box you make isn't too big though as it must be smallish so you're cock can't stretch his neck fully . SUPRISING HOW SMALLER BOX A COQ CAN SLEEP IN , like i said my fella is BIG , but he fits nice and snug in his box .
He trys to crow , but can't let rip at 100% volume as the box is small .

Providing you keep a coq locked up till 8.30 am , then if anyone does complain you really should be fine in the eyes of the local council .
Lets face it , buses - dogs barking - cars revving up - music is played and people don't complain about that at 7 or 8 in the morning .
Just got to think ahead and eliminate problems . Some people will moan whatever , but hey hoe .

JC · Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 1116 Location: Sussex

cockrels can crow lying on their side haha. But i will make the box nice and snug Very Happy

Woodburner · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 10:42 pm Post subject:

Please don''t make a box so small that he can't stretch his neck. If it can't stretch his neck up he will stretch it forward and if the box is that small that he can't do that either, then it's too small for him to move.
The box (should) work by being so dark that the cockerel doesn't know that it's light outside. I doubt that it works on cockerels that crow at 1a.m.

When I lived in a town I was concerned that neighbours might complain, but as it happened I moved back to the country before I needed a cockerel. I moved back to the village where I was born so I knew the majority of my neighbours and they are all sensible country folk or at least sensible about country matters. Still I had one neighbour (that I didn't know) kick up such a stink that he pissed off all of them. It took the EHO monitoring and telling him it wasn't a staturory nuisance, for him to say that he was happy with the current situation. Confused

In the meantime I found out that someone about a mile closer to the town centre than where I used to live has a cockerel and, you've guessed it, no one complains!

Woodburner · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 11:10 pm Post subject:

Mildred, I've just looked at your previous posts and you don't mention anyone complaining. Who says you have to have one at all?