Fowl play: Rowdy rooster silenced
Arowdy urban rooster, ruffling feathers with its daytime crowing, has been told to pull its neck in. Babs has fallen foul of his residential neighbours – and earned a visit from council inspectors who have warned his owner that “crowing roosters are considered a noise nuisance”.
Olivia Cook, 24, rescued Babs and his sister Ginger last year as chicks.
They initially lived in her bed, snuggling on body heat.
But after about three months, they were big enough to move outside.
Cook says they hated the transition and would run inside, back to her bedroom, at every opportunity.
Slowly, they got used to it and now enjoy a large run down the side of the house, shared with two other rescue chooks — Audrey and former battery hen Chickalita.
Some time after 7am, when Cook lets Babs out of the hen house, he crows to announce the dawning of a new day.
He then crows sporadically throughout the day. Passersby spark him into action, as do visitors.
Otherwise, she describes Babs as “pretty chill” and an animal who has a gentle nature, but a “huge personality”, and often follows her around the property.
“I can’t even hear him when I’m inside. He’s a great guy to have around.”
Her landlord lives next door and doesn’t hear Babs. He’s also a big fan.
The neighbourhood loves Babs, Cook says, and people often comment how they enjoy hearing him crow.
“It’s just his way of communicating. They find it comforting.”
But last month, Christchurch City Council received a noise complaint over Babs.
The complaint came as a shock to Cook, who thought visiting council inspectors were Jehovah’s Witnesses.
They asked if she had a rooster and said that they had received a complaint.
“I really panicked, worried they would take him away.”
Cook had earlier worried that neighbours might get upset at Babs’ crowing but hadn’t realised there were any issues.
She has bought him a velcro collar for his neck, which helped stifle his crows.
“As a result of our investigation we spoke to the owners of the rooster and advised them to take measures to stop the rooster crowing,” the council’s head of regulatory compliance, Tracey Weston said.
“In urban residential areas, crowing roosters are considered a noise nuisance.”
Cook now keeps Babs inside his enclosure a bit longer and makes sure he’s not let out before 7am.
And he doesn’t crow late at night – or make a racket between 10pm and 6am.
“I think we’re in the clear now,” Cook says.
“I don’t want him to go anywhere else. Babs is a very special guy.”