Noise Ordinances & Noise Eliminating Enclosures

[Michelle Muldowney-Stevens]

We purchased our first house two years and I read through ordinances before purchasing to make sure there weren't any anti-rooster ordinances. As soon as we moved in, the neighbors started complaining about the crowing.

Last week our local animal control officer visited and said that we had to get rid of all our cocks and cockerels. After reminding him that these aren't just barnyard roosters, he said that we need to find a way to keep them quiet because the neighbor is complaining that she can no longer enjoy her yard due to the crowing.

Our noise ordinance rules are very non-specific. There are not any quiet hours so she can complain about them crowing any time of day. We had a bunch of birds in our garage that we were cage training for a show and the neighbor tried to say that was against the rules. It's not and thankfully the ACO re-read the ordinances and agreed but you can hear the crowing from the front side of our house, through the garage door. We have a work room in the back half of the garage that I'm hoping my husband will let me take over for the birds and that it will keep the noise contained enough so that we do not have to get rid of them all.

That said, does anyone have experience with creating a noise proof room? Sadly, we are not very handy people and building things does not come easy to us so any guidance on creating this soundproof room and building long term pens would be extremely helpful. We have bantam Ameraucanas, modern games and silkies and large fowl Ameraucanas that will need to be housed.

If anyone has experience fighting for their birds and can give guidance with that, I'm attaching information on our ordinances.
 
http://northlogancity.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/8_Ordinances-Relating-to-Noise.pdf

https://northlogan.municipalcodeonline.com/book?type=ordinances#name=15-550_Noise_Control_Ordinance

https://northlogan.municipalcodeonline.com/book?type=ordinances#name=16_Animal_Control_And_Regulations

https://northlogan.municipalcodeonline.com/book?type=ordinances#name=16-209_Nuisance_Animals

[Michelle Muldowney-Stevens]

I'm still dealing with this. We've got all of our cocks in our garage in Keipper show cages for now but I need to get a better system built this weekend. What size pens would be the minimum you'd use for LF and bantam Ameraucana cocks and cockerels? I have a garage door repair guy coming later this week to install high density insulation on my garage door since that's where the most sound escapes.

[Mike Gilbert]

I think about 3' by 3' with a roost works well for bantam roosters long term, and you could even use that size for pair matings.   For large fowl males, maybe about 4' by 5'?    Smaller would work, but consider how often you want to clean cages too.  Of course the bigger the better, but almost nobody has unlimited space.

[Michelle Muldowney-Stevens]

Any tricks you’ve learned I’ve the years from building pens? Dos and don’ts?

John, looking at the fantastic pens you’ve posted, I’m sure you must have some.

[John W Blehm]

Years ago I designed and built studios for a radio station we had.  Besides sound absorbing foam on some walls and in corners I had a double wall (off-set 2 by 4s for each wall on a 2 by 6 plate), that the studios shared, with insulation in it.  Most of that just doesn't seem to practical for your garage, but even shag carpet on the walls (70s style) would help.  Poultry dust will always be a problem and a building separate from the house would be best.

The indoor breeding units I built are pretty much what I would recommend.  The difference being mine are/were just for the breeding season and prepping birds for the show season.  For housing birds year round I would make some holes wider and taller if you have room and only have one row, so you don't have to bend over.  I would not go deeper than 2', since that is too far to reach in to catch birds, collect eggs and clean the coops.  Note the roosts in my 12 hole bantam units.  I would make the LF coops a bit higher, so similar roosts could be added.  Maybe only have 3 holes across, instead of 6 for the bantams.  The LF coops are wide enough for individual hens and visiting cocks.  They are also idea for pairs and trios of bantams.

You can find many photos and details about these and other coops by doing searches on this forum.  If you want more photos, just ask and I'll see what I can find.   

[Michelle Muldowney-Stevens]

Thank you, John!

[Rebecca G Howie]

Michelle,

How are you doing with the issue about your birds? I have to keep my males in the garage here also. After people go to work each day, I put a few out and get them back in before sunset. During the day most who are at home stay inside with the AC running, thank goodness.

[Justin Snyder]

Michelle,
Did you find a good long term solution for this? I am just waiting for the day when one of my neighbors complains. We have lots that are zoned for farm animals and some that are not. A friend on a 1 acre lot with horses had a neighbor complain about her rooster and the city told her no roosters anywhere in the city.