Roosters!

Holy Mackerel, I don’t believe it, roosters are legal in Livingstone Shire!! When Yeppoon belonged to Rockhampton Regional Council I checked to see what the regulations were on poultry and was told that I was allowed 12 chickens and no roosters. I have stuck by this every since however recently I was bemoaning the fact to a friend that the only egg that hatched out of the last batch of fertilised eggs I put under a broody, turned out to be a male.

A relative of his works for the council so he checked into it and apparently the rules are completely different under Livingstone Shire! Now I am allowed 20 chickens including a rooster but there are some rules that go along with this that I consider completely acceptable.

The first rule is that I must acquire a permit which costs $72 and the second is that I have to take all possible actions to ensure that the rooster doesn’t create a nuisance to my neighbours. (There are also housing and hygiene rules)

I went visiting my neighbours and explained that I wanted to do this and was prepared to build a sound proof night box for it. I agreed that the rooster wouldn’t be let out before 9am which would be set with an electronic door opener. The neighbours were very supportive of this and one of them even asked that I didn’t use a night box as she grew up on a farm and loved waking up to the crow. I told her that the last thing I wanted to do was to upset all the city folk so he would have to stay in his box until mid morning.

I am still researching the best methods of sound proofing but will probably go with a cement box with foam lining and a good air ventilation system to make sure he has enough air. I will have a crack at it this weekend!