Woman upset at having to rehome cockerel after noise complaint

Stacey Callacot has kept chickens for five years after managing to hatch 10 eggs into two cockerels and five hens.

After rehoming one of the males she was left with just one cockerel, naming him Jamiroquai 'JK'. She keeps the chickens in a fox-proof coop in her garden in Blacksmith Lane, Prestwood, Great Missenden.

However, on September 5, Mrs Callacot received a noise complaint letter from Buckinghamshire Council "alleging a noise nuisance being caused by the continuous cockerel crowing." 

The Post Office worker said: "I was upset, shocked and a little bit hurt that someone possibly could be two to three houses down and they felt they needed to go to the council instead of talking to me.

"I'd like to think I'm a pretty nice person and not cause trouble. I suffer from depression and anxiety and to have a letter from the council made me feel like I was in trouble with the police. "

JK the White Crested Polish Bantam cockerel lives inside a converted playhouse with blacked-out windows. He crows in the summer from 6.30am and from 7.30am/8am in the winter.

Stacey explained: "Because he's inside the pen it's not that loud and I let them out at 8am/8.30am.

When JK was a baby cockerel (Image: Stacey Callacot)"He got his voice when he was about 6 months old and I thought to myself 'I have a feeling I'll have complaints' so I tried to rehome him back then and I didn't get anyone who wanted to take him. 

"There's a lot worse things than a cockerel like noisy cars.

"It's just a little cockerel pushed out of his home but luckily he's been rehomed tomorrow and I never would have put him to sleep."

JK is being rehomed tomorrow (Wednesday, September 13) and will be living with 100 other hens in Great Kingshill.

"I'm going to miss him so, he has such a character and he feeds his girls, he protects them. He's my alarm and the neighbour's alarm as well, " Stacey explained.

"He's a pet everybody falls in love with and it's amazing what animals do to your heart - he's just everything."

The Prestwood village has shown an "overwhelming amount of support" for Stacey to keep the cockerel, even starting a petition.

She added: "I'm gutted they [the complainant] couldn't feel they could speak to me and people have petitioned for me to keep him and neighbours that live down the road said they can't hear him. 

"But I don't know how I'd react if I got another letter and I respect my neighbours and respect their opinion." 

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Council's response 

Mark Winn, cabinet member for housing and regulatory services said: “Whilst some people choose to keep chickens in their gardens, it is less common for cockerels to be kept in residential areas as by their nature, they are noisy birds and can cause a nuisance for neighbouring residents.

"When the council receives a complaint about noise nuisance it is usual practice to write to the property which is the alleged source of the issue to make them aware that a complaint has been made. 

"In this case, our correspondence is clear that the matter has not yet been fully investigated and to date we have not formally required that any action is taken to address the issue raised.  We invite the owner of the cockerel to contact the Environmental Health service to discuss the matter further – environmentalhealth@buckinghamshire.gov.uk”