Cockerel removed following noise complaint
A cockerel has been forced out of a village which loved him due to one mystery complaint.
The Wain family in Pilgrims Road, Upper Halling, rescued Bruce Almighty in autumn last year and say he became part of the local community, greeting the coming of each day.
However, in late July Laura-Jane Wain received a letter from Medway Council saying a complaint had been made about Bruce’s crowing in the mornings and warned her she had to take action to minimise the noise.
But she says no-one had ever complained to her previously and everyone of her neighbours she asked denied having anything to do with the complaint.
She said: “They never came to us to say ‘Can you do something about it?’, they did not even put a letter through saying it was getting on their nerves or whatever. Nothing. Nobody ever commented on it.
“I do not know who the person is, everyone is denying it’s them.
“I have had supportive messages from people saying they like hearing the cockerel, that it feels like the country, and they were willing to write in support of us to the council.
“We first got him in autumn last year and through the winter we never had any problems.
“It’s a semi-rural area and the houses are quite far apart with a decent amount of land between them, but when the light mornings started that’s when we first got the complaint.”
Following the first complaint, Medway Council wrote to Laura-Jane with suggestions about possible ways to remedy the situation.
These included putting Bruce in a box or coop with a lowered ceiling to prevent him throwing his head back and crowing.
However the Wains, and several locals on social media, believed this could constitute animal cruelty – however the authority said it is standardised advice.
Another suggested option was to put him in a darkened space until later in the morning so Bruce would think it was still night-time.
Laura-Jane continued: “In the evening I would take him into the cellar and then bring him out around half seven to eight.
“That seemed to take the sting but then we still got the second complaint.
“It’s not a constant sound, it was only every so often and I loved it – I thought it was a gentle crowing.
“The chickens loved it and they laid more eggs, he was better for their mental health. One person who wouldn’t even come talk to me has made it all go away.”
Despite following the guidance offered by Medway Council, in September a second letter was received which issued an anti-social behaviour notice and threatened a £1500 fine if there was continued “nuisance” to others.
Laura-Jane says she might’ve tried to fight back against the notice, but difficult circumstances – with family members suffering from serious illness and health issues at the time – meant she decided it would be easier to return Bruce to the charity she had rescued him from.
She said: “It’s just quite sad that so many people did say to me they enjoyed hearing the cockerel, they really appreciated him nad made them feel like they were out in the countryside.
“But one person has managed to ruin that for everyone. I’m just really upset about it.”
Although no-one has admitted to making the complaint, Laura-Jane has a suspicion it must be one of her nearby neighbours on her road.
She says the complaint was not addressed to the house number, nor to both her an her partner, but was addressed solely to her – who had main responsibility over the cockerel.
Therefore, she believes the complaint has come from someone in her road who knows her and the fact she’s the main chicken keeper.
A Medway Council spokesperson said: “We have a statutory responsibility to investigate complaints that may be considered excessive, regular or constant – and that unreasonably interfere with the wellbeing, comfort or enjoyment of a resident’s property.
“Most cases are dealt with informally. However, if this is not possible, we will take formal action.”
The authority added while the area the reported disruption – whether it be rural or urban – is considered when evaluating noise complaints, factors such as the frequency of the noise and level of interference with the wellbeing of neighbouring residents would also be assessed and considered
The evidence collected by the council included diary sheets from residents which logged dates, times and how they were being affected by a noise disturbance, which was then following by an investigation by officers.