The high-pitched squawks ring out intermittently all night long, making sleep a chore. The sound is foreign to the Manhattan crowd. Not that 84th and Amsterdam Avenue is known for its serenity. It’s home to popular nightspots Jacob’s Pickles and E’s Bar. On the side street, you’ll find several schools and two schoolyards. But, this sound is different and far less friendly to REM sleep.
Advertisement
You can say it’s just a rooster doing its job. That’s right, a rooster, nature’s alarm clock, is holed up in a custom-built chicken coop in the Urban Assembly School For Green Careers’ garden. And, at least one Upper West Side resident is calling fowl.
“It’s totally turned my world upside down,” said a resident of a building adjacent to the coop, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The bird’s neighbor said the screeching occurs about once an hour throughout the night and, beginning at 3 a.m., it’s heard every 15 minutes, kind of like a sadistic snooze button. A recording of the rooster unearthed a sound unlike anything you’ve heard before – unless you’ve lived on a farm.
“People think it’s funny at first,” she said. “We laughed it off at first, but it’s completely holding us hostage.”
You could say she wished the cock-a-doodle-do, cock-a-doodle-didn’t.
Advertisement
The Upper West Sider said she’s lived in her apartment for almost two years, but the chickens didn’t come home to roost until about two weeks ago. When she first heard the night calls, she looked out her window and saw a glowing light, illuminating the coop, tucked in the corner of the garden, which is fittingly surrounded by fencing fortified by chicken wire.
She and her husband have tried to come to a resolution. They called the school and were basically told the chickens are harmless (maybe for insomniacs). No word on whether the coop had to pass a coop board. The couple has also opened a case with 311. The status is still open.
Article 161 of the city health code prohibits people from keeping a live rooster (or duck, goose or turkey, for that matter) in the City of New York with a few exceptions.
A call to the school for comment was not returned.
The wildlife is part of Urban Assembly’s curriculum. The self-proclaimed “premier sustainability-themed technical science school” uses the animals and vegetable plants as a “living laboratory” to “learn about horticulture, sustainable landscaping, wildlife habitat maintenance, storm-water retention and urban agriculture.”
“No person shall keep a live rooster, duck, goose or turkey in the City of New York except (1) in a slaughterhouse authorized by federal or state law that is subject to inspection by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets or the United States Department of Agriculture, or (2) as authorized by §161.01 (a) of this Article. (b) A person who is authorized by applicable law to keep for sale or sell livestock, live rabbits or poultry shall keep the premises in which such animals are held and slaughtered and the surrounding areas clean and free of animal nuisances. (c) Live rabbit and poultry markets. Live rabbits and poultry intended for sale shall not be kept on the same premises as a multiple dwelling as defined in section 4 of the Multiple 15 Dwelling Law, or other residence. Coops or runways of live rabbit and poultry markets shall be located at least 25 feet away from any building. ”
Says it all….
Remove the rooster! WTF is this city coming to these days?
Sick and tired of this type of bs under the guise that it’s for “education.” People have a right not to be disturbed!
I would say call Eric Adams, but he’s too busy dancing the night away with Chakakan while the city burns to the ground! Ole’ Mayor McSwagger should take the rooster with him and leave (don’t forget Brewer too!)
I bet you’re a real hoot at parties.
I just learned that if you neuter a rooster, it stops crowing all the time.That may be the solution.
Jesus neuter ???? thats horrible – this was literally a sex the city episode Cock a Doodle DO Has she spoken to someone at the school the principal or called 311 this is a quality of life issue or the DOE commu nity board
They had to clean up that park and put plexiglass covering the fence that leads to Amsterdam Avenue because the rats were running though the fence and under the people eating at Jacob’s.
It wouldn’t be New York if there weren’t people whining about something. Here ya go….
Get rid of the damned thing! We live in Honolulu Hawaii most of the year where these GD fowl are everywhere, worse than the Covid plague. On the streets, in our cemeteries, strutting around the downtown streets. We come to NYC in the Spring and Fall to W 73 st. to enjoy the peace and quiet. Fight this Fowl to the bitter end!!!!
An enjoyable read, Keith Marder! As for the rooster, the school could do a much better job of being a good neighbor — something that should be taught along with science. How about just bring the rooster indoors at night? During the day he can hunt and peck all he wants in the coop, and at night he’s brought inside. How hard is that?
Get rid of the rooster. People have the right to sleep at night. The school is being a bad neighbor and I am sure if the rooster was next to where the principal slept, it would be gone in a minute.
Chickens don’t require a rooster to lay eggs. Hens are perfectly content without a noisy, aggressive rooster in the coop (sorry guys). Why the school would want to antagonize neighbors that have a legitimate complaint is beyond me. Get rid of him. I’m from Iowa and know how to do it. Call me.
Aside from the topic, this was a well written and entertaining piece.
Animal cruelty is a menace.