We live in Crofton Park and for some time now have heard a cockerel doing its thing in the early hours. Often around 3am but today it seemed to have a lie in as we heard it at 8am! We thought that keeping a cock in a built up residential area was prohibited. Does anyone know where it lives/who it belongs to? It sounds quite distant, as if coming from possibly the Ladywell or Brockley areas. Apologies if this has been discussed elsewhere.

Is there a 'petting zoo' type place nearby? When the Horniman had its chickens, I used to hear its cockerel crowing in the morning. Thankfully not loudly enough to awaken me but if I was already awake, I could hear it.

I know a couple of people with chickens but neither has a cockerel since they're not generally needed unless you want to breed. If you're only keeping them for eggs, you don't need one. Some councils can prohibit people keeping roosters but for the most part, it's allowed unless there are complaints of excessive noise.

When I was a student, I had a housemate with a alarm clock that sounded like a cock crowing... which we didn't realise until one day at the breakfast table, someone started wondering which neighbour had chickens.

Thanks Applespider, I think we'd better buy some ear plugs!

Its the one sound I really miss from my childhood - somehow the days always seemed best when started with the sound of a cockerel. Some were much better at crowing than others I recall.

The most memerable "noise" to be woken up by for me, was the bells chiming at the start of "Hells bells" by AC/DC.

very peaceful, and soothing to start off with - then Angus lets fly, just in case you had gone back to sleep ;-)