Laura & CTB Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 (edited) Lynn I wonder if its worth a try putting out something to keep them occupied for a while in the mornings when they wake up- maybe hang up a cabbage or try a peck block? Edited February 26, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfrock Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 lynn sorry to hear the problems you are having. I must admit 2 of my chickens in particular are noisy - I think this morning Carmen could easily have drowned out a pneumatic drill and when one starts the others start too as if they are barber-shopping. However this really only seems to be during laying time and then they settle down (unless they can see us). Ours are able to let themselves out and always have been able to, but I must admit I can still hear them through the double glazing. Hopefully everybody will get used to the noise, like with everything else. neighbours several doors down can hear mine but they say they love it, and the free eggs are, I'm sure, the equivalent of a little bit of blackmail! Maybe if the boys had some eggs they would also 'succumb'. If push comes to shove, and I really hope it doesn't, , I am sure we would be able to find a home here for your girls, and as you are local to me you could then still visit them regularly and have eggs from them too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynn Posted February 26, 2008 Author Share Posted February 26, 2008 Thank you so much. We will try our very best to get the neighbours on our side - however, they can be the most unreasonable and rude people I have ever met (you know how there is always one family!!!). I did call Environmental Health yesterday and told them that we might be the noise problem! She said not to worry - as we lived in the countryside what else would the neighbours expect! However, it may be a different story if the neighbours did complain to them. One of my other neighbours has sent an email to me this morning - she stood at our side gate at 6.30am this morning listening and said the girls were as good as gold!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pearsons Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 The cabbage (or other greens) are a good idea and should give the hens something to do in the morning. My existing hens are noisy first thing as they shout to be let out and until I get the grubs filled (a handful or two of pellets thrown around solves that). I'm lucky in that our gardens are large with a lot of space between the houses. I have my rescue hens between me and next-door as the rescue girls are so quiet. Mr Next-Door came round yestaerday to tell me he had been feeling extra low and had brought a chair and sweet corn round. He said he spent half an hour just talking and listening to the poor things and he felt so much better afterwards. He then went to talk to my other self-opinionated madams and got an ear full of hen curses (as he had given most of the corn to the rescue hens) so he had to go home and defrost more sweet corn - that made him smile. I gave him some eggs but he said just having the hens to talk to helped him with his depression. To be honest I no longer worry about the noise as the crows are much noisier and start earlier (as do the cows and the sheep........) Helen in Hume Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 How lovely. Chickens certainly do lift your spirits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chili pepper Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 I worry about the neighbours too, although one side has a yorkshire terrier that goes mad everytime my dogs go into the garden (my dogs do not make a single peep back and just ignore it completely ) so he cant really complain, the other side loves the hens, yesterday I was watching mine sunbathe and suddenly they all ran to the neighbours fence when I looked he was leaning over the fence with some cabbage leaves for them I worried when I first got mine and used to go out into the garden to shush them when they were noisy (usually first thing in the morning) but I've found they are not so noisy now Hope you can solve your problems and keep your hens, it would be such a shame to lose them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treekeeper Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 With regards to noise levels and EHO's, hens would never manage to exceed the decibel levels to justify a noise order.The only EHO involvment could come if you had a rat infestation which was proved to have been caused by you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Our 2 white chooks make the most noise, Dippy always anounces an egg which she usually lays before 7am and Bertha can be started off by wanting to lay and there is someone else already in the house or by the cats or by anything she considers scary which is most things. They can't be heard that clearly from the front of the house and we only have neighbours on one side and a busy road to the back and other side, so hopefully the road makes more noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen&Lee Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Been thinking about this.... The other morning my husband had left the door open over night - so when we came down and let the dogs out the were all extremely verbal... Normally I give them their treats in the morning and this keeps them quiet as they are busy foraging for them..and on this particular morning as soon as I had scattered them about they were good as gold. So as Chelsea says have you tried scattering bits around to keep them busy? Its a bit like taking your child to nursery, leaving them crying and then going to pick them up and they are still crying - except when you ask they only started crying just before you arrived to pick them up Pure guilt trip Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirkwood Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 oh Lynn i am thinking of you, i really am. I hope my 2 girls are not too bad as like you i have one of those neighbours too and she'll be the one to moan for sure, but i too am going to bribe her with eggs if i can. Her father working in a batttery unit and she said that our chickens will smell because the one in the battery do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! doesn't take a genius to work out why thinking of you lynn as i know what a worry this must be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 looked for your video but couldnt find it here's a link to my noisy hen video. http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j18/weener10/chooks/?action=view¤t=MOV00115.flv She's a cochin - "supposed" to be quiet and docile - she has just laid an egg. (apologies for picture quality) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirkwood Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 oh yes i see now thanks for that. is this due to an egg beibg laid and how long did she keep this for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Mine occasionally do that after laying - it's almost as if they can't help it as they look most bemused at the noise coming out of them! But that is nowhere near as noisy as a cockerel, or even dogs barking. And it only goes on for a few minutes at the longest. I could understand it if you were trying to sit quietly in the garden and it was going on all day (like my next door but one neighbour's dog ) but it doesn't bother my neighbours - they think it is a pleasant sound. Maybe you could suggest that if you have to get rid of the chickens you would be taking up your next favourite hobby - drumming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 oh yes i see now thanks for that. is this due to an egg beibg laid and how long did she keep this for yes she announces her eggs to the rest of the flock. It lasted a few minutes then when she decided she'd announced enough she went and stuck her beak in some food!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirkwood Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 ha ha ha i live semi rural and even though we own our house some are rented and at least half of those people make more noise than that chicken. but for some strange reason other people think its their rght to do this but on the other hand get very offensive when its someone else. my other neighbours dont care they said they had chickens when they were kids and cant see it being a problem, next question "does that mean free eggs"? but the others well, Hmm not sure about them really , her dad works on a battery ffarm and i think she see's them as dirty creatures but its ok for her kittys to mess in my bark chipping and annoy scamp the dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynn Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 Morning, Well, the girls made HUGE noises this morning at 5am. Mrs Wilson was BOC, BOC, BOCing so loudly she nearly lost her voice. It started when we opened the curtains - those beady eyes see everything. When we got home yesterday we put dangly cabbage in their run and scattered goodies for them to forrage, but no, the noise continues. Glad we left soon after - what a racket!!!! The culprit we know is Mrs Wilson (and perhaps Beatrix) - it's a pity we couldn't keep just one chicken as Penelope is such a sweetheart - we did have her "sister" Luna for a while, but she turned out to be Leonard...now that would have been something for the neighbours to listen to!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirkwood Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 So they see you and thats what doing this do you think Lynn? Can you move them so they dont see you opening the curtains or turning on the light? Black out blinds on your windowns maybe???????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynn Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 I'm away from tomorrow so the noise won't bother me, but my husband will be trying out the blackout routine on Saturday and Sunday. I shall let you know what happens!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirkwood Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Lynn please do. i shall be following this because i said before i may need help myself if mine are on the noisey side. Enjoy your weekend Lynn Safe journey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elpolloloco! Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 i worry about our chooks noise too, , but we've had ours for over a year and "Ooops, word censored!"ody has complained. They tend to be noisy before/after egg laying, if they see us and want to be let out of the run and if birds/squirrels are squarking. Whenever i arrive home though there seems to be peace and quiet, so i just hope thats the case when we are out and they're shut in the run! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabelle Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Hi.. We've only had our chickens a few weeks but they are very noisy, until I let them out to free range. One of our neighbours has commented and suggested we keep them shut in the run too long and they want to get out. We are having the dilema of not wanting to let them out too early so they get enough grit and layers pellets for eggs... and keeping them QUIET. We are letting them into the garden at about 10am, but their eggs are rather small (the same neighbour commented on this...) I don't know if they really are ave 54g is that normal? Letting them roam seems the only way to keep them quiet!!! Any suggestions? Annabelle x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Do you let them free-range all day after 10am? Perhaps you could let them out earlier, then after an hour or so put them back in the run for a while to eat their pellets - it's not like they're going to fill their tummies by free-ranging for a short while. And your neighbours may find the noise less annoying at lunchtime than when they're still sleepy in the morning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I have squirted a persistant bok bokker with the hosepipe before (very lightly) if you have a water pistol/gun you could maybe resort to a quick blast of the water at the culprit hen whilst its making the noise.....if she does it again - squirt her again. It has worked for me in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfrock Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Hi.. We've only had our chickens a few weeks but they are very noisy, until I let them out to free range. One of our neighbours has commented and suggested we keep them shut in the run too long and they want to get out. We are having the dilema of not wanting to let them out too early so they get enough grit and layers pellets for eggs... and keeping them QUIET. We are letting them into the garden at about 10am, but their eggs are rather small (the same neighbour commented on this...) I don't know if they really are ave 54g is that normal? Letting them roam seems the only way to keep them quiet!!! Any suggestions? Annabelle x Hi Annabelle Your girls' eggs sound a perfectly normal size! My girls started laying around the 45g mark, now some of them are double that, others have remained small. It depends on the breed. Also as they get older so their eggs get bigger. As for free ranging and feeding, well at the weekends (and the odd day I get to work from home) I let my girls out at 8am. They toddle in and out of the run, nibbling at the food as and when takes their fancy. They also have grit in their run, but i am sure they get plenty as they scratch round the garden when they are free ranging. Certainly their eggshells seem to be so hard I often think I might need a hammer to crack them! Sounds like you have nothing to worry about (except perhaps a nosey neighbour!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy H Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Chelsea, Just watched your video and have to say it made me laugh a lot!!! I do not have chickens yet and it has made me really think about getting them. My next door neighbour works nights, so sleeps during the day - although not sure he would with that noise in the garden! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
