auntie_teleute Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Hello I have 3 gorgeous pekin bantams, who I love to bits but I'm seriously considering re-homing them because they are loud when they get up in the morning. I've tried serveral different things over several months now (been trying to resolve this since last October) including leaving the eglu door open, shut, covering them, giving them lots of greens etc. to peck at, even giving them a squirt of water when noisy. Any other suggestions? Alternatively I'm looking for a loving pet home for them, preferably someone with a reasonably sized garden so the noise won't disturb neighbours (I'm on a new build and have neighbours close by) and where they can get some free range time (which they love) and oodles of attention. I'm in the Southampton area. Hoping you can help. Julia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spott Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 i am at my wits' end! mine are doing exactly the same, but (thankfully) only since the days have been getting longer. the only way i can keep them quiet is to be out there talking to them. I have had my chooks (2 full-sized light sussex) for over 2 years now, and never had this problem. i don't know what changed. i am getting seriously sleep deprived, as i usually work til midnight, get to bed around 1am, and recently have been getting up at 6.30 and staying in the garden til 9am, no matter the weather. today i am going to try taping my voice, and putting the playback into the eglu. even if this just gives me one day to sleep in, it will be worth it. anyone got any ideas??? ps i have also tried ignoring them, just in case they were just spoiled, and it didn't work... the only thing changed over the winter , which has been incredibly cold and damp, is that there isno way for them to dust bathe, as the garden is currently a swamp. and ideas there? thanks, spott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 the only thing changed over the winter , which has been incredibly cold and damp, is that there isno way for them to dust bathe, as the garden is currently a swamp. and ideas there? Could you get hold of a cat litter tray and fill it with wood ash/sand/compost and leave it in the run? Hope you find a solution Julia. Fingers crossed for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Bad luck both of you. Have your neighbours complained? Could a cat or a fox be disturbing them do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Oh dear, I can imagine how frustrating that can be. Do they have food available first thing? Mine always wake up hungry and want their food immediately. The other thing that sets mine off is wild birds. Is the eglu run covered so that they can't see the local wild bird population? Would it help if the eglu was facing a different direction? Sorry, stabbbing in the dark here. I hope you don't have to resort to rehoming your chooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I would def try the dustbath thing - my pekin Esme can be noisy sometimes, but usually it's to tell me that they've run out of pellets or water - when they have everything they need, they are generally pretty quiet. Also, my bantams like to have a bit of a "dawn chorus" shout when they get up, but they soon get bored of it if no-one appears - do yours do this, or do they just keep at it until they get attention? Is it you that they are mainly annoying, or have neighbours actually complained? Sometimes we can be hypersensitive to our chickens' noises and assume they must be irritating the heck out of everyone, when in fact no-one minds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilda-and-evadne Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 the only way i can keep them quiet is to be out there talking to them. Do you think it's possible that that's what they've sussed out? That whenever they want to see and hear you, all they have to do is make a lot of noise? I know that sounds a bit too advanced for the intelligence of chickens but, as they grow older, they will have acquired experience to put with what intelligence they have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 the only way i can keep them quiet is to be out there talking to them. Do you think it's possible that that's what they've sussed out? That whenever they want to see and hear you, all they have to do is make a lot of noise? I tend to agree with this theory. I think it is an attention thing. I reckon if you left them (even if they made a bit of a racket) and they realised you arent going to give in to their attention seeking they might give up!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen&Lee Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Can't offer any solutions I'm afraid The last few weeks mine have been quite loud in the morning when they are shut in. So I've started leaving the door open and they now just let themselves out and are much quieter - until they see us "Ooops, word censored!"ody around us had said anything, but in a few weeks time we will have the lambs in the field near us and you want to hear the racket they make Hope you can find a solution and keep your chooks Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 the only way i can keep them quiet is to be out there talking to them. Do you think it's possible that that's what they've sussed out? That whenever they want to see and hear you, all they have to do is make a lot of noise? I tend to agree with this theory. I think it is an attention thing. I reckon if you left them (even if they made a bit of a racket) and they realised you arent going to give in to their attention seeking they might give up!! That's a tough nut to crack. If that's your theory and you want to get them out of the habit you can only go to them when they are quiet. If you break that rule they'll just learn that if they call long enough you'll come eventually. It's basic conditioning psychology I guess, but a lot tougher than it sounds in practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KTee Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Hmm, I posted a similar query just before I saw this. I am finding the same problem. Is it to do with the time of year? Perhaps not as some of you have had your hens for more than a year, we have had ours for about 10months. Normally, if we leave them in the Eglu until around 7:00am even though it may heve been light at 4:00am in the sumer we didn't hear any noise until we let them out and they voiced their opinions! Now they are audible 40yds away through double glazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs and chickens Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 the only way i can keep them quiet is to be out there talking to them. Do you think it's possible that that's what they've sussed out? That whenever they want to see and hear you, all they have to do is make a lot of noise? I tend to agree with this theory. I think it is an attention thing. I reckon if you left them (even if they made a bit of a racket) and they realised you arent going to give in to their attention seeking they might give up!! That's a tough nut to crack. If that's your theory and you want to get them out of the habit you can only go to them when they are quiet. If you break that rule they'll just learn that if they call long enough you'll come eventually. It's basic conditioning psychology I guess, but a lot tougher than it sounds in practice. Gosh, how awful for you, I have only had my hens for a short while, but already can't remember life without them! Re: the above, I guess this would only work if the neighbours were not already complaining? Bless you not having much sleep. I hope you get things sorted soon. Mx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirkwood Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 (edited) I was worried and still am about this developing in my girls. Why don't you go to speak to the neighbours about it they may not mind or they may be angry about it, but i think if you go round and speak to them at least you will know and you can take things from there. if you look back about 4wks on the topics you will see that Lynn had the same problem and there maybe something there that can help you. Do you have quiet neigbours???? Edited March 25, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Such a shame. I was pondering about this when lying awake last night and wondered if you changed their feed to mash, which takes longer to eat, it might occupy them first thing and stop them joining in the dawn chorus. Talking of the dawn chorus, as the mornings get lighter it is positively deafening here....maybe if you wait a week or two before you make a decision, you might find that their noise is drowned out by the twitterings of the wild birds. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I was mortified to wake up at 6am to the sound of chickens, then next door banging on the window and shouting at them to shut up You can hear them through double-glazing, although next door always has their window open I notice. Chelsea, Megan makes the noise you recorded if they run out of food before I have got up. The SQUAWK at the end of the boc boc boc is just like a small dog yapping and is very piercing. Abbie is like a loud duck going WAA WAA WAA WAAA and Megan goes BURBLE BURBLE BURBLE BURBLE. Katy is a little angel. The previous chickens were fine. Ironically, they never make noise when laying, just first thing in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Such a shame. I was pondering about this when lying awake last night and wondered if you changed their feed to mash, which takes longer to eat, it might occupy them first thing and stop them joining in the dawn chorus. Talking of the dawn chorus, as the mornings get lighter it is positively deafening here....maybe if you wait a week or two before you make a decision, you might find that their noise is drowned out by the twitterings of the wild birds. Just a thought. I found mash and having a cabbage to nibble on makes no difference. I don't ever notice a dawn chorus as all I can hear is WAA WAA WAAA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Chelsea, Megan makes the noise you recorded if they run out of food before I have got up. The SQUAWK at the end of the boc boc boc is just like a small dog yapping and is very piercing. Abbie is like a loud duck going WAA WAA WAA WAAA and Megan goes BURBLE BURBLE BURBLE BURBLE. Katy is a little angel. The previous chickens were fine. Ironically, they never make noise when laying, just first thing in the morning. blimey you poor thing. Very odd they dont make any noise when they lay. if its a morning thing maybe they are just happy its the morning and they are announcing they are happy its morning?! Have you tried shutting them in and then only opening the door when you get up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 the only way i can keep them quiet is to be out there talking to them. Do you think it's possible that that's what they've sussed out? That whenever they want to see and hear you, all they have to do is make a lot of noise? I know that sounds a bit too advanced for the intelligence of chickens but, as they grow older, they will have acquired experience to put with what intelligence they have. Absolutely spot on I'd say. I really would give it some time. I worried about all these things when we first had our 2 girls. 3 years later we've got 14 and yes they shout to get my attention and I give them a few minutes to settle, then go down. If no one has complained perhaps you're worrying a little too much. If you run down to quiten them they shout all the more BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I find letting them out quietens them and probably keeps it going. It seems so silent at that time, not many birds. Later on (when they lay) you can hear traffic and people and it blends into the background. The main thing is I'm tired and stressed and wake up early and can't sleep again. Will try both suggestions. It is only a minor thing while we have had no complaints (we're not about to rehome as in the thread title just slightly bemused by the hens' early rising habits). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 None of my pekins have been noisy, but they are thoroughly dominated by my big girls. You could try getting a domineering hybrid? Black rocks are nice quiet birds, but won't put up with any nonsense, and you should find that she keeps the pekins in line which would hopefully equal some peace and quiet. It would need to be a girl already in lay though, and a bossy breed like a black rock or sussex cross or something. Or a cotswold legbar. Well, mine is bossy, I don't know about anyone elses. If you did need to rehome the pekins, you could get another big girl to keep her company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 No advice on keeping them quiet, really, but would definitely recommend speaking to the neighbours. I know if it was me living next door I'd really appreciate the effort! This is going to sound really wierd, but can you get radios which work on a timer and on batteries? I wonder if the noise from a radio would sooth them, given that they quieten down when you talk to them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BooBoo Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 My chickens have their moments when they can be noisy....however, compared to the 4 staffordshire bull terriers who used to live next door and the yappy-yap-yap dog along the road, they are the perfect neighbours! I'm not advocating being an anti-social neighbour (and I stress out when Rosie and Ruby decide to bok-bok for Britain).....but the point I am trying to make is just because our pets are chickens doesn't mean we should feel pressured to rehome them if they make a noise or our neighbours don't happen to like them. Very few dog/ cat owners would take that step. P.S I do actually like dogs - I just had to live next door to a stupid dog owner for a year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Thats a good point as my close neighbour you can see their house next to run) said wow their quiet. We have a few barking dogs and a neighbour that plays loud music in the summer with windows wide open which are both more annoying. I hate the dogs that bark with a gap of like 5 secs so you think they have finished drives me insane lived next to one of those for a few years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentle1973 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I know exactly how you feel! We had a Rhode Island Red, a Speckledy (sp? - sorry!) and a Bluebelle and they were quite nosiy. My DH (whose chickens they were really) got ultra sensitive and decided to get rid of them and get some quail instead! When they had gone our neighbours said to us one day, where have your chickens gone, we really miss hearing them in the morning, and loved the eggs - we couldn't believe it!!!! Anyway, we perservered with the qual for about 5 months, but they were soooooo boring we went out on Saturday and got two bantams! Hopefully they will be quieter than the "proper" chickens, only time will tell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 When they had gone our neighbours said to us one day, where have your chickens gone, we really miss hearing them in the morning, and loved the eggs - we couldn't believe it!!!! Oh, the irony! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
