daj198 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Hi Everyone My chooks have been bok boking at the tops of their voices in the early hours of the morning recently- waking me up and I'm worried about the neighbours too. I look out of the window, and theres never a fox (there was a few weeks ago but that was different) so I don't know what they're screaming about. Any advice as to how to keep them quiet would be very much appreciated, I need sleep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluckbok Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Hi ya, do you shut them in the eglu at night? We shut ours in every night so they in a routine. I have heard that some people who shut theirs in cover the holes with dark material to block out the light. Or if you already shut the door have you tried leaving it open so they can come out and scratch around. When mine have bok bokked they go quiet when I go out there and then they don't do it anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 we shut our cube at night exactly for this reason. My chooks are let out 6.45-7am during the working week and later at the weekends. I do cover my cube with a dark material (not covering vent holes) and I can tell from my infra red camera that my girls are still asleep right up until I let them out. That way, I get a good nights sleep without worrying about the neighbours and as above - the girls get into a routine. I let the chickens run rings around me with everything else - but with bedtimes and mornings - im the boss!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daj198 Posted May 30, 2008 Author Share Posted May 30, 2008 Hi Cluckbok I close the eglu doors but don't lock them so that they can push the door open in the morning. They then start shouting, possibly to the hens in the other eglu (they are currently segregated). I might try keeping them in the eglu until it's a reasonable hour or trying them all in one eglu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daj198 Posted May 30, 2008 Author Share Posted May 30, 2008 Thanks Chelsea, I'll try that- is the trick just to not let them out at first when they wake up early and then, once they get used to being let out late, they'll be asleep until you let them out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 I find with my chooks, they amuse themselves for an hour in the run before wanting to be let out (thats when they start to get irritable and make noise). So I figured if I were to leave the door open, they would be out at 5am - will have eaten breakfast and scratched around for an hour and then by 6am they would be bokking. I leave home for work at 7am. So I know if I let them out just before I go, if they do decide to bok bok - its going to be at a reasonable hour!! I let them out a bit later today (day off) and I checked my camera (in the cube) at 7,30 and they all had their heads in their wings asleep! I think these longer days and light nights makes them tired. Just try it and see if it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surferdog Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 I keep mine shut in until about 7.00am as well. They are always really quiet in the eglu until they hear the back door open and then they start tapping on the eglu door. Once they're out it's a different story so I don't think I would go down the route of leaving the door open for them to come out and shout when they liked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daj198 Posted May 30, 2008 Author Share Posted May 30, 2008 True, I suppose if they are going the shout, it's best in the eglu when it will be muffled! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Eggactly Dom! I must be one of the very few who actually looks forward to autumn/winter = darker mornings !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lydia Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 We do too Chelsea We have a very noisy hen and, to be honest if she wants to squawk she will and nothing will stop her. We lock them in every night which muffles it a bit and we find covering the eglus with dark material helps a bit too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluckbok Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 We thought about leaving door open in the summer, but I not gonna even go there, don't wanna start bad habits!! They just like kids eh!! The eglu is supposed to be cool in summer and warm in winter, it was designed for how we are using it. Should be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Dom, I've been on hols and only just caught up with the forum. I used to leave the eglu door open all the time (and it was really, really convenient) but I had to stop last summer when I had the same as you. I got two 4am wake up calls that were just SO noisy, it was awful. Since last Summer I have shut the eglu door at night, and open it at 7am, or 7.15am and the girls don't make any noise (until they hear me open my back door.....). Hopefully won't take them long to get used to the new routine. It is a pain, getting up 7.15am on weekends but it works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hm. Am a bit dozey myself at this hour but in reading this thread, I wondered if the door to Eglu or Cube being shut offers a way for hens to make a protest by pecking away at it. (Took a narrowboat trip once and learnt that swans are very good at knocking at the door for bread at the crack of dawn. ) If hens learn from the beginning to let themselves down/out to scratch and feed, then they may not see any need to make a commotion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
