Mrs

[Olly]

You've had some good advice above - just wanted to add that the thing that made me in your post, was that they are complaining about being woken up at 6.15?

 

If it was 4.30 or 5.00 am I could understand it, but realistically by that time in the morning, milk-floats (if you still have any), postmen, delivery men etc. are all on their rounds; traffic is starting up; it's not exactly the middle of the night.

 

I cannot believe that muffled clucking from 40' away is disturbing their slumbers. Good luck!

[ChrisP]

Urbanchick, keep telling yourself that 6:15 is not a bad time to be woken up! My girls used to wake me up at 3:30 every summer morning the first summer we had them, even when shut into the eglu, just to let me know it was morning!

 

It could be that they are light sleepers, because from what yyou've said, they are placed far away from their window!

 

Just keep smiling at them when you see them, and remain the "good neighbour" and remember you can't help their nature, and there could be other people with dogs along your road, or nearby, which would be just as noisy

[urbanchick]

We have replied with a very polite letter stating what we have done and that we are prepared to go a step further and cover the eglu at night. Well, having done this for several nights, I have to say it's been very successful. I wasn't convinced but they now stay quiet until around 7am and then still don't make the sort of "let me out" noise that they were making.

 

We have heard nothing back and I think our response to their complaints has been exemplary, and they must realise they can't justify complaining anymore. They don't have enough going on in their life though. Next it will be the screaming kids in the garden at 9am on a Sunday morning. Bring it on

 

Thanks for all your support and advice. It has really helped me keep my nerve

[Egluntyne]

Well done.

[Stevie]

Cogratulations on getting a good result and just remember to get them kids screaming every sunday..

[Snowy]

Good news

I was going to suggest that the chickens waking them at 6:15 was saving them the hassle of setting their alarm clock every night

 

At least my neighbours can't complain about my chickens. Husband let middle son play out on his bike this morning. He was riding round the garden whooping it up at 5am! I think we are the neighbours from hell!

[cathybc]

pleased to hear things have calmed down with your neighbours - I have had trouble with mine and it it horrible. I now leave the eglu door open all night, that way they aren't yelling to be let out. I live in a terraced houjse and the girls are quite near my house, My bedroom window is at the back and when it is open I can hear them bock. Even when they sqwark at something, yes, you can hear them, but it is no louder than cars/dogs/kids and other normal parts of life and certainly not loud enough to wake someone up!

[Abbey Road Girl]

Very glad to hear that the situation has calmed down, urban chick.

 

I'm even considering blanketing the Cube to keep my hens dozy longer. I let them out to free range twice a day but they have wiped out almost everything edible they could possibly reach and it might be very useful to give them an artificially shorter day.

[Gallina]

To be fair to your neighbours, some people are more sensitive to noise than others. When my neighbours had a cockerel, he did not wake them up, but he woke me up.

 

My hens don't make any noise at all until 6am, so I try to get out by then to let them out of the Cube. You do have to get up earlier than you would like in summer if you keep hens. I refuse to let them out before 6am, however, and they seem to tolerate this and wait quietly. But if it gets to 6.30am, they start shouting.

 

Everyone has to put up with some neighbour noise occasionally: the trouble with hens is that it is every single morning, and is particularly early at this time of year.

[Hen Watch]

We have replied with a very polite letter stating what we have done and that we are prepared to go a step further and cover the eglu at night. Well, having done this for several nights, I have to say it's been very successful. I wasn't convinced but they now stay quiet until around 7am and then still don't make the sort of "let me out" noise that they were making.

 

Well done for keeping your nerve. So glad to hear covering the eglu worked and I'm sure others will be pleased to hear of this sucessfull solution if they need to try it too.

[chelsea]

im so pleased the covering of the eglu has worked. It works for us, routine is key - if you let them out the same time every day your hens will get used to it.

 

The worst is over now as soon the darker mornings will come and your hens will stay quieter for longer.

[katyklubz]

Am going to try the covering of the henhouse at night - have tried locking them in, and leaving the door open but every morning at 6am my white leghorn goes MAD! I think she just wants some human contact because when I go out to her and tell her to be quiet, she quietens down and I go back to bed. It is like having a baby all over again!

 

She is our 4th chicken and she has a serious morning voice on her - sqawks like crazy for ages and ages and will not shut up until we go down to her.

 

Will try covering the house tonight - fingers crossed.

 

And the other chicken is broody...so things not so great in our happy hen house!

[Egluntyne]

Welcome to the forum Katyklubz.

[chelsea]

 

And the other chicken is broody...so things not so great in our happy hen house!

 

I soooo know the feeling, noisy chooks and a stubborn broody here too (on week 7 of broodiness now ).

 

roll on winter and dark mornings...wahey!!

[quickcluck]

covering the cube sounds like a great idea, will keep this in mind for when mine arrive... but............... silly question... if you cover it with a quilt, what happens when in pours with rain? Is it ok to just let it stay wet???

[urbanchick]

I wouldn't cover it with a quilt, it would get soggy and mouldy and never dry out. I am using a picnic blanket, with the black plastic backing uppermost so most of it stays dry. I then hang it on the line during the day. They are cheap too, I got mine for £3.99 and you can get them in the bargain shops and supermarkets. I haven't quite got to grips with how to fix it down when it's windy though. I just put a brick on it but that isn't enough in the wind.

[quickcluck]

ahhhhhhhhhhhh that makes more sense, will keep my eyes peeled...

 

I am very worried about noise as they will be nearer my neighbour (who I work with) than us..... so might do that from the begining.. especially as you say it works a treat!

[hilda-and-evadne]

Stating the obvious, I know, but remember not to cover any ventilation holes.

[Egluntyne]

Someone planned to do that on another thread. I cautioned against it.

[quickcluck]

Noooooooooooooooooooo wouldn't do that!!!! Is also facing away from neighbours, and we are putting up a 6ft willow fence behind it to help..

 

so rest easy!

[urbanchick]

Stating the obvious, I know, but remember not to cover any ventilation holes.

 

Trouble is, alot of the light gets through the ventilation holes and they are situated on most sides of the cube. I know it's not ideal, but I drape the blanket over the long one at the side, but only just, so the light doesn't get in but hopefully some air will. If it was really hot weather I probably would not cover the cube at all, the neighbours would just have to suffer. I think the worst of the light is through the light grey back panel, so definitely cover that.

[hilda-and-evadne]

As your hens haven't arrived yet, I thought of adding this. As it happened - by chance, not design - during the first couple of months after my hens arrived, I left them to themselves in the walk-in run all day and every day, going out to feed them treats and talk to them only twice in the afternoons. So they have not learned to associate making a noise with making humans appear and entertain them. They crow only when having laid (or about to lay) an egg.

 

The run is situated under a tree (so the light level is relatively low except in the late afternoon) and surrounded by shrubs a few feet away, to make these jungle fowl feel secure but also, from the point of view of a chicken, there is a lot "going on" around them that would interest and distract them. With all the mature trees nearby, the bird song has been fantastic this year, and as we are not far from the Thames there are screaming seagulls too. Kamikaze insects fly through the run. Next door, young children run around and shout.

 

Hope this helps.

[Helen&Lee]

I have left the cube door open for months now and not had a problem, but in this last week a couple of them have been extremely noisy - starting at around 5am.

Thinking back, my neighbour cut down her huge Buddliea that overhung the run about 10 days ago - I think its time to get some greenhouse shading on the run roof

 

Helen

[quickcluck]

thanks hilda...

 

that's a very valid point.... I have faced my cube away from the neighbours for noise control, but if I turned them round they would be shaded under a tree..... hmmmm decisions.. i could always plant something fast growing next to it, like a budleigh or a lavatera to provide more cover...

 

you must all think I am mad as they have not even arrived yet. But being a good aquarian, I like to have everything in it's place EARLY

 

Also got a cheap picnic blanket this morning for extra cover......

 

Lucky you having a Sealyham......you must be one of only a very few in the country!!!

[eggypeggy]

you've had lots of really good advice, but I have to put my pennies worth in too.

 

If I were in your shoes I would be brave, bite the bullet and knock on there door, just say you are concerned they have a problem with the noise levels with the chickens and you are trying different solutions to remedy this, but it will take a little while. You are not going to be able to find the best solution overnight. Also ask if they find there is a reduction and acceptable level of noise to let you know, and then you can work it out together. Everyone is empowered. Sounds sucky but if they feel they are involved somehow, this might help.

 

If they feel you've have open diologue and are trying to help, they will likely back off and you can feel less stressed while you are trying to resolve things.. you obviously care other wise you wouldn't be hear trying to get help.

 

My two chooks have there moments, lucky for me or as far as I'm aware not v early in the morning. But they can be very loud, so I can see how that might bother a person. So if you can find a way of keeping neighbours on side then you'll deserve a big pat on the back.