katieandnick Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Well, it's happened at last. The neighbour from next door but one came round on Sunday morning to have a pop about our girls being noisy (we admit they have been bok-bokking since the ex-batts arrived). No mention at all about the fact that they spend their entire lives dismantling rusting cars in their front garden, leaving them on bricks outside our house, revving engines at stupid times of the morning and/or night, exhaust fumes in our lounge, etc., etc. Oh no. They want to moan about chicken noises, bearing in mind we are in a very rural setting. They said they had words with the people that had the house before as they also had chickens (including rooster!), so looks like a pattern forming to me. Bah. We're now both feeling very irate to say the least. However, we put a blanket on the Cube last night and shut the big girls in, and no noise till I let them out after 7 this morning. In spite of the fact that their stupid son was revving his car engine outside our front hedge at 6.30am... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 I was waiting for mine to do the same but so far so good, free eggs seem to help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhapsody Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Ignore 'em and tip some beaten egg down the radiator grille. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 one of mine has chickens themselves so they wouldn't complain as theirs are louder than mine.. the others haven't said anything and are really nice. But mine aren't that loud unless something spooks them like ''the wind' or if they are laying a largish egg they might hollar a bit.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yolky Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 I am sorry to hear your neighbours are being a pain One side of me mentioned my chickens yesterday, these neighbours hardly ever go in the garden but informed me after they asked if I was going to get a cockerall that I shouldn't worry as they will let us know if they are noisy!!! The chickens have been here just over 2 weeks and they never make a sound (well unless chasing eachother for slugs lol) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Ignore them. If they complain, you can counter complain about the rusty cars. Are they in breach of their deeds by tinkering with cars on the premises? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chooklady Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 I feel for you and having read posts on here like this before I'm beginning to wonder if we will have problems, although the dawn chorus and the magpies will make more noise than the chickens I think. Ignore them they certainly aren't worth loosing sleep over. Try not to worry. I haven't really said anything to my neighbours but I guess they have worked out what is going on. Neither of my immediate ones use their gardens very much and they work all day so I'm hoping they will not notice them too much. OH told one other neighbour what we were doing because she asked, she is a bit nosey! So they probably all know now!!! My secret is out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Our neighbours on our left have obviously heard our girls but not complained yet, but to prevent our girls going into their garden they were hammering extra wood onto the bottom of our fence yesterday. Their garden has sunk since we put a new fence in years ago. I have plugged up gaps with stones from our dry stone walls - big flat ones but couldn't get right to the bottom of the garden because our shed is in the way. Actually the reason for there being a bigger gap is because their cats use that spot to get in our garden and poo in the veggie patch, spray our walls, fight etc. We were surprised that they didn't tell us first as it is our fence, but I am well pleased because the only way the cats can get in now is over the fence. No chance of our girls getting in their garden, access behind the shed is totally blocked at the sides. The other side hasn't said anything yet and it is now over a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faye&Ant Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Ignore 'em and tip some beaten egg down the radiator grille. hee hee thats naughty but I agree 100% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 I cant believe some people can be so miserable about a few chooks! Life generally is noisy no matter where you live and there are very few places you could call dead quiet.Birds singing,cows moo'ing,planes,lawn mowers,dogs barking-they're all background noises which you eventually dont take any notice of. I remember couple of years back some woman complaining about gunshot in nearby field and her saying she moved here from Bristol to get away from noise.I explained to her that this is a rural area and shooting is a popular pastime.I didnt tell her muck spreading would be going on the following month... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jools+6 Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Ignore 'em and tip some beaten egg down the radiator grille. hee hee thats naughty but I agree 100% curry powder would be a hoot too ! rusty cars are an offence .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Perhaps all the whingers should move to a gated community like you have in the USA. I am Lucky my chickens hardly make a sound unless spooked I live in town have a small garden one side are super nosey keep up with the jones's but seem to like the chickens (he would love to get some but is not allowed) they especially like the odd half dozen eggs I pass over the fence! They are more than happy to accept them! The other side (I am stuck in the middle) are the noisiest people I have ever met you know the sort who think they are the only people on this earth who never talk if they can shout and who have two dogs although they both work and who start barking & howling the minute the front door shut the (the dogs not the people although that wouldn't surprise me) I dont think they dare complain as they know I would tell them to do something about there dogs before complaining about my girls. As for the townies who move to a rural setting and complain about country noises I would happily do a swop tomorrow with any of them. To sell up and move to a more rural setting is my dream if only DH would get made redundant ah well fingers xxxd 4 and 1 living the life of riley in a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Probably jealously rather than an actual 'problem'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynn Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Having first hand experience of neighbours, I know how you feel. In the end we rehomed our girls and we are very upset that these people drove us to it and I still can't forgive them. They are the most noisey and rude people we have ever come across. Would I compromise again? No! The next time we keep chickens, unless we have a noise abatement order placed on us, the girls stay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Lynn I am so sorry you had to give up your girls because of your selfish ignorant neighbours! what ever happened to live & let Live I could have been complaining about the dogs next door for years but what would it achieve I dont suppose they want them to bark & howl so short of one of them staying home or finding the dogs new homes what can they do I wouldnt even contemplate that my neighbours should give up there pets although they are realy annoying yappersnappers Kitty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum2boys Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 i've just had my neighbour moaning at me about our chickens.. we have had our chickens since feb and this is the first moan about them however.. these neighbours moan about our dogs, our caravan, our children playing, the fence....... I have just had enough... Apparently when they sit the otherside of the fence.. they can hear the chickens and apparently they are noisy and it is "embarassing" - the fence is broken and we/they/chickens can clearly see into each others gardens - however.. we haven't noticed the chickens making more noise when they are sat there and in fact we don't like going into our garden when they are there... the fence is apparently being replaced by a wall (their request, they are doing it).. dh tried to repair the fence a few weeks back so that it was a bit more secure and private and got told "don't worry, I am getting bricks/blocks"... nothing has happened.... Apparently their child can hear the chickens in the morning recently - I apologised and said the birds have been a bit hot (bit of a lie...) and wanting to sleep in their run but I was working on it... but my child who's bedroom window is open and right above the run has not been disturbed.. (we have mites in the house and I am struggling to keep the house clear of them.. I am jayes fluiding weekly... what is a reasonable time for me to put the girls to bed in the house? should I cover the house as well to minimise noise? and having said all that.. we are away for a week in a week so the hens will have the door open then... should I wait till we get back?) What do I do? I do acknowledge that the girls can be noisy - usually when they have finished their food or have seen me but the majority of the time they are fine and quite quiet... it seems a lot of us have problems with our neighbours... I know I am not alone from reading this and similar threads..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yolky Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 They just sound like moaners. What do they want you to do..cover their beaks!! How many do you have? I have three and they 99% of the time are very quiet, they only make noise when I go to see them and they think food may be on offer or if they find a slig whilst free ranging. Also how can a chicken clucking be 'embaressing'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum2boys Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 we have 3, yep the "worst" noise is when they see us - I keep the curtains closed in the morning so they don't see ME until after 8am (usually the children let them out about 7-7.30) but barr that they are quiet with little boks... think I might get a tarp out of the garage and fix it to the fence posts on our side - that would help "hide" nextdoor out of view when they sit on their patio plus would muffle a bit of the bok'ing don't you think? we hate living here... most of the time I am kind of resigned that we are unable to move and our house/garden is fine but then we get this and it sets me off again.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HENthusiastic Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I think it may have got me off to a good start with the neibours because I told them all before getting chooks and said I hope they don't mind. (I was careful not to be actually asking their permission). I so feel for people who have problems with neigbours. Our chooks seem to have made the nearest neighbours more friendly as they all want to look at and talk about the chooks. And they all get eggs too. I hope everybody manages to work things out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yolky Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Mumof2 don't be too sad about it, some people will moan about anything. It might be a good idea to get the tarp out as maybe when they see the neighbours they just think people = food. Next time you are in the garden listen to all the sounds around except for chicken noise, there is loads of noise outside....lawn mowers, other children, wild birds, cars, radios, I am sure your birds are much quieter than these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 If they are being unreasonable then ignore them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HENthusiastic Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Or you could just be really nice and try to win them around. its nice to get on with neigbours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoice Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Have you tried giving them a few eggs? Or inviting them round to see them - maybe get their child round and leave an egg in the nestbox for them to 'find' and keep for their breakfast. Maybe if their child likes them, then their parents wouldn't be so frosty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum2boys Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Mumof2 don't be too sad about it, some people will moan about anything. It might be a good idea to get the tarp out as maybe when they see the neighbours they just think people = food. Next time you are in the garden listen to all the sounds around except for chicken noise, there is loads of noise outside....lawn mowers, other children, wild birds, cars, radios, I am sure your birds are much quieter than these. thank you all for your kind words There are a lot of noises out there I know - I only hear the loud noises as I am profoundly deaf but friends/relatives/dh/children tell me what they can hear... I often hear dogs barking (and I am positive next door blame my dogs for all the barking), gulls squarking as well as noise from our immediate neighbours... it just feels that we get moaned at for ALL noises. We have tried the nice route with them - they moaned about our caravan - we moved it (yet theirs is now in the same place in their garden.........), they moaned about our dogs barking - we made an effort to solve the problem and I told them what I was doing to minimise barking (and yes it has worked) so feel we have been considerate. can't bring myself to give them eggs... they would probably find something wrong with them must go and get that tarp up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 OH came downstairs and said he heard our birds whingeing this morning, so out I ran in a panic in case of upsetting the neighbours (I didn't hear them at all). It was 9.30. I always let them out into the cube run at 9 (which is usually about 8.45/50ish), so really that isn't an unreasonable time, bearing in mind people have had builders start at 7.30 - and sometimes at 7 - in this area (including neighbours) and those that mow their lawns at 8! The girls are quite happy to be let out at that time - they don't make a sound apart from the queueing system shuffle prior to the door opening. Then most people's chickens are in bed long before the dogs and children - and the drunken revellers yelling along the street at 1.30am! So why do we all worry when the hens make a little noise now and again (that can be easily drowned out by others)? Ours aren't laying yet, so I am really worried about that next step. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
