Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[nutcracker]

I wonder if anyone might have any advice about what I can do about my 3 girls, because I'm reaching the end of my tether and am considering trying to get them re-housed, but I really don't want to (and neither does my daughter!)

 

We've had the girls for about six months, they live in a 2m x 3m run and free-range in the garden. The trouble is, we have been trying for the past month or so to cut down their free-ranging time because of the extent to which they are trashing the garden (we knew they would, but not quite how much!) At the moment, they are in their run till about 1 pm and then let out - the plan is that by the end of the holidays they will be in the their run till my daughter gets home from school at 3.30 and she will let them out.

 

They spend nearly all morning standing in the run and shouting their heads off! Especially if they know someone is in the house, so we have to creep around pretending to be out. We live in a pretty built-up area and although our neighbours are lovely, we feel we are really imposing on their patience.

 

I've read lots of posts from people whose hens are in a run during the day and are let out in the evening, which is exactly what we want to do, but our chickens seem to get very upset (absolutely furious) if they don't have the run of the garden at all times.

 

Has anybody got any advice what I might be able to do to stop them shouting so we can keep them? (I have tried squirting them with a little water when they get too loud, but the message doesn't seem to be getting through and I don't like doing that to them)

 

Any advice would be very gratefully received, before the neighbours call the council in.

[Bohochic]

Mine do this a little too, I can hear them from inside the house...I know this sounds crazy, but I go out and talk to them. Not to tell them off, but to say that I hear them and I know they want to get out, but it's not happening anytime soon and later this afternoon they can.

 

It seems to work as they quieten down then. I have no idea of course if this continues when I'm not in.

 

Sometimes filling the food bowls up works as well, or scattering corn in the run to give them something to forage for. A lot of it is about taking their mind off it! So toys, dustbaths, food etc should help?

[moochoo]

Have you tried giving them more things to occupy themselves with during their 'run hours'? A big cabbage goes down well with ours and keeps them out of trouble and their beaks occupied for a couple of hours.

[nutcracker]

Thanks for those ideas, I shall try it!

[choppish]

mine are thes same. not that i have ever let them free range in the morning...trying to leave it till 2 ish. but recently one of them makes very poud cooing noises and paces up and down standing in the glug!

 

i was going to buy a water pistol this weekend. any evidence this works?

 

she deos quieten doen by 10 o'clcok when the other has finished laying though . this morning she coo;d for ages then went to sleep in the run!

 

it really is getting louder as the weeks go past,..almost turning from a cooing to a growl!

[Paola]

If mine are loud for a long period of time then I will throw a jug of water over them They get the message.

[nutcracker]

Thanks for the advice

 

They now have a pretty CD mobile to peck at and a football, both of which they ignore. They have a dust bath, which they eat (is that good for them?!) and I have tried (and failed) to get a bail of straw, which I thought might be good for them to stand on and peck to bits. I shall buy them a cabbage tomorrow.

 

They seem to have been a little quieter today. I didn't expect them to need much stimulation - their brains are only the size of peanuts, for heavens sake! (although it makes you realise how awful batteries are for them)

 

I've still got the squirty bottle to hand - I reckon it does work, choppish, although slowly (peanut brains, you see!) - maybe I should try a whole jug like Paola!

[WitchHazel]

I really empathise with you, as one of my girls just won't shut up. She also honks like a goose rather than bokking like a chicken, and she gets louder and louder and louder.

 

If we're in the house and have the windows shut we don't hear her (thank you for Double Glazing). But our bedroom and kitchen are both at the back, we have the bedroom little window open at night and the kitchen door open during the day, and she is a real nuisance. A lovely girl, but so damned loud.

 

Occasionally, she's moaning for a "good" reason: Cyril th eSquirrel is around, the cat is in one of the shrubs, there's a day with a Y in it...

 

We've tried the water squirting technique, but in the end it just upset her more.

 

One of us now has to go out in the morning and we've tried sprinkling pellets from their Grub on to the run floor. This keeps her occupied for a while.

 

If we're going to be in, eg while we are out for the day, then I put a lettiuce or half white-cabbage in the run, and stuff their swingball with cucumber cut lengthways. THis occupies her for some time.

 

I've threatened to wring her neck, but that didn't help.

 

Ii tried picking her up every time she made a noise (she doesn't like being picked up, so I was hoping she would associate the one with the other).

 

I've told her I'll leave her out and let the fox get her.

 

I haven't found a permanent solution.

 

Fortunately, one side of my neighbours says she doesn't hear any noise; the other side says she does hear, but hasn't complained. she is moving out shortly (not chicken related, I hasten to add), so I need to slip into her garden when Scarlett is performing, to see how bad it is

 

By the way, she starts the racket at 7am because she wants to be let out to free range, but she also continues to whinge even when she's out in the garden.

 

Good luck!

[Paola]

Its not as if your run is small either Hazel My last resort is shaking the roasting tray at them

[Guest]

talking to them does work for me because they know that every time they see it doesn't mean they're going to be let out or get treats.

 

keeping them occupied with hanging food; greens, corn on the cob, peck a block etc

 

make their run more interesting, perches, different levels etc

 

good luck

[Hen Watch]

My last resort is shaking the roasting tray at them

 

Just what I did actually. I bought a ceramic roasting dish to use as a 2nd nestbox in my eglu (which I taek out at night) as I recently had a noise problem. My problem seems to have abated for the time being. My recent post was this.

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29194&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=noise+nestbox+advice

 

I would also suggest a Food Ball (metal ones on a chain sold in Omlet shop or pet shops) which I stuff with hard brocolli stalks which keeps them going for a bit.

[chicken crazy]

The one thing I was worried about before ordering my chickens was noise. And now I'm worried again. Mine will be spending most of the day in the run while I'm at work. (This is the run that comes with the elgu till I have saved enough money to pay for a large walkin run) What things do I need to give them to keep them busy?

[Clur]

The one thing I was worried about before ordering my chickens was noise. And now I'm worried again. Mine will be spending most of the day in the run while I'm at work. (This is the run that comes with the elgu till I have saved enough money to pay for a large walkin run) What things do I need to give them to keep them busy?

 

Just make sure they've plenty to do - a cabbage strung to the side of the run will keep them busy for a while, one or two perches would be good, anything like that really.

[chicken crazy]

Thank you Frequent Layer, I think I need to get a pad and pen to write down all the tips I keep picking up from here!

 

I love this site and everyday I can't wait to check the threads, eveyone at works finds it very funny when I say I've been on the omlet forum!