Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[emmabeak]

Hello everyone,

 

This is my first post - so eggciting!

 

I have three hens in an Eglu, in a fenced off area about 10 metres long and 2.5 metres wide. I've only recently put chicken wire up high enough to stop them escaping and laying waste to the rest of my garden, but now seem to have cracked it. Two of them in particular are obviously feeling a little moody about their "incarceration" and are really quite vocal about it (and other things). I don't mind their noise, but I'm feeling a little sensitive about my neighbours, none of whom have said anything, and it probably doesn't happen for more than five minutes at a time, but I wondered if anyone else has had a similar "problem"? I don't mean their farmyard clucking, which is lovely, but what I can only really describe as chicken shouting.

 

Also, I'd really like to add to my collection (shouting notwithstanding), and am egging myself (sorry, can't help it) on to get a cube. Is the addition of more hens going to increase the shouting? Or would more chicken friends be more interesting for them and distract them from shouting? I fully expect there to be some initial argy-bargy, obviously, but longer term?

 

Finally, I'm interested in having a pair of silkies and a pair of silver laced wyandottes; but chicken breeders and the world wide interweb don't seem to mix very well, and I'm having trouble locating someone who could help me - any ideas, anyone?

 

I'll be all eggog awaiting a reply ...

 

 

Emma

 

 

Henrietta Beak

Adelaide Beak

Michelle Beak

[GreenGirl]

Hi Emma

Welcome, I am less than a week in to this, so know how you feel

I have 6 in my cube, including a wyandotte and got mine from a breeder near Stonehenge

http://www.wylyevalleychickens.co.uk/

She has a variety of breeds including different coloured wyandottes and I saw a couple of white Silkies when I was there last week. I am in Camberley so you aren't too far away if you havent seen a cube and would like to, and there are another 3 people I know of so far in the area

 

As for how extras affect the noise levels, I am sure someone experienced with be along shortly.

 

C.

[chickenanne]

They've just been used to going out to play and are having a moan about it! Don't worry, I'm sure they will settle again in time.

Personally I wouldn't add more until that's happened; if they are annoying your neighbours then adding to the number, even if it has limited impact on the noise, will just annoy them further. new introductions can cause the flock to be unsettled, so theres likely to be noise from that, too, but at least if you wait a while and they calm down and noise levels fall then if/when you introduce more you can explain to the neighbours that it'll be a temporary blip.... and they'll be able to beleive you.

[Hen Watch]

Hi Emma, welcome to the forum.

 

The chooks might just be getting used to their new set up. They are creatures of habit and may just be letting you know their feelings about the change.

 

My lot sometimes start up with the noisy bok, boking. If it's an alarm call or an egg announcement I just let it go. But I know what you mean when you don't want to upset the neighbours. If my girls start up for NO reason sometimes they stop when I go outside to see them (little attention seekers just like toddlers). If they still don't shut up, then I have been known to give them a quck squirt with the hosepipe to stop them.

[Egluntyne]

Welcome aboard Emma.

 

Mine bok bok if the catch sight of me, especially on a dark day if the lights are on and they can see into the house.

 

Like you say, it only lasts a few minutes.

 

I'm sure they will settle soon.

[Al]

I've definitely experienced more noise having added one to my flock of 3. As soon as the new girl arrived, one of the old girls in particular just wouldn't shut up. Also they seem to go off on alarm calls much more frequently now, usually setting one of the others off as well

 

Just my luck that I acquired new neighbours a day or so after the new girl came. So I went round and introduced myself and took a box of eggs round. I think things go smoother with neighbours if you go round and say 'I'm afraid there will be a bit more noise because we've had a new chicken but it shouldn't last too long. Have some tasty eggs,,,'