Solitary chicken - need advice

[Boybeck]

Help! I got my chickens yesterday but one of the three won't stop clucking/sqwarking really loudly! I'm in a residential area so I'm really worried about annoying the neighbours. Luckily, as at 0830 they're all going to work. Any suggestions or should I just go and swap her for another quieter one from the farmer?

[chelsea]

she could be just scared and unsettled.

 

When I first brought my maran home, she slept overnight in the kitchen in a dog crate! When it was daylight she bokked and bokked as she was in unusual surroundings and she was calling to her friends (I think!), anyway it didnt last and she settled in after a day or two.

 

I would give her a couple of days to settle.

[Boybeck]

It's a real loud squarking! She doesn't appear to be in distress though because she's just laid an egg.

[chelsea]

it could be a combination of the two then, :

 

Egg laying announcement (you will get those!)

 

& unfamiliar/new surroundings.

 

Or she could be telling the others she's top chook.

[Boybeck]

We've just had another egg, so it must be an egg laying announcement as well.

 

I really hope they settle down, I don't want to pee off the neighbours and I'm on tenterhooks at the moment waiting for another outburst.

 

All's calm at the moment (0930)

 

Do they generally lay eggs in the morning?

[Egluntyne]

It is really too early to make a decision about re-homing.

 

She will be unsettled for a few days.

 

Maybe you could explain the situation to your neighbours.

[Seagazer]

You could also pass some of the eggs on to your neighbours, I'm sure they won't complain about a supply of fresh eggs. My neighbours actually like the sound of the chickens. They say it makes them feel like they are living in the countryside.

 

My Pepperpot made a lot of noise for the first day or so. It might well settle down.

[Boybeck]

Chicken noise update. They've been quiet all afternoon

 

Fingers crossed they won't be as noisy tomorrow morning.

 

I'll let you know!

 

My next question is what should I do with the oyster shell chippings I have. Shall I get a separate bowl for them or mix it in with the layers pellets in the grub holder.

[Janepie33]

My girls can be quite noisey at times, especially Tilly, after she has laid an egg, or if a strange cat comes into the garden, or a blackbird starts an alarm call. I have lovely neighbours who also say that it's like being in the country when they hear my girls.

Surely your neighbours can't complain if you give them some lovely eggs in an Omlet box with a photo of your girls on the inside?!

 

As for the grit, I used to place it in a seperate bowl, but it got wet when it rained, so now I don't bother as they pick up enough when they free range. One of my girls even ate a small piece of glass once. It didn't seem to do her any harm./

[Boybeck]

0810 update!

 

Cheryl laid another egg this morning followed by three minutes of loud sqwarking. I guess it's just an egg laying announcement. Feel a bit more relaxed now, yesterday I was in a right panic with the noise. I thought she wouldn't stop. ANyway I went to see both neighbours last night to explain and urged them to come and tap on my door if the noise is annoying them. Always good to be upfront I think.

[..lay a little egg for me]

Glad to hear the noise is settling. You can't stop them doing the egg laying announcement though!

 

Re the oyster shell chips. You should put it in a separate bowl for them. I have it in a 'coop cup' which hangs on the wire of the enclosure. At first I put it in a bowl on the ground but they trod in it and spilt it everywhere, so then when we moved the run, they couldn't get to it. They really need the oyster shell to provide enough calcium for making the egg shells. I don't know if janepie33 gives her girls some other source of calcium, but it is essential. They will be able to pick up enough grit for digesting their food when free ranging but may go short of calcium. There is calcium added to the layers pellets/mash, but I don't think it is enough for the hen to create an egg every day. Many omleteers have had trouble with soft eggs and had to give limestone flour (as well as the oyster shell). Mine certainly go through phases of eating the oyster shells so they know when they need some. I believe it is hard to give too much but if you do you get calcium deposits on the egg shells, so you could just cut back if that happens. If they don't get enough calcium they start using the calcium out of their bones and can develop limps. That is one reason why the battery hens have such weak legs because they don't get enough calcium in their layers pellets to support the egg production.