Jump to content
Chickens Dogs Cats Rabbits Guinea Pigs Hamsters and Gerbils Birds
Lorna

Noisey Chickens

By Lorna, in Chickens, Eggs and Hatching

Recommended Posts

Lorna Freshly Laid Egg

Lorna

Posted
Posted

Hello all!

 

I am completely stressed out with my three chooks who are being very naughty and misbehaving.

 

I have 3 girls, (2xmiss pepperpots and 1xmerydale sweetie) who i have had since october last year.

All has been well and egg production is fantastic, my problem however is that the girls are making a ridiculous amount of noise. Usually go down and open the eglu door about 7am and all is fine, then within half an hour they are all sqwaking to get out of the run. The only way to shut them up and prevent a complaint from the neighbours is to let them free range the garden (which isnt always practical if im off to work).

 

So that is noise problem number 1, secondly, when out free ranging it seems that if one chicken can't see the other two she will scream until i go out there and find them for her! Its crazy and all getting a bit much!

 

Any advice please??!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
chelsea SUPER CHICKEN!!!

chelsea

Posted
Posted

I was going to suggest the same, hang up things around the run in different places.

 

Corn on the cob on string, cabbages, brussel sprout tree, broccoli etc.

 

I occasionally hang up one of those peck bars/blocks made with seeds and honey (get from pet shops) and that keeps them going all day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bluekarin Golden Egg

bluekarin

Posted
Posted

My three can get quite noisy, but I suspect thats only because they can see us moving about inside the house and want to be let out. To be honest, I tend to ignore them and they go back to eating theirs layers mash, or preening. I have snuck upstairs to check they are okay and not shouting and they are fine. I do think they are like naughty children sometimes. They do get let out in the afternoons and nearly all day at the weekend unless its tipping down. They also have started to a do a rather loud alarm type shout which worried me the first time I heard it, but now, I just check they are okay and see what they are shouting at. Personally, I think they are saying theres some lovely green grass down there and theres none here. Now, how do we get to it?! :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Chook n Boo Mum Eggcentric Egluowner

Chook n Boo Mum

Posted
Posted

So that is noise problem number 1, secondly, when out free ranging it seems that if one chicken can't see the other two she will scream until i go out there and find them for her! Its crazy and all getting a bit much!

 

That sounds just like Bluebell, if the other 2 had the nerve to go scavenging whilst she was laying, she'd create blue murder when she came out & always came running to the back door to get me to come & find them. I think she's grown out of it now thankfully....however my Orpies are trying to get everyone creating a racket every time one of them lays an egg :roll: I'm bribing the neighbour with eggs so he doesn't complain!

 

Sha x

Link to comment
Share on other sites
daj198 Frequent Layer

daj198

Posted
Posted

Mine squark when they can't see their friends... especially Nel :evil: Perhaps getting more would help :lol:

 

I tried giving mine corn in the morning if I would leave them in the run for a while, it only lasts a few minutes though. The hung up vegetables sound like a good idea!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cathychic Chicken Eggspert

cathychic

Posted
Posted

I thought it was just my girls that were noisy. They do sound like petulant children.

 

I let them out about 7.30 in the morning and they attack their pellets with great gusto, but if I dont take them some 'proper' breakfast (cabbage, apple, courgette) within about 10 minutes they scream blue murder.

 

I work all day so if I dont give them some greenery in the morning they dont get anything all day, so got into the habit of giving this to them in the mornings, and now they expect it every day. Some people say chickens are stupid, but mine know if they make a noise they will get something to eat, so they cant be that stupid.

 

And its true about being with them - they do enjoy human company. They are all fine and quiet when I am around in the garden and they quite often follow me round, even when I am not digging for worms!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
C&T Chatty Chicken

C&T

Posted
Posted

I had to break the habit of treats at set times... The noise if they didn't get it was a bit much for us and the neighbours... :oops:

 

I now just give them stuff when I feel like it - and seems to work a little bit better....

 

The only trouble is, as I now give them treats adhoc, I am sure they get far too many... :oops:

 

Me thinks the chickens have won again... :doh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
emmat Chicken Eggspert

emmat

Posted
Posted

I was about to post a topic on the very same.

 

I have had a few weeks off work and been at home with the girls a lot, they've had plenty of time out to free range. Now I am back to the office they have started creating an awful racket about 7am. I would never let them out at this time so it's as if they know I am going out for the day somehow!

 

I gave them a mini straw block to play with and this kept them entertained (shut them up) but next day the same... today they got a huge bowl of veggies and they were quiet... I think they have devised a cunning plan to get attention.

 

I think I'll spend Sunday making them hanging toys and food. Anything to stop their noise!

 

xxxxxxxxxx

Link to comment
Share on other sites
beergibbon Freshly Laid Egg

beergibbon

Posted
Posted

Oh man, just wrote a long post and it never appeared......

 

Here goes in summary as I don't have the time to fully rewrite it.

 

1 chicken super noisy early morning.

Worried about neighbours, chickens may have to go!

Tried covering eglu to make it darker to stop it crowing.

Hung up veg in the run.

Chicken still noisy.

 

HELP!

 

Thanks

 

Neil

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Chillicat Frequent Layer

Chillicat

Posted
Posted

Mine have been quite vocal recently too :shock:

I had thought it was to do with Poachy coming into egg production, as she's recently started laying and they all seemed a bit jittery. :think:

However, I've decided to put it down to these very early mornings......I was up at 6am today because I could hear jostling and squalking about in the cube at the end of the garden :shock:

Can't wait to turn the clocks back! :?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Falkor Feathery Fanatic

Falkor

Posted
Posted
Hi Chillicat Re your quote - [Can't wait to turn the clocks back! :?

 

 

Panic :eh: Don't we turn them forward this time?? Always get this wrong, turned up 1 hour late for appointment once. :?

 

:shock: Don`t panic me!

 

FOund this on Direct Gov

 

British Summer Time (BST) starts on the last Sunday in March and ends on the last Sunday in October, at 1.00 am Greenwich Mean Time (GMT):

 

in spring the clocks go forward, losing an hour - at 1.00 am GMT the UK moves to 2.00 am BST

in autumn the clocks go back, giving an extra hour - at 2.00 am BST the UK moves to 1.00 am GMT

In the next three years, the summer time periods begin and end on the following dates:

 

2009 2010 2011

Clocks go forward 29 March 28 March 27 March

Clocks go back 25 October 31 October 30 October

 

So at the moment Gin is BOK BOK BOOOOOOOKKKKKKKKing at 7.30 but on 29th March it will be 8.30.

 

Is that right?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
daj198 Frequent Layer

daj198

Posted
Posted

 

So at the moment Gin is BOK BOK BOOOOOOOKKKKKKKKing at 7.30 but on 29th March it will be 8.30.

 

Is that right?

 

Surely by then it will be approximately 6:30, changed forward to 7:30. So it won't improve much on what we've got at the moment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Kittycat Chicken Eggspert

Kittycat

Posted
Posted

How about speaking to your neighbours (and taking some eggs of course :wink: ) and asking them if it's bothering them.

 

My 3 girls kick up a bit of noise in the morning, general whining (or should that be singing) and, if an egg is laid, a very vocal announcement. I was quite worried about the noise (even though this starts 8am at the earliest) but when I actually plucked up courage to speak to the neighbours about it they said how lovely it was, how it reminded them of the countryside etc, etc. It might put your mind at rest :o

 

On the other hand, if the neighbours aren't happy (or you aren't brave enough to ask the question) I suggest you try some of the tips mentioned before about keeping the chickens entertained - hanging up different foods or, I find just scattering a handful or two of mixed corn into the run will keep them quiet for quite some time as they scratch around looking for it. And if at all possible, don't inadvertently 'train' them to expect to get out of their run or to have treats at a certain time. Chickens might not be the brightest pets on the block but they are quite capable of learning a set routine - best to keep them guessing... :anxious:

 

Good luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...