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mammahen

noisy hens and unhappy neighbours

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We live on a modern housing estate. We have had our chickens, a gingernut ranger and a mrs peperpot for a little over a year now. Both hens are very nosiy and we have had lots of complaints from lots of our neighbours, we have tried allsorts of things to help improve the situation, shutting them in at night, covering their house (and run), leaving the door of eglu open so they can get up early ect ect, but nothing works. They are just chatty girls !!! following compLaints over the last bank holiday we have sadly decided to rehome our girls and they are going to live on a friends farm in devon where I know they will be happy and well cared for. We would like to get some more chickens that are more suited to our situation, (a housing estate totally surrounded by houses on all sides but large garden so hens can be free for part of the day). Breeds that have been suggested to us as quieter residents are pekin bantams, silkies and beared silkies. We are not so worried about the amount of eggs just want to keep a few hens in the garden. Any thoughts would be most welcome.

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All our bantams make some noise ranging from "I think I am a leghorn cockerel" to "hey I have just laid an egg" with the "can you hurry up in there" and "let me out!" sort of in between... Most of the time its just clucking... It depends on how sensitive your neighbours are I suppose...

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We also live on a new housing estate and when we first had chickens we had three full size ones and they made quite a lot of noise first thing in the morning (no cockerell). Our neighbours were brilliant about it and said that they both grew up on farms and the noise reminded them of home and they liked it.

 

We still worried about the noise though, and eventually swapped the chickens for some quail, which were VERY boring and we ended with two bantams, who are so quiet and only make a noise when they've just laid, and then only literally for about 2 or 3 minutes. We've now had them nearly a year and had no complaints, but do "butter up" our neighbours with fresh eggs every so often!

 

Wendy

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I think it doesn't matter the breed it is just luck if you end up with quiet ones or not. I have three, 2 GNRs and a MrsPP and they are quiet as mice 99% of the time. I have occasionally heard one of them egg announce but I would say that in the 10months I have had them I have only heard them bok like that about 4 or 5 times.

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HI

Dont mean to sound smug but...

I think it may be luck of the draw too , as i have 2 omlet gingernuts and 3 other breeds put all in together, and at about 7.30pm ish they put themselves in and dont hear another peep I just shut the door for the night whenever i remember(I have only had them 3 weeks so not sure if it will change)

I let my dog out at all times just as normal and he sometimes goes flying out barking at midnight and still not a peep. I didnt let my chickens dictate door opening time either, sometimes its 6am sometimes its 8.45am just when ever I get up.

 

 

 

I did hear a big cluck clukety cluck the other day as one laid an egg. Unless they are going to change suddenly i dont really know i have them.

 

I think you may have moany neighbours and not sure if there are dogs /loud music etc etc cats fouling your garden that you could complain about back???

Perhaps someone leaves early for work may disturb them?? if its ie a motorbike etc not sure

 

not much help so good luck dont be bullied as unless you have a cockerel I cant see what clucking could annoy anyone(the wild birds round here make a racket in spring)

 

Good luck

indie

ps can understand you trying a couple more incase it is just your ones??

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I think it doesn't matter the breed it is just luck if you end up with quiet ones or not.

 

 

I agree with the above. If you are that worried about your neighbours I wouldnt go ahead and get any more chickens to be honest seeing as you have already rehomed already. :wink: Any breed you get can be prone to some sound, just depends on the bird itself (personality, character etc). I have cochins, which in every breed guide I have read are supposed to be quiet.....are they ek!! (noisiest hens out of my 6 :roll: )

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Very sad to hear that, Mamahen :( . Unfortunately, I agree that it seems to be personality rather than breed :? . My 3 are very quiet 99% of the time, only squarking for a couple of minutes occasionally in the morning.

 

Could you "adopt" two hens that someone already has? How about your friend with the farm? Would they know if they have any "quiet" hens?

 

I hope you manage to sort something out. It would be such a shame if you couldn't have chickens any more :( .

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Hello mammahen, I am sorry you are having to rehome your ladies, it is such a difficult thing to have to do. However perhaps it is better to do this and not upset the neighbours further. Following on from this I would def. think twice before aquiring more birds, yes it is lovely having garden hens, but for me it's just not worth falling out with the neighbours over. I think we are often guilty about playing down the noise issue and wearing rose tinted glasses. The sad reality is that whilst some hens are quiet & peaceful others are extremely noisy. I have told the story before about my friend whose neighbour keeps several hens and she doesn't get a nights sleep during the summer months. Dreadful. If I had to chose between my hens (which I love ) or having a good relationship with my neighbours I'm afraid I would chose my neighbours. I'm sorry to so wordy & sincerely hope I haven't upset anyone who feels differently. Allison

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the thing that springs to my mind is

the twits that zoom up our road revving loudly.

the 3 boys 2 doors up constantly banging balls crying whilst on the trampoline.

the 2 boys playing next door with each other & their puppy. the lawn mower the strimmers the radios played to load.

the load laughter whilst enjoying their gardens.

the police helicopter at all odd hours hovering for ages.

the planes from Gatwick Heathrow Fair oaks.

The arguing of noisy neighbours.

the roar of the fotball crows just down the road

the kids playing football over the road.

 

Oh and lets not forget the pigeons in the trees.

the other wild birds waking us up early.

 

called life I think.

 

Feel sooooo sorry for you.

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very sorry to hear you have had to rehome the girls. I too have had neighbour problems but not as bad as yours. I would be cautious about getting more, but agree the best way would to see if you can rehome some that are known to be quieter :?

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Oh no that stinks! Ours are really quiet, they only make a fuss if they need something and hear us coming, other than that you wouldn't know they're there (they are a bluebelle, amber star, and gold star if it makes a difference). I agree that finding some already known to be quiet might be your only hope - maybe you could put your run on your friend's farm and give some a trial as it were, with a view to them living with your friend if they turn out to be noisy?? I assume the neighbours can't be bribed with eggs :(

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I would just like to ask what exactly is the noise issue? Is it early rising? Are they bokking all day long? Or is it just egg announcements and odd noses throughout the day? I ask because some neighbours are a bit too quick to moan about chicken noise more because it is an unusual noise when you live in a town and so they notice it more if you see what I mean.

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Many thanks to all who replied to my post. Just to update everyone tried several ideas I read about on similar posts on the forum. Thought we would give it one more shot before taking the chooks PPGNR to the farm so moved the eglu on to the grass rather than the bark area we had built for our chooks, started giving them a feed of corn around teatime and touch wood at the moment all is quiet. So its fingers crossed and thanks again to everyone who replied :D(pink eglu)

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Poor you!

 

My girls were as quiet as little mice... until they started laying.... 4/6 have had a complete personality change into confident noisy boisterous little madams from the meek and mild girls that they were! :shock::roll::shock:

 

i agree with most of what has been said on here... there are lots of things that make a noise and chickens are at least a natural sound!

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Many thanks to all who replied to my post. Just to update everyone tried several ideas I read about on similar posts on the forum. Thought we would give it one more shot before taking the chooks PPGNR to the farm so moved the eglu on to the grass rather than the bark area we had built for our chooks, started giving them a feed of corn around teatime and touch wood at the moment all is quiet. So its fingers crossed and thanks again to everyone who replied :D(pink eglu)

 

Good for you! Long may the quiet reign! :lol:

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glad they are quieting down, fingers crossed you have cracked it :pray:

 

we have 3 hybrids and two pekins.. one of our pekins has recently developed a very shouty attitude, and to be honest when i was home all day the other week it did drive me mad :evil: so i definately wouldn't guarantee them a a 'quieter' breed!

 

our neighbours love the chickens though, and some of them are quite noisy themselves so i am hoping we don't get any complaints :pray:

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