4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[fluffyknickers]

Hello all,

 

I have tried everything to get them to be a little more quiet but they are still very noisy early in the morning. They are probably no more noisy than other chickens but as I live in a terrace house with neigours garden attached to left the right and the back its a little more difficult.

 

This morning I could hear one of them at 6.00-6.30am and I am at the front of the house and they are at the back (I think they wake my 5 year old too whose bedroom at the back) and with all the neighbours having their windows open I dread to think what they must be saying.

 

I have tried the tarpaulin over it but found the wind kept blowing it as I was aware that I couldnt block the vents so had to stand it clear of those and realised it then wasnt that dark and I dont think made much difference.

 

If I shut them in the cube they make a noise very early to be let out.

 

So at the moment the door of the cube is open enough so they can come out in the morning.

 

Really not sure what to do now and if I cant get a solution it may be that they have to go.

michelle

[xScrunchee]

Could you move their coop further down the garden or reposition it so that the morning sun doesn't shine right in it?

 

You could try giving them a big feed at night before they go to bed. Something like layers pellets mixed with warm water so it turns into a porridge then you could add some bits and bobs to it. (porridge oats, mixed corn, sweetcorn etc)

 

If they go to bed with nice full crops they should sleep longer. It works with my cockerel and my girls.

 

Good luck and try not to panic too much. It is possible that your neighbours are not bothered so try a few different things and ask your neighbours if they have a problem before getting rid of them

[fluffyknickers]

Sorry to sound like one of those people that is negative about every suggestion but...they have layers porridge every night (boiling water in to their pellets and mushed up), my garden is VERY small and they are at the back of it and take up pretty much the whole width.

 

To date I havent been brave enough to ask the neighbours if they are disturbed by it as have a very string feeling the answer is going to be yes! I know that a neighbour 4 houses down can hear them as she said a while back she could. I also know the house that backs on to ours can hear them as my son and their son chat to each other and their little boy said "mummy and daddy say your chickens are so noisy" .

 

I am sure when the mornings get darker it will be better and I can shut the door again but know I will have all this again next year.

 

Such a horrible dilema.

x

[xScrunchee]

Don't be sorry-at least you have tried everything you can think of.

 

I would probably try to stop worrying and see what happens. Maybe no-one will complain and they will get used to hearing them.

Like you say-winter will be easier and if you try to get them into a good routine during the winter and continue it in the spring-you might not have a problem next year.

 

It is hard but sometimes we end up worrying more than we need to when in fact the neighbours hear them because it's an unfamiliar sound to them. As time goes on they may well not even hear them if you know what I mean.

 

[Egluntyne]

Someone, I forget who, recently posted that they had draped their cube with proper black out curtaining, and it had made a difference.

[fluffyknickers]

Ah right, would be interested in that.

 

This is what do you do with all the vents?

 

Thanks

Michelle

[Falkor]

hi ya,

 

So sorry to hear that you are having problems.

 

I have used a tarp to cover my and like you had issues with the wind, it is now secured with 6 bungees and I have used netting poles to tent it. It is also staked to the ground. It is a bit of a faff every night but it has provedd successful with my girls. they snooze until 7.30.

 

As you only have three have you considered moving them into an eglu? I have had little brothers chooks in a for the last few weeks and have found that it is naturally very dark. I pop the winter shade on the eglu end and this limits the light through the vent holes in the front. I am sure you would be able to sell your cube if you wanted to try it. Perhaps you could hire an eglu for a few weeks to test it?

 

Just a thought.

 

em

x

[Redwing]

Is it all of them or just one or two that you could rehome?

[Squawk]

Hi Michelle

 

I can sympathise with you as my chickens can be quite noisy in the morning.

 

I keep my chickens in their house until a reasonable time, around 7am. I've also found that hanging food in their pen helps - they are much quieter when they are full of food!

 

Any food that takes a while to eat will keep them occupied - I hang veg like broccoli, cabbage and sweetcorn from the roof of their pen - just high enough that they have to make an effort to reach it. I've also tried mixed corn stuck to an old plastic butter tub with honey which seems to work well too.

 

Hope that helps

 

Kate

[fluffyknickers]

Thanks everyone.

 

I do need to put more interest in there - good idea.

 

Also like the idea of swapping for an eglu and selling my cube, I only have three girls so assume this would be a fine number in an eglu.

 

Hmm wonder if anyone selling one at the moment........and if anyone wants to buy a purple cube in brilliant condition.....

 

Michelle

[Cooks]

there was someone advertising recently asking for a swap... good luck whatever you .decide

[LottieR]

Could you hire Penguinmads Eglu from her to try out for a while if it is available http://www.eglu2rent.co.uk/index.html

 

We live in a terrace in Southend and one of my concerns is the noise, only time will tell though I suppose, we collect our hens on Saturday.

[fluffyknickers]

Yeah I have given Kathryn (penguinmad) an email.

 

Mine were not noisy to begin with its just started in last couple of months!

 

I am sure youll be fine.

 

I saw someone asking about a swap but though perhaps I would get more for it if I sold it as thought I would lose out as a cube more than ane eglu.

 

Not sure how much a cube and run would sell for?

 

Michelle

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Sorry to hear about your noisy chickens, Michelle . I hope you can get something sorted out .

[Cooks]

you cube would be worth more so worth considering a swap if they put some money with the eglu

[chooksy]

Wish you were closer, I'd have been interested in part exchanging my purple eglu for your purple cube

 

Hope you manage to sort something out so you can hang onto your chooks

 

Hx

[Falkor]

I have a that I would have gladly part ex-ed for your plus cash but I went and collected a only two days ago

 

I think testing the theory first is a good idea

[fluffyknickers]

Only person near me I know of with an Eglu is Pengy and hers is occupied at the moment. Unless anyone else knows one for hire in the essex area?

 

It doesnt fill me with dread having an eglu, would mean they would have more free ranging area which is a bonus. Would be easier to cover if I needed to.

 

x

[chick wiggle]

Have you tried the black garden weed suppressant material? We covered our cube with that ( a full lenght folded and folded, it was about four layers deep in places) when one of ours decided she would like to be up early and it worked quite well. Make sure you cover the back which is the lighter gray and so lets more light in and also the run in front of the door as this lets light in too. Good luck

[fluffyknickers]

Thank you for the advise.

 

My problem is with the covering the cube is the leaving the vents clear. Did you have to do this with the black weed mesh or was it still breathable?

 

Thanks

Michelle

[po3cheggs]

Hi

 

I write this as I wait for our chickens to start their early morning rise.

 

We are having a hard time as well these last few weeks and came back from our holiday to find a concern had been raised to our relative looking after them while we were away.

 

We have an eglu so please be cautious as to this being a solution.

 

We live in a terrace the same as you and it is a neighbour a little way down the road who has said something.

 

We have talked with the neighbour and assured the neighbour we are trying to resolve this but on Monday we gave our lovely white star to a fantastic friend who has rehomed her with her chickens. We currently have 2 other chickens.

 

It has been a little better this week but not perfect. Yesterday was 7am rather than 6.30.

 

It seems to be they announce when they have laid as we have very early layers. Do others find this? Ours have laid by 7.30am. Other friends who have chickens that lay later don't seem to have this early morning prob.

 

Not getting much sleep myself now with the worry! Daft I know.

 

We have had them since March and the problem has arisen over the summer months.

[Egluntyne]

Re the black out material....it is breathable.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Welcome to the forum, po3cheggs . Sorry to hear you've had to rehome one of your girls . I hope now it's getting darker in the mornings you won't have such a problem. You might find they quieten down generally anyway, mine don't make as much noise now as they used to. Fingers crossed for you .

[Hen Watch]

Michelle, sorry to hear of your worries over noise.

 

This may not help much but I got my chooks Springtime and found them noisy in the 1st high summer I had them. Had to take action and quite frankly wondered what I'd got myself into.

 

But I found my first Winter with them a whole lot easier. Do take heart that Autumn/Winter will approach very soon now. Most people have their windows shut more, your neighbours won't be in their gardens as much either. With darker mornings chooks don't get up until 7 (or even 8am on a really dark winter morning). Also they go to bed very early. In deepest winter my lot pack themselves off to bed at 4pm and my kids don't get to see them after school........

 

I know you've tried it, but it may be worth perservering with shutting them in the cube. I found it was the only solution to shut mine in the eglu until 7.15am. Otherwise I found they got up with the sun, ate all their pellets, then got bored or spooked by something and started shouting.

 

When I started shutting the eglu door they did make a racket at first, but soon got used to it. Now after 2 years of doing this they never make a sound. It's a pain in winter to pad out in the rain at 7.30 and open the eglu but then I move the eglu to the patio right outside my back door so I don't have to go far or cross the soggy grass.

 

Do hope you find a solution.

[Seagazer]

I hope you manage to find a solution. I have to agree with ANH that hopefully they will get quieter over time. Mine seem to make hardly any noise now, just gentle bok bokking and only the odd egg announcement.

 

I'll keep my fingers crossed.