patsylabrador Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 The ladies have started shouting as sun rises to be let out, so I'm thinking of leaving their door open so that they can come out if I don't wake up in time. It's about 6.15am and I don't want to upset the neighbours. I expect they will find it a bit funny at first which is why I thought I would experiment on week days when the roads etc are noisy quite early. Can people tell me if they are relatively quiet when they can come out or should I just persevere with getting up to let them out? We're under the flight path of a flock (murder?) of crows who go somewhere at daybreak making a real din which I think gets the chickens going. I've been covering their coop to keep out light but that seems to have stopped working. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 My lot have been shouting at 6.30am Ace did an extended, dolby 5.1 surround sound egg announcement at 7am this morning Not great for a Sunday, even my next door neighbour commented Ah well, who needs a lay in hey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 I keep mine shut in until I am ready. In the old days when I left the door open they just got up earlier and earlier and shouted in the run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted March 14, 2010 Author Share Posted March 14, 2010 n the old days when I left the door open they just got up earlier and earlier and shouted in the run That's what I thought might happen, so I'll stick to leaving them in and hope we can come to some sort of understanding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandychick Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 I always leave the door open. They would be making a lot of noise if they were waiting for me to get up on a Sunday moning I'm not sure if they are noisy or not - thankfully far away up the garden to be out of earshot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted March 14, 2010 Author Share Posted March 14, 2010 My lot have been shouting at 6.30am Ace did an extended, dolby 5.1 surround sound egg announcement at 7am this morning Not great for a Sunday, even my next door neighbour commented Ah well, who needs a lay in hey Is that from outside their henhouse? Are you quite close to your neighbours house? Sorry about questions - just feeling a bit panicky! It's good to know I'm not alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 I keep mine shut in until I am ready. In the old days when I left the door open they just got up earlier and earlier and shouted in the run I completely agree. It's one thing I will not give in to. My chickens are pampered little so and so's and they get let out when I say so We have dark plastic black picnic blanket over the top of the cube (not covering front ventilation hole) to make it darker inside during the summer lighter mornings. If we left the door open come the summer my lot would be shouting at 5am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porkypie Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 I had shouting 'issues' throughout last summer. I found it quite stressful (although when I asked my neighbours they didn't complain). I found that making a cover to keep the light out helped a bit and delayed the noise. My hens seemed to want to join in with the Dawn Chorus when they were shut in This year I've just started leaving the pop hole open. No shouting but they do moan a little. Not complete silence but preferably to their loud shouts! Early days though I hope you find a solution that works for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 My girls have taken to sleeping al fresco anyway so get up when they want . They are as quiet as mice . Sorry, that doesn't help you at all . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I looked after a friends chucks in Feb and was amazed at 8am on a cold wintery morning to hear a right racket going on. Typical Brits - moaning and chuntering inside their pod - sound increased 10 fold when they heard us doing their food and water before we let them out. What am I letting myself in for. Hopefully as neighbours on 1 side are older they might be deaf!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I've no idea when mine start shouting as we can't hear them at the front-lol Anyway, they're so quiet now compared to when we had the boys crowing that I don't think anyone will mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffyknickers Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 My pop hole is open now 24/7! Gave up trying to lock them in as they always out in the run even at midnight! Very bizarre chookies! I have stressed so much about the noise and they are still noisy but think they are less noisy now they can come out when they want. Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanTheDiver Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I leave the cube door open full 24/7 now (have done for 1.5 weeks now), the girls are much happier and don't make any noise at all As it is not freezing overnight they are fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 My lot have been shouting at 6.30am Ace did an extended, dolby 5.1 surround sound egg announcement at 7am this morning Not great for a Sunday, even my next door neighbour commented Ah well, who needs a lay in hey Is that from outside their henhouse? Are you quite close to your neighbours house? Sorry about questions - just feeling a bit panicky! It's good to know I'm not alone. Its from within their Walk in Run, but outside the cube. I live in a semi detached, so yes, right by the neighbours. They don't mind the noise most of the time (and they have a very barky dog, so have no right to complain ), however, the Sunday morning after a big rugby Saturday I think they needed their post hangover lie in . However, as we also back onto woodland and farm land, the noise from the wild birds is generally as loud, and because its lambing season that makes more noise than my girls. Also it will be calfing season soon, now THAT is loud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foot-tapper506 Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 My chooks make a lot of noise early mornings too, but I am up about 6.30 so always see to them first. By the time I am opening the gate to the run there is such a commotion coming from inside the coop in their excitement and they usually manage to dislodge the perches in their haste to get to the pop hole I am going to try leaving the pop hole open now the warmer weather is coming to see if it makes a difference. I have been covering the coop with a blanket in the very cold weather which also helps to darken the coop, but they still make a racket! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickyhazel Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 Ours make lots of noise, so we leave the door open in the summer when it gets warmer. They don't shout then, unless they are out of food! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spencerwood Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 Hello, I've just read the previous posts and feel reassured that my girls are fairly normal! I too have been worrying about the 'chatter', as my husband and I live in a row of terraces and although my neighbours seem fine with it, you never know if they're secretly cursing you! We're moving soon and are planning a WIR but it still niggles me that our new neighbours might not be so accommodating but we shall see! Anyway, I've got two lady Welsummer bantams, roughly a year old. One of them has just started laying, the second one has yet to drop her first egg. Out of the two of them, Barbara (who hasn't laid yet) is really quite gobby first thing and lets rip two or three times. I did wonder if she was a 'he', but she definitely looks like a girl and her sqwork isn't anything like a cock-a-doodle-do. She sounds more like sweaky bicycle breaks if that makes sense - which I hope is normal!? Anyway, after a two or three rants which last maybe 10 seconds each she quietens up and gets back to gentle clucking. Her sister isn't anything like that though, strange!? I used to let them out at 6:30 but in fear of the neighbours I've been letting them out at around 7. I have put a blackout sheet over their run though (nearer the Eglu house) which helps shade them a bit and it seems to work wonders! Hoping all is OK with everyone else and their feathered friends! xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grracee Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 My girls have taken to sleeping al fresco anyway so get up when they want . They are as quiet as mice . Sorry, that doesn't help you at all . Mine are the same, very quiet in the mornings thankfully. We have the odd egg annoucment in the morning but not very often. My girls tend to wake up and start making abit of a noise about 7:30 - 8:00 now which is pretty good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 In Spring (from about now really) I shut the eglu door at night and open it at 7.15am. Two years ago I had a spell of them waking up in the height of summer at 4am and shouting their heads off in the run at anything that spooked them. Hense, summer doors closed policy. However, in late Autumn/Winter I leave the door open 24/7 as it's so dark in the mornings they don't wake up early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 Ours yell to show their disapproval of someone else being in the nest box, so they are let out when I am ready or get a squirt of water therefore they will not be allowed free access to the run otherwise they'll be yelling to be let out of there as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 Mine have the door open all the time so they can go to bed and get up when they want. It keeps them quiet (until they see me and want treats, of course). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
