Eglu Cube Coop and Accessories

[katie-may]

Hi I bought my 4 chickens just over a year ago but now am resulting to the thought of getting rid of one

 

The first two I bought (Vesper and Juicy Lucy) were so lovely I invested in two more (Batman and Robbin) However Robbin has always been rather loud in the mornings. She's the only Rohde Island Red I have and gorgeous but she doesn't shut up from 5am til 10am most mornings!

 

They are let out and fed automatically and usually before they're awake. Yet I find myself rushing downstairs at half 5 to sit and watch her...if I'm there she shurs up but the moment the back door locks she's off again unless I sneak in then I get half hours sleep before she starts again.

 

I am a student and therefore need the sleep plus I live on a housing estate and the neighbours want her removed please help is there any thing I can do??

[Egluntyne]

Why not keep her in for longer, say till 7am, and darken the Eglu by draping it with some black out curtaining.

 

Quite a few have had success this way.

[katie-may]

I tried that but she just goes mental at about 6am and disrupts the others laying...she even pecked the little one till she bled cus she wanted to get out so badly!

[Egluntyne]

How about bring her indoors at night, into a completely light proof box, and putting her back out with the others at a reasonable hour?

[katie-may]

would she be ok with that? I don't like putting them in boxes...

 

I got the automatic door and feeder so I could move out and my parents wouldn't have to do anything in the mornings...proving impossible!

[Alis girls]

You say you live on an housing estate - i take it - its one of those totally silent ones. Sorry not being sarcastic - but your neighbours I bet have noisey kids, dogs, teenagers and other noisey things - I think the suggestions made are good - but do me a favour - they are picking on a tiny little hen - I bet some of them have nosier kids. In my view people are always looking for something to moan about - living in a built up area - it is never quiet never. good luck

[katie-may]

yup you're right there, if I could move I would! but I'm moving to a narrow boat and chickens aren't really allowed there so they have to stay here but the council said they will remove all of them if she doesn't kearn to shut up! She may be small but the noise is silly I don't think I'd be bothered if it was at 8am but 5am is taking the mic!

[Blue-DiamondChick07]

You say you live on an housing estate - i take it - its one of those totally silent ones. Sorry not being sarcastic - but your neighbours I bet have noisey kids, dogs, teenagers and other noisey things - I think the suggestions made are good - but do me a favour - they are picking on a tiny little hen - I bet some of them have nosier kids. In my view people are always looking for something to moan about - living in a built up area - it is never quiet never. good luck

 

Exactly! Never mind the barking dogs at all hours and chavs well, thats my neighbourhood anyway roll on Devon. My Hens used to be very noisey after laying an egg, but thats stopped for some reason

[katie-may]

Thing is our neighbourhood is really rather quiet they don't have dogs and the kids are always indoors! Which makes me look worse!

 

They all get a bit noisy when they celebrate laying an egg but robin is just all the time...i was up at 5 with her and shes still going now. All my friends that hafve chickens have never known one so loud...i thought rhode island reds were known for their quietness!

[Squawk]

Hi Katie May

 

Unfortunately chickens pick up bad habits! I was also worried about the noise my chickens were making so I used to let them out or feed them something to shut them up for a while. They then learnt that shouting loudly = food!

 

To break the habit I had to ignore them in the morning (they had plenty of food and they are in a big run so dont worry!). I let them out in the afternoon or when I got home from work for a run round the garden. I explained to the neighbours what I was doing and apologised for the noise but I was trying to make things better. They were very understanding and it turns out they hadnt heard them anyway! Things are a lot better now and they do still shout in the morning but only occasionally and not for very long as it doesnt get a reaction from me!

 

Egluntines suggestion sounds like a good idea as it will be a complete change to her routine. A pet carrier is ideal. Do you have a garage or shed where you could put the pet carrier overnight?

[spencerwood]

Hello,

 

I can completely relate to your situation and hopefully my post will make you feel a bit better ...but I think you should persevere!

 

I have two Welsummer Bantams approx 14months old. They have only really just started to lay and have so far produced about 20 eggs or so between them.

 

We’ve had them since they were about 6 weeks old and have literally watched them grow and develop into pretty young ladies and it has on the whole, been a pleasure! 95 % of the time they are angelic. 5% of the time (usually between the hours of 5 and 10am) we sit indoors and cringe. I am actually counting the days until the mornings are darker, as they were quite different then. With the clocks changing and summer on the way they have become a lot more vocal, particularly on laying and on very bright and sunny mornings.

 

Now, we had been closing their door at night but as we were being woken early by a goose like sqwark demanding freedom, my husband and I thought we’d do a few experiments! Firstly, we tried leaving their door open, so that they could come and go freely without having to ask. This worked for a time, until at 5:13am precisely last Sunday when I heard Barbara let rip! We have just moved house (literally – we’ve been there 5 days - we also live on an estate and in a mid terrace!!) and nervous of annoying the neighbours I went out to ssssh her. I ended up sitting with them for hours in my jammies until their mood passed!

 

Since then, my husband and I have decided to close their door again, letting them out around 7:30am – as most people are up them anyway. We hear them occasionally airing their views but are one episode or two they seem to realise it’s not getting them anywhere! Also, the noise is contained inside the eglu which does diffuse it alot. We have also covered their run/eglu with a lightweight but dark tarpaulin which has shaded their house slightly and that does help too. Another thing that we've done as they emerge, is that I tie up a floret of broccoli and a wegde of courgette on string which seems to amuse them for hours.

 

I really hope that helps but I do know how you feel!

 

Let me know how it goes!! Lizzy

[C&T]

I agree with some of the above posts. One of our chooks goes through phases of exercising her voice, and as we a mid-terace in an estate also, it can be a bit stressful!

 

So in the summer they are locked up at night, and let out 7-7.30am. They can make a noise in the eglu some mornings - but it is muffled and she is a lot quieter than if she was out. My next step would be to cover the eglu with a dark material to make it darker longer. If the risk is she will hurt the other hens, then Egluntyne's suggestion sounds great - and changes her routine so she might forget about screaming! You mioght only need to do it for a week or so, and then be OK back in with the others.

 

Also, I have found that having something hanging in the run to keep them busy for the first few hours helps. Some cabbage or something similar, hung high enough so they have to work to get at it, in a bird food holder, and this keeps their interest longer. By the time it is all finished, I hope most of the neighbours are up, dressed, and left for work/school!

 

Good luck. Whatever you are going to try, if the council are already in contact with you about the noise, I would suggest keeping them informed of what you are doing, so they know you are treating the problem seriously.

[katie-may]

Thanks guys I'm glad to hear shes not that much of an odd bod! I will try seperating her from the others in the pet carrier we have and keep her in the garage...should be fun! I just hope it puts her out of her ways as I'm moving out in september and she needs to be self sufficient and quiet!

 

As for the neighbours I will go talk to them in a sec i just feel so bad plus I don't really like some of them and they clearly don't like me!

 

I'll keep you updated!

[katie-may]

Ok so i put robin in the carry case she didn't want to go in there...but did in the end. still at 5am off she goes so I moved her in to the darkest room in the house and it was peace for the first time in months!

Until Batman realised Robin was missing then she squarked a bit but nothing compared to Robin.

 

I hope it works!