abwsco Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 (edited) and furious here. Just got in from work to find a letter from the council. We've had the chickens for two years and there's been a complaint about noise Of course the man who's sent the letter isn't there so we're now got all weekend to worry about it. There's also hardly ever an egg when we let them out in the morning, perhaps one in six weeks so it can't be egg announcing that they're complaining about I know we had the complaint earlier on in the year when the cockerels we hatched started crowing but we despatched them as soon as we could after the complaints. Edited June 8, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 I dont think a noise complaint over the chickens will stick, they arent going to be consistently noisy enough for the complaint to stick What did the letter say will happen next? You dealt with the cockerel situation and they will surely take that in to account Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poachedegg Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 They probably have to look into it if a complaint has been made - like Redwing says they would find it hard to make anything stick - next doors barking dog makes more noise than our couple of honking egg announcers. Good luck with and try not to worry too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roobaloo Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 I agree with Redwing...noise complaints would usually involve long periods of loud noise, e.g. overly loud music, a dog that barks all day long... Don't let it ruin your weekend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 Heaven help some of these people. If they had been born not that long ago, most house holds would have had a supply of chooks at the bottom of the garden. Why do some people seem to think it's their right to live in absolute silence? It doesn't work that way! Do they want the entire bird and insect population culled so they don't have to wake to any dawn chorus, or, God fobid, should a fly dare to buzz when they are trying to enjoy a cup of coffee! If you feel that you need to do something (only because that is how I am) start keeping a diary of when you put them to bed/let them up or if you do hear any egg announcements, the time of them and the length of time. Then you will have something to show the council if they come round if needed. I can feel sorry for the poor man from the council, having to follow up silly complaints like this. What a waste of everyones time. In the meantime, I would recomend a chilled bottle of white wine, sitting outside enjoying the chooks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meezers Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 Hi again. The fact that he's away for a few days should help as well - they can't be annoying him if he's not there can they ? Maybe he's away so often he never realised you got rid of the boys and has decided to put in a belated complaint now as there's nothing on tv ! Sorry, no patience with these people, hope the council tells him to get a life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 Thnaks everyone. The letter from the council is a bit odd It says there's no fromal investigation as yet but I had to contact them if I thought it was unjustified or not us, which I have tried to do. It then says if the allegations are substantiated they will take a more formal approach. The leaflet they enclosed suggest whoever complains should contact the neighbours first unless they think they would be threatened. That bit has annoyed me! We're hardly thugs who fly off at every opportunity. I've lived at this house since I was 13. Left home for a short while, got married from here and then bought the house off Dad after my Mum died over 16 vears ago.It says the complainant will have to keep a noise diary and then the EHO will visit to see if there is a noise issue. Only other thing I can see is a night noise issue between the hours of 11.00pm to 7.00am. As far as I'm concerend they can go all the way and put in sound monitoring equipment. Think I'm off for a cup of tea to try and calm down again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 That sounds like a routine 'noise complaint' letter. After all, if someone complains the council has to respond. They have no way of knowing whether your neighbour is barking mad and you actually keep earthworms and not hens, whether she/he has identified the wrong house, or whether you're running a full-scale poultry farm in your back garden. They don't want to (and can't afford to) send someone out to investigate every complaint, so this is their standard response. I suspect that maybe your neighbour thinks you still have cockerels. Don't panic - it's unlikely that the clucking of a few hens is ever going to break noise levels. It's an unpleasant feeling to think that your neighbours have complained, though, I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewitall Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 The person who made the complaint will also have to keep a diary of when the chickens make what he/she considers to be a noise. So as someone else said it may be prudent for you to keep a diary if you can and if you are out at work have you access to digital recorder of some sort to monitor your chickens? The noise officer may pop round unannounced during the week to have a listen by ear himself and they will only install noise monitoring equipment if they think there is a need for it and the complainant wishes the EHO to take it further after diary evidence. I was once in this position myself some years ago with my rescue dog barking for 15 minutes due to anxiety syndrome when being left (since moved house and dog changed for the better overnight). I went through several months with the possible threat of having to re-home my dog if the matter proceeded to court. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachael_farnsworth Posted May 29, 2010 Share Posted May 29, 2010 Do they want the entire bird and insect population culled so they don't have to wake to any dawn chorus, or, God fobid, should a fly dare to buzz when they are trying to enjoy a cup of coffee! Indeed. I got woken up at 4am this morning by the dawn chorus this morning - the chickens, on the other hand, didn't make a peep until about 9.30 when they decided they were melting in the rain... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathybc Posted May 29, 2010 Share Posted May 29, 2010 sorry to hear about the letter - doesn't it always happen when you can't contact the writer but from other posts I have seen about noise complaints, they seem to sort themselves out so fingers crossed for you and easier said than done, but try not to worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted May 29, 2010 Share Posted May 29, 2010 I do hope it was just the cockerals that prompted the untimely complaint. Best of luck and I'm sure you will come through this ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 I really wouldn't worry too much. Our next door neighbour's boyfriend at our old house moved in over 100 budgies in a shed next to our postage stamp garden...It drove us to distraction and we did complain to the council...who did nothing about it..we tried taking it further ourselves (we aren't usually whingey neighbours honest but anyone with budgies will know they are soooo noisy and squabble continuously from first light to dark) but we didn't get anywhere. There are very strict noise regulations which have to be exceeded before any prosecution can be successful. In spite of the fact we weren't anywhere near a main road we were told the noise wasn't as much as a bus going past the house. It seems to me that if we couldn't prove our case with the amount of noise we were being subjected to your neighbour stands no chance. I would recommend keeping a diary yourself though, because your neighbour will certainly need to if he wants it investigated further and then you can make sure he isn't exaggerating the extent of the problem. Hopefully it will all come to nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 The magpies round here make a "clacking " noise from dawn till dusk - I think they have a nest in the rowan tree. Good luck - dont think it will stick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Are you a member of the Poultry Club GB? they have a 'cockerel helpline' for people who have had complaints and I expect there would be some useful info from them on noise complaints in general Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share Posted May 31, 2010 Thanks everyone. Tasha, I'm not a member of the Poultry Club so will look into that. Can anyone think of any questions to ask the council man when he phones me back, hopefully tomorrow. Obvious ones we've thought of is what time of day they are complaning about and also if they are keeping a noise diary how does anyone know that they're not lying in their dairy. We don't wake until around 7.00am at the earliest and our bedroom is at the front of the house so we don't hear anything. DD's are at the back and can hear noise sometimes but have no idea of time being teenagers who are usually comatose in bed I do know that when thye've got in after a night out at any time from 4.00am onwards they've never told us the chickens were being noisey. We think it's some miserable ### moaning about egg announcements Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 I bet its someone who hasnt closed the fact that the cockerels have gone heard the chickens making a bit of noise one day and jumped to the wrong conclusions tell the council chap that the cockerels went after the first complaint and ask them to go back and check with the person who complained exactly what sort of noise is being heard, I bet they will say 'crowing' Sometimes these things are in peoples heads because they are more aware of noise after a genuine situation (like with the cockerels) they hear things they cant hear if that makes sense! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share Posted May 31, 2010 I bet its someone who hasnt closed the fact that the cockerels have gone heard the chickens making a bit of noise one day and jumped to the wrong conclusions tell the council chap that the cockerels went after the first complaint and ask them to go back and check with the person who complained exactly what sort of noise is being heard, I bet they will say 'crowing' Sometimes these things are in peoples heads because they are more aware of noise after a genuine situation (like with the cockerels) they hear things they cant hear if that makes sense! Thanks Tasha.He does know they've gone as I told him on the day he visited they were going to be despatched then rang him the day they were. I also asked him to tell the people who'd complained they'd been killed that day but obviously don't know if he did. DH does think I'm being a worry wart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted June 2, 2010 Author Share Posted June 2, 2010 Thought I'd do a sort of update for those interested. Had no phonecall so I rang the council again today and eventually spoke to one of his colleagues as the man I need to speak to is on leave until next week. The man I spoke to couldn't understand how there could be a complaint, could find no further details and reassured me a bit about any diary they "could" be keeping and proof needed by them. I'm obviously not going to know more until next week though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 Thanks for your update, good luck and fingers crossed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txswanie Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Hi, sorry about your troubles, people can be really stupid about things. I don't know if its the same in the UK but here in the US the noise has to be constant for 10 minutes. The neighbour couldn't just say, oh their chickens make generally annoying noises. It would have to be 10 minutes of constant noise, so many times a day and it would have to be of a certain level. I wouldn't worry about it, I have wild ducks near me which make a racket, much worse than my girls. good luck with that. Colette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poachedegg Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Doesn't sound like the council are treating it with any urgency or importance - which must be a good sign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucia Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 If it's any consolation my friend has a farm and she adopted my cockeral (Bernadette grew in to a Bernard!), and HER neighbours complained about the noise he makes despite the fact they live in the middle of nowhere and as I said they moved next door to a farm! (They also complained about the haymaking being too noisy and the smells'). Some folk have nothing better to do. Personally I find the noise from chooks (and even a cockeral) much less offensive than the noise the huge lorries that go buy or the local 'yoofs' who like to park up in the bus stop opposite out house with their stereos blaring at 11pm. Sure nothing will come of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 If it's any consolation my friend has a farm and she adopted my cockeral (Bernadette grew in to a Bernard!), and HER neighbours complained about the noise he makes despite the fact they live in the middle of nowhere and as I said they moved next door to a farm! (They also complained about the haymaking being too noisy and the smells'). I grew up on a farm and would loved to have seen the farmers face when he heard about their complaint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted June 8, 2010 Author Share Posted June 8, 2010 Yeah, man from the council has phoned. I confirmed we'd no cockerels and he said we have nothing to worry about at all! He did say that the man who has complained about early morning crowing! has not returned any logs of noise but he is trying to sell his house. Anyway, he won't have a leg to stand on with any complaint against us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
