Nacktschnecken omlet Cube

[EmmaJC]

Dear me, how my neighbours must hate me. My girls are waking very early now and at any time from 6:30 to 7:30ish they are screeching away to be let out of the run and into their larger run. I don't know what to do to keep them quiet, they aren't doing it every day, but when they do the sound is just awful.

 

I do let them straight out, but I won't always be able too if I am away. They can't be calling for treats as I'm not that kind and they never get treats in the morning. They have food and water and have full access to their run. I'm really concerned that I'm annoying my poor neighbours! Any advice?

 

Many thanks!

[Lavenders_Blue]

No advice I'm afraid, I just wanted to say how lucky you are that yours wait until 6.30am. Mine are shouting anytime from 4.30am onwards at the moment

[welovemarmite]

No advice I'm afraid, I just wanted to say how lucky you are that yours wait until 6.30am. Mine are shouting anytime from 4.30am onwards at the moment

mine too!!!

[chicken bark]

I think neighbours should be understanding if you can keep them quiet until 7am. I think that rule of no noise between 11pm and 7am is a good one. (wish those inconsiderate beggars who let off fireworks could abide by it too)

 

Can you make your coop and run darker? The hens are just responding to daylight so if you can make their accommodation darker they won't wake up so early. I know some omleteers use black out curtains. Just make sure you don't block any ventilation.

 

Good luck.

[rachael_farnsworth]

Ideas:

 

Tarpaulin over the run/coop

Squirt of water in the face

[welovemarmite]

i have a big walk in run, so unless i shut them in their eglu, then dont have much choice...

[C&T]

i have a big walk in run, so unless i shut them in their eglu, then dont have much choice...

 

Ours are shut in the Eglu! They can be noisy little so and so's in the early hours (plus we had a fox visit recently).

 

They are let out about 7 into their run, then are fairly quiet until about 8 - when they seem to make noise for the fun of it . A squirt of the hosepipe does help - it can get relentless otherwise. I am also very careful not to let them out of the run to FR if they are being noisy - I do not want them to think that noise = FR time!

 

I think moving from Mash to Pellets is not helping either (it was all the shop had) it is much quicker for them eat, so doesn't keep them so busy. Plus I think they prefer the mash - so moaning about the pellets.

[Minnie&Moose]

We've had a similar problem recently - perhaps because we have new chickens quarantined from our long-term residents but in full view of them, or maybe it's the light? Anyway, having been woken up by Mavis shouting her head off at 5am 2 days running (the chickens are approx. 100m from the house so it must have been loud). I've gone back to shutting the cube door and Mavis is all 'sweetness and light' when I let them out at 7am

[Blue-DiamondChick07]

I have the same issue its driving me mental! The only thing I could think of doing, is shutting the pop holes. Its regrettable as I like them getting up when they want to, but I'm loosing sleep and worried I'll get complaints. Its worked though

[chicken bark]

I think the solution seems straightforward. Shut them in at night and make it dark. It's a small price to pay if it lets everyone get some sleep and keeps the neighbours happy.

[migsy]

My 3 chickens are really quiet. I never hear them unless I am standing right next to them and I only have a small garden and I sleep with the windows open. The pop-hole is always open so that they have access to the run. They are not laying yet. Is it likely that they will get noisy when they start to lay or are some hens just quieter than others? I'm hoping that I am not in for a nasty change in behaviour!

[EmmaJC]

Hmm, I'm sort of thinking that I shouldn't be complaining if other chickens are up and shouting at 4:30!

 

I'm going to try locking the little blighters up tonight. Honestly! You'd think they'd be happy with their lot. They used to live in a cage, surely a plush Eglu and run is nothing to get upset about

 

Thank you all for your advice! It is much appreciated.

[veggiemad]

Ah ... you are all wonderful!! Our 2 year old has started waking at 5am and we're trying everything to make it later- BUT........perhaps the hens are waking her up!!! We have 7 girls in the a WIR in the back garden and our duaghter sleeps in the back bedroom!!

 

Thats it - the pop hole gets shut tonight!!!

 

I thought it was our daughters new schedule........never thought it could be the hens!!!!

[Doodledootoo]

You need to darken the run. My best advice is to use thick, black tapaulins and cover the Eglu plus the run.

 

My tarps are bungee-roped on to the sides of my WIR (It has a black roof already). I just roll them up like blinds each morning when it's time to get up.

 

Believe me - I tried EVERYTHING else and the tarps are the only thing that have worked!

 

Do a search on these boards - every year, about this time, a raft of threads like this appear, as the early mornings start the chooks off!

 

Also - any new chickens....don't let them free range from day one. Get the chickens used to the idea that some days, they don't get to FR. They're shouting to be let out because they are EXPECTING to be let out. You've got to be steely hard about this - some days are run days....that way, they lose that sense of teenage-like entitlement!

[Porkypie]

I was having same issue. I have an awkward shaped wooden house and just couldn't get it dark enough with covering it. I couldn't take another summer of the stress so they now get put into cardboard boxes in the garage overnight And they are now as good as gold

[sewitall]

Migsy my hens are quiet and this didn't change when 2 of them started laying. I don't let them f'range in the morning so that they eat their pellets and therefore they don't fuss to be let out. Quite often I just sit outside the run watching them and if after a few minutes I haven't given in to their demands to be let out they just carry on with their normal business.

[migsy]

Thanks Sewitall, I was a bit concerned. I don't let mine out to FR first thing either as I am too busy taking the children to school etc. They have haphazard FR times as it all depends on whether I am in the house etc. Maybe it is an expectation thing then.

[EmmaJC]

I shut them in the house last night and alas, they woke us up shouting at 5:45. The instant they were let out of the house into the run they quieted down so I left them to it and went back to bed.

 

At about 8:30 they started again and a thought struck me - it's egg announcing. One of the girls is going in to lay and the other two are getting excited about it. Of course with 3 to lay, the noise is a bit OTT.

 

Any ideas how to keep them calm when laying?