Installing Indoor Cat Tree

[Black RockStar]

Hello all,

New to the forum and to keeping chooks. The grass needs cutting soon. I have a petrol hayter. My question is, if the chooks are in the eglu run, is the noise likely to stress them if i cut around the run whilst they're in it! Thanks

[AnnieP]

We made sure that we started the mower as far away from them as possible and gradually mowed nearer and nearer. They didn't seem too bothered by the time it got close to them (after about 1/2 an hour).

Good luck!! They will get used to it, even if it does upset them a bit at first.

[Black RockStar]

Thanks alot, will give it a try. Love the Miami Vice chook names by the way

[Guest]

Mine hated the mower first time they heard it - and it's only a push mower! Time will tell whether they get used to it.

[Jem]

I was worried about this too.

 

I cut our lawn with the petrol mower the day after the chooks arrived. Didn't seem to bother them one bit. They had a quick look and then continued s"Ooops, word censored!"ing and eating

 

Seriously laid back chooks

 

Cheers

 

Jem

[Gallina]

My chickens were so terrified by my Flymo that I couldn't continue. They didn't worry when the noise was a reasonable distance away, but every time I came within a few feet of them they were panic-stricken.

 

I now make a net run for them away from the grass whenever I want to cut it.

[Mrs Frugal]

My hoover is really noisy (Ok so it's not a lawnmower but it makes as much noise as one!) and the girls sit by the back door watching me hoovering the dirt out of the doormat without blinking an eye!

[Alison M]

Hi Black RockStar,

 

I do the same as AnnieP but the mower is close to them after about 10 minutes. It does not bother them, they look up and then contiunue scratting about.

[Nick&Trish]

Our two run for cover, and lurk in the undergrowth making worried noises. I tend to mow the lawn when they are out of the run, so that they can go where they feel most comfortable.

 

A few weeks ago someone was using a chainsaw 3 or 4 gardens away, and the girls went ballistic - Victoria was hiding as close to the house as possible, and I had to pick her up to calm her down. They did get less concerned as time went by, so I suspect that your chooks (and ours) will eventually get more relaxed about mowers.

 

Nick

[motherhen]

Sybil and Pollo were totally unconcerned about living next door to a building site when our neighbours had their house practically rebuilt - and sometimes the diggers and other power machines were really loud and made the house and backyard vibrate.

 

What does put them into alert mode and even start them squawking is when I pump up the vacuum thing on my sprayer. It is full of foul smelling horsetail tea which is supposed to be an organic fungicide. The sound isn't even that loud but something about it upsets them. The do recover as soon as I stop pumping though

[SarahJo]

Same thing with the hoover .... mine literally checked you were doing it properly through the patio door .

 

Lawnmower .... more timid with the petrol one, than the flymo .... but still not too keen until they get some grass edges to munch (cut up finely I may add ).

[Black RockStar]

Thanks all, will give it a go at the weekend and see how they take it. By the way, whats a hoover?

[Mrs Frugal]

Thanks all, will give it a go at the weekend and see how they take it. By the way, whats a hoover?

 

Must be a bloke thing as my OH doesn't know what one is either !

[SillyClucker]

Yeah i was a bit worried but no probs. I got the girls back into the run. When i cut the lawn whenever i came close they went into the eglu, when i went away they came out again. When everything was over i let the run open and they came out as though nothing had happened. that was the first time so i imagine things will only get better

[feemcg]

We had good egg production last week and this week only 2 eggs. I was trying to think of reasons for this and remembered that the guy next door had a hedge-trimmer out all Sunday afternoon, kept stopping and starting, and the girls were a bit distressed - frozen to the spot looking startled one minute then pacing up and down nervously the next.

[Guest]

Mine freerange - so I just started it up - moisy petrol mower - no discernable reaction at all - then spot got cocky, and every tme I empty the grass box - she's all over the mower - and now follows me round, occasionally dive-bombing from the side..

 

I guess she's waiting for the bits of a mangled frog....

 

stupid chicken...

 

Phil

[N&J]

Mine go nuts when you wheel the mover acorss the patio - apart from that they just ignore it and cause havoc in the vegetable patch

[harveypup]

My husband was strimming at weekend and they went MAD!!!! Clucking, squawking and flapping like "Ooops, word censored!"ody's business The day after we had the biggest egg they have ever laid so perhaps it was worth it

[suandtim]

Polly and Esther hate the noise - I have to make sure they're in the run with the Eglu door open, and then they go and hide in the Eglu until the noise stops....

 

Tim

[Lesley-Jean]

My chooks take no notice of most noises. They stop and look the first time they hear something and totally ignore it the next time. Lawn mower, strimmer, angle grinder. Nothing seems to worry them