Unsecure chicken perches

[catherinedon]

I was enjoying my 4 chickens so much that i bought a cube and got 3 more last fri who are now integrated and one more yest who was pretty much atatcked this morn and as O was going out I had to seperate her. Its mainly the Auracane and I was not too worried until in the flurry and the chickens escilating noise one of them did a very deffinate cock a doodle doo and went into instant panic about the neighbours, Have spoken to 2 neighbours who said they havent heard them and not to worry but other neighbour doesnt speak to us. Can she cause trouble for me with council as I live on an estate? Is my chicken a boy? hatchery have told me they can change sex up to 30 weeks and the original 4 are now about 28 weeks? I absolutly will bring them back if they are boys but 3 of the original 4 are making a crowing gutheral sound but one definatly crowed. Hatchery said will have a look if I bring back. I am so stressed I cried as have been having a really bad time because my ds age 4 was diagnosed as autistic last week and I already have dd age 9 with Adhd (who loves the chickens)and 2 other children. sadly the worrying about the noise level is really stressing me and to top it all off I am in bed with a yuck tummy bug tonight and I am never unwell. they seem quiet enough untilI I approach them then there is that guteral sound:(

Edited November 16, 2010 by Guest

[Olly]

Oh dear, poor you - you have got your hands full! Re the integration, if you were adding one chicken to an established flock then there would be quite a lot of pecking and flapping; you say you've separated her, and I'd try taking the reintroduction really slowly.

 

As far as the noise is concerned, hens can be really noisy sometimes - one of mine does a seagull impression first thing in the morning, so it may not be that you have a cockerel. Do you know which one was crowing, and does it look different to the others of the same breed/age? Best bet might be to take it back to the place where you got them from for a professional view, and then if it is a boy they can change it for you.

 

You can get complaints about noise, wherever you live, but it may be that you are perceiving the noise to be worse than it is, so don't panic just yet. If two of your neighbours hadn't heard anything, chances are that "Ooops, word censored!"ody else will be bothered. I hope you soon feel better, this will probably not seem so bad when you've recovered and when you've come to terms with your daughter's diagnois, sounds as if it's all happening at once to you.

[Plum]

Chickens should be relaxing not stressful so take the boy back straight away. I think it's rubbish saying they can change sex at that age, I think they are just covering up that they weren't sure.

 

Try not to worry too much about the sounds they make, they are just talking to you. When they start laying you can drop some eggs off to the neighbours even the ones who don't talk. I worried a lot about it at one time but when I asked the neighbours they weren't worried at all and enjoyed hearing the odd noise. I used to hear each noise and start feeling anxious but now call out to them to pipe down and wait until I am ready.

 

Sorry to hear about your illness and your little ones problems and hope things aren't too difficult. Once you feel better you'll be able to cope again.

[Redwing]

Birds dont change sex up to 30 weeks old - the hatchery is not being straight with you there

 

they probably werent able to sex the birds accurately...

 

You do get hens that take on cockerel characteristics in the absence of a cockerel but its far more likely that you have bought a cockerel

 

If you can post pictures then we may be able to help but if not then take the hen back to the hatchery to be sexed

[Steve the Gas]

Change gender- right ho, I used to have a squadron of flying pigs..........

[Egluntyne]

Could you post photos of them so that we can have a bash at identifying the gender for you?

[Powerlady]

I would just exchange them..you are meant to enjoy them and you won't while you are worrying about crowing..so change them, deep breath, relax then you'll be more able to cope with the other stuff going on..

[catherinedon]

thank you all for listening.was having a really bad day. auracan and bearded silkie still making very gutheral noises but no crowing this morn is it possible taht they just made that noise in trying to assert themselves over new chickens?

[Powerlady]

I think so yes..some like to shout, others don't..glad you're feeling a bit better

 

Edited- spelling

[catherinedon]

powerlady thanks for being kind . I feel better today but yest was so sad and stressed. im trying not to stress about the noise