Tamzanite Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 Advice needed urgently! I've had my chickens for 6 weeks now with no problems. However, over the last week or so, my Miss Pepperpot (Polly) has become extremely vocal. She squawks and crows very loudly if we go near the run, or even if she just sees us pass by the window in the house, in fact, she squawks most of the time. This is becoming a big problem as the neighbours are not happy. Is this just a phase and if so how long will it last? Might there be something wrong with her or is this just normal? Is it something that I am/am not doing? Also, still no eggs yet from either chicken. Can anyone please advise? My Gingernut Ranger (Geraldine) in contrast is very quiet and just makes happpy hen quiet clucks occasionally. I love keeping the chooks and really do want to keep them but if I can't resolve this then I may not be able to - so please help!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budgies Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 Hi Tamzanite. Firstly, it sounds to me as though Polly is trying to be a very manipulative chicken, and wants you to come and play, or perhaps let her out of the run or maybe even just feed her treats!! I very much doubt that there is anything wrong with her. Chickens do become more vocal as they reach the point of lay, and a bit of squawking once they've laid (as if to say look at me, aren't I clever!) is perfectly usual. It sounds like she may be going to lay for you quite soon! However, I think you may have to train her out of the squawking every time she spots someone. I found that good things to do included: hanging greens or something tasty in the run for distraction, having set times when they're allowed to free range and trying to keep the pattern the same each day, and sitting in the garden with the girls in the run and ignoring them completely! That last one is definitely the hardest, but they soon learn that you're not always outside for their benefit, and after a couple of squawks to say "hey,over here!" they now go about their business, scratching and eating. If you think you need more drastic measures, I have heard of people squirting a noisy chook with a jet of water, but am not sure how much success that method generally has! Good luck, and don't panic, I'm sure you'll soon be able to stop the worst of this behaviour! You may want to explain to your neighbours that she's being "trained" out of her bad behaviour, tell them that they can have some lovely eggs once the girls start laying! Sue Budgie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 I find it so annoying that neighbours moan over stupid things!!!!! A hen squarking is hardly the worst noise in the world is it? Better than dogs constantly barking, aeroplanes flying over, motorbikes, cars revving their engines, people shouting and swearing, music blasting out and lord knows what else-yet people complain about a perfectly natural countryside sort of sound!!! I would love a cockeral-I can't think of a nicer alarm clock, much more natural than a buzzing or beeping in your ear yet I know for a fact that people would complain! If anyone dares to comment on the noise from my hens (I have a very vocal Pepperpot too)I will find it hard not to reel off a list of things that annoy me about people round here. Oooo-feel better now!!! Don't know how to help you though I'm afraid-I think it's the people complaining that really need the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 Hello there, I am experiencing the same thing with our two chickens, we've had them for nearly 6 months now, and in the last few weeks they have become very vocal, and squawk a lot whenever they see a human, hear a human come into the house (I can hear them when opening the front door, all the way from the backgarden, calling for me to go and see them), or when magpies hang around their run (which is most of the time). I have worried a bit about our neighbour, but he hasn't said anything so far, even though the chooks do wake me up at 5 am with their racket... Thankfully, our neighbour seems like a kind and patient man, and is hard of hearing, which might help too... Also, with four kids making constant noise and screaming, I hope the chickens seem like relaxing noise in comparison... Am hoping they'll get out of the habit when they realise the squawking doesn't get them instant human attention... but I think the magpies get on their nerves, and I'm not too sure what to do about it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickaboo Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 My Ruby used to do lots of sqauwking that would stop if we went to see her, or if we called to her out of the window! She also used to sort of crow early in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamzanite Posted June 14, 2007 Author Share Posted June 14, 2007 Thanks everyone - I'll try out all of your suggestions - just going out to fix up a mirror! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 To be fair to all neighbours everywhere, I don't particularly like the loud squawking myself, do you? When my hens do it, I tell them sharply that I am coming, and they stop immediately. As for being woken up by cockerels at 4am, that isn't on. I wouldn't mind my neighbours having a cockerel that could be programmed to shout at 7am each morning, winter and summer, but it doesn't work like that. But as other people have said, dogs, cars, chain-saws, those awful machines that chip wood prunings etc are much worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
