Solitary chicken - need advice

[Prongs]

Sorry if this has been answered somewhere else, I haven't seen it!

 

I was thinking about buying an eglu and one or two chickens but we frequently mow the lawn and during birthday parties and bonfire night fireworks, I would instinctively move them away from the sources of the noise but is it necessary?

 

From Jay (Prongs)

[Couperman]

I think fireworks would freak them out, I think it suggests on the Omlet website to bring them indoors if you can on bonfire night the same as you would with other animals, not always practical if you have more than one or two.

 

Kev

[Martin B]

Jamie, you nutter!

 

I don't know if you are being serious or not!

 

Firstly you shouldn't home 1 chicken on it's own, it will become lonely and stressed.

 

Chickens are not usually bothered with noise.

 

I've never had problems on bonfire night or birthday parties. Last year at Sean's party I had a stall selling eggs and jam and bread and the chickens were walking around the garden!

 

I'm sure you'll remember because you were there.

 

Martin

[Prongs]

Im pretty serious Mart, but it's talking my Dad around it!

 

Yeah I remember Sean's party, was mayhem with them chickens everywhere!

 

Thanks for the replies, I'll just bring them in and shut the windows, then check up on them every 15-20 minutes to make sure they haven't trashed the house!

[Martin B]

I can see why your Dad wouldn't let you!

 

Your a bit of a hazard.

[Prongs]

Hehe, you must have been speaking to Sean!

 

They bought her for me, but I was never too enthusiastic about it in the first place, so I left it to mum!

 

I'm actually rather passionate about chickens though

[Martin B]

 

If you buy an eglu or chicken house, I'll believe you.

[Prongs]

 

I assure you, I'd love to Martin - I'll wait till my birthday though (I'm skint).

 

Then you'll see, as long as my parents let me that is! You know what my Dad's like!

[Martin B]

Yer I do, he walks past the house most nights, shouting about Birmingham City!

[Prongs]

I think I'll go tell him about that one now!

 

He can't help getting drunk on the odd occasion, can he?!

[Kathy C]

Hi Jay, I hope you do get your hens.

 

Ours don't like our mower or strimmer. They are ok with our neighbour's ones. Maybe its also seeing them as well as hearing them. We let the girls out of their run and give them change to move out of the way onto our patio and then I distract them with raisins whist Mr C mows the lawn ( he gets the work, I get the fun!).

 

Other odd noises like cars backfiring, motor bikes, streetsweepers, thunder etc don't seem to bothere them. Somone nearby had fireworks about a month ago and the girls slept through. We plan to put the eglu in the garage for firework-night (or should that be week), however.

[Olly]

Mine don't seem bothered by the mower or strimmer ... I move them out of the Eglu before mowing right up to it, but when I'm on the other part of the garden, or when they are free-ranging while I cut the grass around the Eglu, they don't seem too bothered. I've gone to within three feet of the door and they didn't seem to mind.

 

They also don't seem bothered by loud noise - my neighbours have an enclosed swimming pool at the end of their garden, and when they have a party the music, shouting and splashing are horrendously loud (it's all amplified by the pool surrounds!) It's never put the girls off laying.

 

I reckon it depends on the individual chicken, or maybe on the chief chicken.

[craftyhunnypie]

Mine were fine with fireworks. Nextdoors garden hoover for the leaves, they are not keen on. Any other noise like dogs barking, kids shouting, mowers etc - they are not too bothered about - they just stand there turning their heads on one side, listening. The only thing they don't like is thunder & lightening - they shoot into the eglu then until it's passed over.

 

You don't need an eglu ....what you need is a cube!!!

 

Go the whole hog - do a bit of fundraising like someone else on the forum did, selling recycled hens. Ask your mate Martin - he always knows how to make a bit of cash!!!!

 

Good luck Jay.

 

Emma.x

[Milly]

 

Go the whole hog - do a bit of fundraising like someone else on the forum did, selling recycled hens.

 

How do you recycle a hen? Apart from making it into a chicken pie?

 

Milly

[craftyhunnypie]

Ooooohhhh disgusting! Reminds me of the chicken run film!!!!

 

No some clever Omleteer uses bits and bobs to make hens suitable for putting in plant pots etc. She also makes keyrings & bags! They are made from things you would normally throw away. The bags are made from the bags for life. All items are brilliant!

 

Emma.x

[Prongs]

thanks for all the replies people!

 

i spoke to my parents about getting chickens and it was a flat "no" I'll work them around it though

[craftyhunnypie]

Perhaps you could chookie sit for Martin - you know, have his eglu at ur house for a week. Your parents would soon like chickens then!

 

Emma.x

[Prongs]

Hey Emma,

 

That's a great idea! See what Martin thinks about that though!

 

Jay