Bramble Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Title says it all really, I'm truly devastated, but I can't see a way around this ... for the last couple of weeks the chucks have been making the most dreadful din at about 7am ... they must be waking all of the neighbours ... may not be such a problem in the week, but at the weekend I don't think that's acceptable. I can go out and shut them up, but I can't really prevent them making the noise in the first place. The noise doesn't bother me at all, but I don't imagine the neighbours feel the same (why should they?) Have tried adding an extra nestbox in case it's squabbling over space there, but it's made no difference ... Fortunately, I have a colleague who keeps hens on her farm (as pets, not commercially) so I'm hoping she might be able to take mine, don't know what else to do, I'm just gutted ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Have the neighbours complained? I wouldn't do anything yet, as the days will soon be shortening and that will make a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted August 19, 2013 Author Share Posted August 19, 2013 Thank you so much Egluntyne - don't know what I'd do without this Forum. No, the neighbours haven't complained, but to be honest, I'd rather they didn't, I live alone and can't handle confrontation too well (utterly pathetic, I know). I'm in tears as I type this, don't know what else to do though, if only I could explain to the chucks that they need to SHUT UP. I went out there at 7 this morning to try and shut them up and could hear my neighbour singing at the top of his voice (seriously loud) never heard him do it before, reckon he was trying to block out the chicken noise ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimnpaula Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Have the neighbours complained? I wouldn't do anything yet, as the days will soon be shortening and that will make a difference. My thoughts exactly. Do you shut them in at nights? If not maybe try that over the weekends to muffle them. I think my neighbour's dogs and stereos and conversations are more annoying than the egg announcments and "we're out girls!" shouts. Try not to worry about something until given reason to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I understand how you feel, even if they do complain it doesn't have to be a confrontation, they may just have a quiet word and you can assure them you are doing what you can, you are probably being very sensitive to their noise. I would give the neighbors a knock, eggs in hand as a peace offering and just say hope they are not causing you any trouble...bet they say ' no its fine!!' If they do complain reassure them that you hope it will resolve soon, if not then think about re homing, but one step at a time:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucknette Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Morning Bramble As previously said don't do anything yet. Do you have any sort of blackout on your coops as this does help. I let my chickens out at 8.00am every day and we don't hear a peep out of them. I used to worry about them when they egg announced but my neighbours tell me they have never heard them. This is because they are not like us being tuned into them. A neighbour near me got hens and I first heard them because they were new and now I'm asking other neighbours if they still have them because I can't hear them and "Ooops, word censored!"ody knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted August 19, 2013 Author Share Posted August 19, 2013 Thanks everyone - I'm gutted, but as always, feel so much better for having to chatted to you guys about the problem. I will definitely go and cover the run more when I get home, that might help, I guess. I don't have anywhere near enough eggs to give to all the neighbours who might hear the chucks! What really scared me was on Saturday, coming back from my dog walk at around 8am, I could hear the chucks from several hundred yards away, across a busy road - if it was a barking dog, I'm quite sure no one would put up with that and I'm just so worried I'll get the dreaded "letter from the Council"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 They only usually give noise abatement orders to cockerel owners who's noise goes on all day, i alternate the egg giving to my neighbors so in a week they all get a few and it really does make a difference. Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlina Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I think there's a good chance you're worrying unecessarily. You don't say anything about the neighbours having suggested that there is a problem? Has it occured to you that they might actually like the hens and not mind the noise? At a property I rented a long time ago in Scotland there were sheep right outside the window. They made a lot of sheep noise. The landlord actually came round and offered me money off the rent and said he would sue the owner of the field. I pointed out that I was delighted to wake up to the sheep bimbling about and I would be very disappointed if they went! A friend lives in the city (Nottingham) and is very disappointed that her neighbour no longer has hens - she loved to hear them bokking away over the garden fence. On the other hand your neighbour might be mildly irritated, but sensible enough to know that when we live near people we have to put up with some degree of inconvenience from them. If the only thing that you do that might upset neighbours are some chicken sounds then they should think they are very lucky indeed! My hens know the sound of my door/gate opening and always start a right racket first thing when they know I'm on my way to let them out. And of course there are the egg announcements, but apart from the goldtop who thinks she's a cockerel the noise really isn't at a level that anyone else would notice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I wouldn't do anything unless the neighbours complain; I once apologised to new neighbours about one of mine who announces eggs rather loudly, and they hadn't even heard her. I think we cringe and think it's actually louder than it really is... mine are certainly no noisier than the dog at the end of our road! If you do happen to speak over the fence, then I'd just apologise for the gobby madam/s and give them some eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted August 19, 2013 Author Share Posted August 19, 2013 Thank you SOOOO much everyone - what would I do without you all?!? To answer some of your questions: No, no one has complained - I have mentioned on occasions to my immediate neighbours that I was worried they were a bit gobby (the hens, I mean, not the neighbours!) and they said no, they were fine, but this is exceptional noise. It's not clucking they're doing (again, the hens, not the neighbours) it's full on bok, bok, BOKKKKKKKKKKKINNNNNNNNNG - so loud. Trouble is, I live on the outskirts of a rural village, in a new housing development (well, 5 years old), so I've got immediate next door neighbours plus neighbours who back closely on to my garden (the gardens are teeny, as you can imagine). I'm just feeling soooooooooooooooooooooo selfish - I've never had pets before that I've had to rehome, I've always kept them until the very end, but I'm bothered this is a problem that is affecting other people unfairly. You do make a good point about other neighbourhood noises, one neighbour a couple of doors down has a car that appears to have no silencer (I think it's in a "cool" way rather than in a neglected way) which makes a serious din when he goes out at 6am) - that doesn't bother me, but although it's loud it's very limited, if you know what i mean. I'm going to try a a cover along the full length of the run tonight, see if that makes any difference (in case there's some evil predator (aka a sparrow ) they're yelling at ... Why do I make life so complicated for myself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlina Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Well if you're in a rural area I think that strengthens your case. People in the countryside should expect countryside sounds (and smells!) IMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LolaLayla Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I think we are all more sensitive to our own hens. I have a Silkie who OH says sounds like a scooter starting up. She has been particularly noisy recently and I have been out to quieten her down. However yesterday my next door neighbour mentioned that she knew I had been on holiday and wondered if the hens went somewhere when I was away. They had been at home all the time so couldn't have been that noisy We are in a residential area and someone nearby has recently got a cockerel. I was a bit surprised as there have been no complaints and he is really vocal I think you should hold off doing anything. As everyone else says there will be other noises about and we probably just focus on our girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 As others have said I would hang fire for a bit unless anyone complains. I have asked my neighbours [very close front and both sides] if the hens bother them and they have all said they like the noise as its like living in the country. I have a bantam cockerel who luckily isn't too noisy but I do worry when he starts crowing at 6.30 some mornings [Luckily he doesn't start earlier] I think we are more aware of how much noise our hens make because we are worried about upsetting the neighbours and don't want to be seen as upsetting the peace. I only have one person that complains about the cockerel and she is a serial complainer anyway, she is still happy to have eggs though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Bramble, you wouldn't be a 'chicken addict' on this forum if you did not love your chooks so don't panic yet It might be a hard lesson to learn but assertiveness is all about recognising others' rights to let you know how they feel (for good or ill) without you making assumptions for them. Let people speak for themselves and don't pre-empt them - it would be an insult to them to do so. At the moment your neighbours have not complained. If they do, then you can explain and ask for their patience over a given time. Then take action to re-home if things are not right at the end of that time. Assertiveness is such an important lesson to learn in life, especially as we all get to live closer and closer to one another. Think of this whole thing as a lesson to you in assertiveness - NOT a lesson in confrontation. They are such very different things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbiedoobs Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I wouldn't worry bout it too much of I were you, I thought that at first, but my neighbours mostly say they like the noise they make. They might change their minds though when I get a Cockerel! Lol. My chooks go through stages of chirping, sometimes they so the egg laying noise and don't actually lay and then other times I'll go out and find a few eggs and not heard a peep from them. I'm sure that if any of your neighbours have kids or dogs they would make just as much noise, if not more! I wouldn't get rid off my girls without a fight ! Try not to worry x x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I wouldn't worry about the noise? too live on a housing estate on the edge of the country. I have asked my neighbours about noise from the chickens, they said they would rather listen to the chickens than a dog barking. In fact my next door neighbours love the chickens and are only too happy to 'chicken sit' when I go away and the other neighbours have chickens on their allotment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Aww, take your time. I have 28 little thugs and the houses on either side of me are very close, so you can imagine the bok, bok's and the egg announcing there even though they are not all laying yet!! I think in the normal scheme of things every house has some kind of noise from mowers, kids playing/crying, dogs barking, music playing through open windows, it's all part of life and I think people like hearing hens 'gossiping to each other' even though loudly at times as it's a country sound in a semi rural area. I don't lock mine in as no foxes here so goodness knows what time they start but the neighbours have never complained (and there are 2 yr old twins in bed next door) I also have two small, sometimes yappy dogs and one cat who thinks the neighbours houses should be open to her........and has schmoozed her way in to one or two, at times. I totally understand the worrying about neighbours hearing them and wondering if they are annoyed but trust me, they would soon say something as I did worry too as my wee flock grew, but nope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auntielizzie Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 There was a post not long ago about noisy chickens and at the time I posted on there as well as my girls were going through a noisy phase at the time too. There was no real explanation for it other than the time of the year when the mornings were getting lighter. I tried leaving the pop hole open to see if that would quieten them down in the mornings, but that actually made it worse Anyway, after a couple of weeks or so they seemed to settle back down. On the whole my girls don't seem to make too much noise, but they do have their moments. I have four. Sometimes something will set them off and they all shout their heads off for about half an hour (probably only about ten minutes but seems like half an hour ). They really go for it sometimes and I do worry that the neighbours find it annoying, but whenever I speak to the neighbours they all seem to say the same thing - that they love listening to the chickens and it makes them feel like they're in the country I don't even know half the neighbours who live nearby, but whenever anyone comes to buy the eggs they always seem really interested and ask how the girls are. I agree, don't do anything hasty. See if you can make their coop a little bit darker and wait and see if they settle back down on their own anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted August 20, 2013 Author Share Posted August 20, 2013 Thank you so much everyone for your kind thoughts and helpful suggestions. Well, I put a rather hideous looking length of old oil skin type table cloth stuff along the run last night which has definitely darkened it a bit. Looks awful from outside, but if it helps (even just by delaying the bokking for a while) then great. Interestingly, the spare nest box also seems to be in use - found an egg in it this morning and after work yesterday. A shoe box isn't going to last too long at all, so will need to as finding something else to replace it (thought about one of those corner litter tray things they sell for rabbits? They were silent this morning until about 7.15 when the bokking started again - I'm working at home today, so just let them out to FR and so far they've been quiet. The big worry is I'm away just over night on Saturday night/Sunday morning ... can I really trust them to not start screaming at the top of their voices? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Try one of those lidded cat litter boxes for a spare nest box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted August 20, 2013 Author Share Posted August 20, 2013 Try one of those lidded cat litter boxes for a spare nest box. Good thinking Batman! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
