Poorly chicken

[LizzieLloyd]

As mentioned recently we are now down to our Hen Solo, Mad Mary. She has been doing very well and is very bright and happy (and getting thoroughly spoilt) but we are now getting into difficulties with her cockadoodle dooing. With the lighter mornings she had started her alarm call around 7 ish so we have been keeping her in the coop until 8am before letting her out into the run and have even covered up the window into her coop so she won't see daylight but that's not working and every morning now at 6am we can clearly hear her from inside the coop with the windows closed! She certainly has a good set of lungs! The neighbours are now mentioning it and although no one has complained I thinks it's a matter of time before it's an issue. We have lovely neighbours so I really don't want this to escalate!

Can anyone suggest something to help or is it that she's now getting lonely being on her own and we need to think about rehoming her?

[Beantree]

She won't take kindly to being rehomed LizzieLloyd. Someone will need to introduce her as a single hen and that's not easy, but not impossible. But I can imagine your problem. Is it possible to leave the door open so she can get up when she wants? Perhaps that's why she is so noisy, because that's why ours are?

[LizzieLloyd]

Hi Beantree. We've had to start keeping her in the coop because she was doodling so loudly in the first place. It's much louder when she's not in the coop! I wondered if it's because we have been spoiling her and she's now acting out? The doodling isn't a problem during the day and I think after 8am isn't too unreasonable it's it 6am chorus that's causing an issue. I really don't want to upset the neighbours so we need to come up with a solution

[Beantree]

Sorry LizzieLloyd, but I'm at a loss on this problem. It's exactly the same as cockerels crowing in the morning and there is no way to stop that. You need a soundproof enclosure I suppose and not many people have one of those. Our pet cockerel sleeps in the kitchen under the table. He starts at 6.00am in response to the ones outside. We used to have several doors we could close but haven't now in this place, so that's when I get up!

[LizzieLloyd]

Thanks Beantree - your home sounds like chicken Nirvana!

 

She's only started doodling since she's been on her own so I guess it must be some kind of behavioural thing. Think we have to look at soundproofing the coop in some way and keep praying the neighbours dont call the council!

[Beantree]

It probably is LizzieLloyd, or as close as you can get. We are lucky to have so much space outside for them as well.

 

Perhaps she needs a night time coop in a garage or something similar? Something simple to contain the noise. Even a big cardboard box would do.

[patsylabrador]

I recently made a cover out of blackout curtains which stop any chinks of light. It's put back calling until past eight o'clock. I also always leave food and water in their coop in case they're calling because they are thirsty. I try to not let them out when they're shouting.

Their coop and run is by the east fence so that light gets to them latest in the morning because of the shade.

[LizzieLloyd]

Thanks Patsylabrador. Unfortunately she doodles regardless of food/water - I think its more for attention. Think we will try to address complete blackout and soundproofing of the coop and keep our fingers x'd that works

[gavclojak]

Mine were waking up around 6-15am and I was worried about the noise as I am in a Terraced house, I brought an old velvet lines curtain and they are still quiet at 7-30, in fact I am having to go and let them out before I hear anything as I have to leave for work....lazy girls:)) maybe they are just getting old!!!

[LizzieLloyd]

Thanks for the advice last week ladies. This weekend we tackled Mary's coop and have managed to pretty much get her soundproofed and lightproofed and its really worked. We also had a chat with all the neighbours again and explained the situation - thats she's on her own and a bit lonely and is calling for us and they all felt very sorry for her. Hopefully situation has been resolved and we wont get reported any time soon.

 

On Sunday Mary actually wandered into the kitchen and let rip as I had gone upstairs - wow she has a set of lungs on her!!!

[northybaby]

hi

 

can i ask how you sound proofed your coop? my chickens are screaming at 5.40 at the moment. i am going to try the black out method too however they dont seem to care if its dark! naughty girls!

[Egg_x]

Thanks for the advice last week ladies. This weekend we tackled Mary's coop and have managed to pretty much get her soundproofed and lightproofed and its really worked. We also had a chat with all the neighbours again and explained the situation - thats she's on her own and a bit lonely and is calling for us and they all felt very sorry for her. Hopefully situation has been resolved and we wont get reported any time soon.

 

On Sunday Mary actually wandered into the kitchen and let rip as I had gone upstairs - wow she has a set of lungs on her!!!

 

I'd love to hear how you've gone about sound / light proofing for future reference

[LizzieLloyd]

We've got a wooden coop so we originally duct taped over the window but that didnt seem to do the trick as light still came through. Next step was to paint black paint over the window which has reduced the light. Also we put some bubble wrap around the out side of the nest box and a bit across the door and this seems to have dulled the noise. You can still hear very faintly but its no more intrusive than garden birds and certainly not enough to wake neighbours! We let her out at 8am as I think its not unreasonable after this hour. She does still give a couple of doodle doos when she comes out but I think most people are up and about by this hour

[redbug]

Bubble wrap is great stuff so many uses

[Egg_x]

We've got a wooden coop so we originally duct taped over the window but that didnt seem to do the trick as light still came through. Next step was to paint black paint over the window which has reduced the light. Also we put some bubble wrap around the out side of the nest box and a bit across the door and this seems to have dulled the noise. You can still hear very faintly but its no more intrusive than garden birds and certainly not enough to wake neighbours! We let her out at 8am as I think its not unreasonable after this hour. She does still give a couple of doodle doos when she comes out but I think most people are up and about by this hour

 

What type of paint did you use for the window? I want to paint over ours but don't want the fumes to be bad for them!! Though I don't have my chooks yet so plenty of time to dry out etc.

[LizzieLloyd]

We've got a wooden coop so we originally duct taped over the window but that didnt seem to do the trick as light still came through. Next step was to paint black paint over the window which has reduced the light. Also we put some bubble wrap around the out side of the nest box and a bit across the door and this seems to have dulled the noise. You can still hear very faintly but its no more intrusive than garden birds and certainly not enough to wake neighbours! We let her out at 8am as I think its not unreasonable after this hour. She does still give a couple of doodle doos when she comes out but I think most people are up and about by this hour

 

What type of paint did you use for the window? I want to paint over ours but don't want the fumes to be bad for them!! Though I don't have my chooks yet so plenty of time to dry out etc.

 

Hi Egg_x

we used black hammerite but on the outside of the window rather than the inside so there would be no issue with fumes. Ive been very mindful about doing my tinkering on the outside of the coop so I dont upset Mary's living environment.