Chicken bald back

[Orangediva]

I'm having a small pre chicken acquiring psychological blip

 

As I've previously posted here I'm planning 3 hens in my garden. I live in a smallish suburban semi detached house with a reasonable sized garden and already have 3 cats and 2 house bunnies ( just built them an outdoor WIR for the summer).

 

I'm just worried about annoying the neighbours really. I've been out in the garden this morning and you really can hear every word from other gardeners. On the plus side the birds were making a lot of noise (pigeons, magpies, crows and the usual small birds singing) and there's a dog that barks a fair bit two doors away.

 

I'm not really close to any of the neighbours, just hellos in the street really as I keep myself to myself. They are all generally a lot noisier than me with music, kids yelling etc. I really want these girls but my worse nightmare would be getting fond of them and having to get rid of them because someone has complained.

 

Any advice?

[newcountrygirl]

Dont see why anyone should complain. After all dogs bark, kids shout and scream. Chickens dont make too much noise - only time they seem to be really vocal is when they are laying an egg! Enjoy.

[redsunset]

I can't see any reason why not? The only time chickens really make a noise is when announcing an egg, do a wee egg song for about two minutes, and if spooked badly but again rarely. It's only usually when you throw a cockerel into the mix and they start cock a doodle dooing at 5am that people are not amused. Other than that I think it's a lovely sound when chickens are softly clucking while pottering and it's not loud at all. Once they go to bed you don't hear a peep until the morning. Hope this helps

[Olly]

yes, you really can. I went through this dilemma before I began keeping hens eight years ago but hundreds of us on here are testament to the fact that chickens in an urban environment work really well.

 

They don't smell if they are kept clean (and I am a fairly lazy hen-keeper, I don't poo pick or scrub the Eglu every week but they still don't smell). They will make a bit of noise if something scares them, if they lay an egg or when they think food is coming but as you say it's no worse than car horns, burglar alarms going off, kids shouting on the trampoline etc and the main thing is they don't usually make a noise at night!

 

Give your immediate neighbours the occasional box of eggs to keep them sweet, or offer them chicken manure for the compost heap if they are keen gardeners and I think you'll be fine. Two of my neighbours have mentioned that they grew up in rural areas and they really like the sound of chickens clucking as it brings back happy memories!

[Saronne]

Definitely yes. I live in an end terrace house in a built up part of a village. My garden isn't that big and I can hear my neighbours' conversations, etc. too. I've had hens for 7 years now and have actually made more local friends through having hens than when I didn't. My next door neighbours have told me they enjoy hearing the hens (I've got more than 3 by the way) and I keep my neighbours sweet by giving them the occasional half dozen eggs. Don't worry!

[Cat tails]

As I have said many times on this forum before, you can not get more urban than me! Tiny garden, upstairs neighbours, gardens on all sides. My garden is about 5 m by 7 m with a huge shed.

 

Yes they make sound (well sometimes you can call it noise). But it isn't constant and won't go on for hours like some dogs can. I am very careful with the sound they make before 8 am (especially in weekends), but after that they can do what they like.

I feed them plenty of greens and corn when they wake up to keep them occupied for a while and they hardly utter a peep. (This morning I managed to sleep in until 9 am, before being woken up by my upstairs neighbours kids running and jumping around... (Oke... After I went out at 7 am to let them out and feed them their corn and endive))

If they do make noise early in the morning, I toss my cat out (ground floor bedroom! I'm not that cruel!) They are not scared of her, but it makes a good distraction.

 

Haven't had any complaints yet in the 10 months I had them. I would have plenty of complaints about my neighbours too if they would start though.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

My house is detached but the gardens are tiny and the neighbours very close. "Ooops, word censored!"ody has complained (apart from the young neighbours - but only when asked by me - who had recently had a baby so were a bit sleep deprived!) I started putting the girls into the eglus every night (they would choose to sleep outdoors (within the WIR) so there's no early morning noise now.

 

Most people seem to like the noise, must make them feel like they live in the country .

[mullethunter]

Another 'Yes' from me

 

We live in an end of terrace, with a paved 'patio' which is about 3m by 9m and a (used to be ) lawn of about 5m by 5m. The girls have their Eglu Go with 3m run in the 'lawn' area and FR in the rest of the 5m square when we're home. They now also have a 2m by 2m lo-rise run on the patio in case we need to get them out of the way. They only make noise if egg laying or something really upsets them. It's less than most dogs. We also have 2 cats.

 

I can appreciate why you're worried, but don't be - they'll be fine.

[Orangediva]

You are all making me feel sooooooooo much better! I've also arranged to go and visit my frIends 3 hens this week, hopefully that will reassure me. It's been a horrible blip because I really want them. I'm in the process of buying this house, we've rented it for the past 10 years, and this morning I started to think I didn't want to live here if I cant have my girls. Also I've bought an Eglu, run, fencing and a WIR already

 

Haven't had any complaints yet in the 10 months I had them. I would have plenty of complaints about my neighbours too if they would start though.

 

Yes me too, the ones attached to me are pretty loud.

[Cat tails]

I think we all must have doubts at one point or another. I certainly had... Especially the morning after getting them out of boarding. Couldn't understand why they would make such a racket! Turns out they get corn first thing in the morning there... So know they get corn here in the morning too... They learn fast and forget nothing!

[Cat tails]

My garden in all its urban glory!

 

 

 

 

 

It actually looks quite a lot bigger because of the fish eye lens (Thanks Bill!) But imagine... My garden fits in one picture with a cheap fish eye... Does yours?

[mullethunter]

Hey Cattails what's that green stuff either side of the chicken run?!

[Cat tails]

Hey Cattails what's that green stuff either side of the chicken run?!

 

Hahaha! Not sure, but they seem to be remnants of something people call "grass". I think it's a really rare plant, so I protect it with some wire from the ever munching ladies. Might need to get a proper herbologist in and have a look!

[bill2b]

I remember Grass

[Valkyrie]

I remember that green stuff - once. But I think it was the oak leaves that helped mine to struggle. Add that to heavy clay, trampling talons and it's not a good cock tail for healthy grass.

The only issues with chickens is don't get a boy which will upset everyone near and possibly a couple of streets away!

[PixieDust]

I really probably shouldn't get involved as I am pretty rural and detached, BUT.........we do have one neighbour who is the other side of the fence opposite the run. Unfortunately the run is in line with his bedroom

 

However, the hedge behind the run backs onto our dirt track.

 

Saying all this though, we do have another neighbour directly behind us and one over the track.

 

One neighbour further down the track mentioned she heard them chirping away, her words not mine, as she walked down the track. Thankfully, so far only Pixie occasionally sings the song of the egg, so are not overly noisy, which is the blessing of having hybrids.

[auntielizzie]

No complaints in my suburban garden either. The neighbours whenever any have said anything just tell me they like to hear them as it makes them feel like they live in the countryside. And people love buying the eggs! You get chatting to people too which is nice as well

[gavclojak]

Ditto to what everyone else has said. In very urban, live in a mid terraced house with flats backing on to my 30 foot garden.

I spoke to my neighbours before getting them and said if they had any questions or concerns just ask and they seemed happy with that. I leave eggs on some of their doorsteps to keep them happy!

[Cat tails]

Too many neighbours, too little eggs!

[gavclojak]

Too many neighbours, too little eggs!

 

I don't eat eggs believe it or not so all mine are spare!!

[Alis girls]

Cats tails - love the funny photos - years ago in the 70's there was a TV programme called "Thriller" - its opening credits had round distorted photos like the ones you've posted. Although there were no spooky chickens. Also a 3 bed semi gal - we have road noise, a barky dog (not ours) and the boy racer with his motorbike opposite - so any complaints 'bout my girls and I am ready for them!! Go for it.

[Orangediva]

Thank you for all the lovely positive replies - I'm off to the chicken place tomorrow to pick up my run flooring so I guess it's a go! Have decided to stop worrying and go for it. I'm going to keep them immaculately clean and look after them so well no one can possibly have any complaints!

 

I bought a big bag of aubiose today for my rabbits, the chickens can share it!

[Orangediva]

IThankfully, so far only Pixie occasionally sings the song of the egg, so are not overly noisy, which is the blessing of having hybrids.

 

Do hybrids tend to be quieter then? What about ex-batts? I know there are no guarantees but if certain breeds/ types are known to be quieter I'd go for them to start with for added peace of mind??

[auntielizzie]

I don't know if hybrids in general would be quieter then pure breeds as I have only ever had hybrids. Most of the time they gently cluck about, but sometimes they squawk their heads off about something or other They don't usually do this for very long and I think you feel more sensitive to it because you are worried about the neighbours complaining. "Ooops, word censored!"ody ever has complained to me and in fact as I mentioned before, I've only ever had comments that people like to hear them

 

My new ex batts are extremely quiet at the moment as I think they're still a bit scared after their experiences in life, but I'm sure n time they will find their voices For now, just gentle little clucks from them.

[Cat tails]

Thank you for all the lovely positive replies - I'm off to the chicken place tomorrow to pick up my run flooring so I guess it's a go! Have decided to stop worrying and go for it. I'm going to keep them immaculately clean and look after them so well no one can possibly have any complaints!

 

Haha, clean? What's that?

You can't have chickens without things going a bit mucky... But they don't have to smell bad!

 

I have 3 pure breeds and they don't cluck and are mostly silent during the day. Ginger does 'play up' during the day, when there is a lot of other noise. She doesn't really anounce eggs. Well at least not her own I guess.