HELP! Chickens being noisey

[Leanrz]

What could be happening is your lead hen is doing her job and "becoming" the rooster since there isn't one in the flock as this seems to be the normal issue when this happens from what I have read. I have always had roosters in my flock so I can't answer from experience but based on the other posts I have read on here that would be my take on what is happening.

The oldest chicken, the Wyandotte has grown spurs and is one who rules with an iron wing haha. This early morning clucking occurred several yrs after I had her, more within the last 1-2 yrs....maybe she is the culprit...but if i get rid of her, won't someone else replace this rooster role? Hmmm I must do more research. Thanx!

 

[aart]

The oldest chicken, the Wyandotte has grown spurs and is one who rules with an iron wing haha. This early morning clucking occurred several yrs after I had her, more within the last 1-2 yrs....maybe she is the culprit...but if i get rid of her, won't someone else replace this rooster role? Hmmm I must do more research. Thanx!

Hard to tell who is starting the cacophony, you'd almost need a recording coop cam to tell...and if you get rid of her, someone else may take it up. Or some birds are just more vocal than others and it may be one of your newer birds. My 2016 group of pullets made an incredible racket at POL ....some are still pretty mouthy.

Maybe buy your neighbor some ear plugs?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Hens do not "become" roosters. Once a hen always a hen.
Crowing hens are possible but not common at all. It would still sound distinctly crow like not chatty hen like.
A top ranking hen will usually take on the roll of alarm caller, treat finder and peace keeper.

My black sex links are very noisy girls. They were much more so when they first started laying.

Some hens have spurs. Totally normal and not an indicator of maleness.

Since your neighbors window is a few hundred feet away I personally think there is a different issue.
Is this neighbor home all the time? As in no job to go to, nothing that would take them away from home much.

I must say I really appreciate my neighbor more now. She works nights at the hospital and has to sleep during the day. I have 31 hens and she never complains about them.

 

[1cock2hens]

I used to have some hens who were extra loud when they didnt have feed in the morning and as soon as I would feed them they would all shut up so I started making sure there was feed in there before i went to bed.. I dont have rodent problems so I dont need to worry about rats and stuff tho.. I have one now that gets loud if the water is dirty or spilled out //

 

[bobbi-j]

Where is your coop in relation to your neighbor's house? Any chance of moving the coop farther away? Do you have windows in your coop? Could headlights from passing traffic be shining in and waking her up? (Is there someone in the neighborhood that could be driving by at that time?) If there are windows, maybe try covering them up.

 

[DianaMallory]

Eliminate the light! You want to keep them quiet, don't let them have light until your ready to hear them. Or buy earplugs! Pretty simple task. The morning light is what triggers them, then change the trigger!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

If my chickens start clucking in the early morning hours before sunlight it usually means there is a disturbance around their Roost. if they start clucking during morning daylight hours it generally means they are in the middle of egg dropping.
.... chickens in the suburbs with neighbors complaining - go hand-in-hand. it is an inherited Factor... that is why we moved out to the boonies.

 

[lazy gardener]

200' away, this neighbor is? (Sound like Yoda, do I not?) Are you sure that is the distance? That sounds like a more rural setting than a "city" setting. Noise travels, what ever the distance. 21 hens may have a valid point. Perhaps this neighbor is bored, and may be the type of neighbor who's not happy unless she has something to be unhappy about.

Just b/c you don't see any tracks, that does not mean the birds don't perceive a threat. My roo gives the warning call when a truck goes up the hill behind my house... well over 200' away, and through the woods. Airplanes also will set off the warning call, as do blue jays and crows. An owl could be on the prowl, or even a neighbor walking down the street. A mouse or rat in the coop or run could be cause for alarm.

Chickens are loud. Some more so than others. Can you put a hedge around your coop/run? That will help block the noise.

 

[Leanrz]

Where is your coop in relation to your neighbor's house? Any chance of moving the coop farther away? Do you have windows in your coop? Could headlights from passing traffic be shining in and waking her up? (Is there someone in the neighborhood that could be driving by at that time?) If there are windows, maybe try covering them up.

I have 1 window...i can cover it up..coop door covered with a towel. Run has electric sunlight sensor door that opens at daylight for free ranging. Only neighbor that drives that early is flaglot neighbors husband who turns truck on at 6am to leave for work. No headlights or other light sources other then porch light reaches coop at night. We turn porch light off at night.
The complaining neighbor is retired and has migraines at night so she doesn't fall asleep until the morning I guess...she has never complained in 5 yrs we have had the chickens. Yes she c/o rooster we had with no crow collar 2 yrs ago but we promptly found him a new home. We will be talking after the holidays. We generally get along great.

 

[Leanrz]

200' away, this neighbor is? (Sound like Yoda, do I not?) Are you sure that is the distance? That sounds like a more rural setting than a "city" setting. Noise travels, what ever the distance. 21 hens may have a valid point. Perhaps this neighbor is bored, and may be the type of neighbor who's not happy unless she has something to be unhappy about.

Just b/c you don't see any tracks, that does not mean the birds don't perceive a threat. My roo gives the warning call when a truck goes up the hill behind my house... well over 200' away, and through the woods. Airplanes also will set off the warning call, as do blue jays and crows. An owl could be on the prowl, or even a neighbor walking down the street. A mouse or rat in the coop or run could be cause for alarm.

Chickens are loud. Some more so than others. Can you put a hedge around your coop/run? That will help block the noise.

We are suburbs , technically county but will be incoorperated into the city of Vancouver by 2020. No i don't think I can put a hedge around it sadly. They never get upset over planes, vehicles, dogs during the day. But i guess in the dark is another thing.
She generally seems very nice. I do hate having a flaglot neighbor, they can see right into our backyard.