I need the truth about chicken noise - ASAP

[stethomps]

Unless you work night shift and are going to bed at 7:00 in the morning, who dosent like to hear a Rooster crowing to start your day. Too bad you are only getting hens! Honestly, I have chickens coming out of my bum right now; maybe I am just used to them, but I really dont hear them. If I am outside; and close to them, you can hear them cooing <sp?>, when they are laying they can be loud (but this dosent last long), or if something is wrong they will throw a fit. But, if I am inside, I really dont hear them all that much.

My advice is get your girls, enjoy them, and enjoy your fresh eggs! Since you can only have three I would make them count. Go for a large ornamental breed: like a lt braham (my 1st choice). They are a gentle bird, they grow slow, have a nice egg production, and their looks are a conversation starter. Buff Orpington and/or White Rocks either would be another good choice for a 3 hen backyard flock. Just for spite; you could go all out and get a chickenzilla, like a redbro. They are hard to find, but that would put a pucker in your neighbor to see these monsters free ranging your backyard. They seem to be growing in popularity as organic free rangers. I recently saw a 6 month old Redbro Ro, and all I can saw is WOW! Easily the biggest chicken I have ever seen; atleast 15 to 17 lbs at 6 months, and super duper cool. Their are a few hatcherys that have them; I think Mt Healthy has them under French Free Range. Not 100% sure though.

And watch that dog! Neighbors dogs, I am convinced, are a chickens worst predator. I have lost birds to neighbors mutts. You'll have to keep them safe, and I think your tractor idea is a good idea. It dosent cost much to build a tractor, and you could probaly sell it if you decide to build them a chicky condo later.

 

[Chotii]

I checked with all my neighbors before getting my hens, and until a week ago, my neighbors hardly heard a thing. Of course don't you know, the first time the Cuckoo Maran laid an egg, she HOLLERED about it all afternoon. I had neighbors checking in with me to make sure everything was okay, and were the birds upset about something? No. It's just Pepper, yelling at the top of her lungs.

Today, she sat on the nest at least twice, and came out yelling about it, and didn't even lay an egg! But at least it didn't last long. It wasn't all afternoon like the first day. The false advertising got a little old though.

Ginger, the Golden Sex Link, has laid an egg every day for 8 days now and not even bawked once.

I think it's just a personality thing. Some hens make a ruckus, and some don't.

As for your neighbor, if need be.....I suspect a letter from the County, informing her that neighbors have complained about a noisy dog, would probably get her attention. I got one of those letters a year and a half ago, and it got MY attention, because I don't HAVE a dog. I promise it would get her attention. The county will not tell her who complained. I know, because the letter I got did not say, and considering I didn't even have a dog, that was frustrating.

If you're in King County, Washington State, the website is King County Animal Care and Control If you're not, try googling 'state, county name, nuisance animal' and see what you get.

 

[msjones]

Stethomps, you had me laughing out loud reading your post! Thanks for the laugh.

I did go ahead and purchase my coop today. We're building it tomorrow, and hope to get the hens as soon as the weekend.

I'm hoping to find some buff orpingtons, since those come so highly recommended as quiet and sweet. (In addition to my fussy neighbor, one of my kids is still a little hesitant around animals, so I want a friendly breed to start with...) Otherwise, I know of a guy who has Rhode Island Reds available.

I'm done worrying about the neighbor. I really have been a good neighbor to her, and think that we can work this out. We're going to build the coop in the spot near her yard, but do have an alternate spot on the opposite side of the yard if the doggy goes haywire.

I'll keep you all updated. And thanks, everyone, for the support and encouragement. I love this forum!

 

[stethomps]

You’re Welcome! Your kids should do great with the BO choice. Great Choice! My boys are 8 & 5 and they love playing with our birds. Especially my 5 yr old.

No joke, I became the "Chicken Hugger" (that is sooo great, I need to have Chicken Hugger Merchandise

) because of a pain in the rear neighbor. He was a cranky drunk, and he kept calling the fire dept on me every time I would burn brush, and I got a ticket: $150 bucks. So the next day I had 6 blue barrels with six tethered OEG roosters (and they did me proud; crowing near non stop for 10-12 hours per day) looking right at his poolside view. By the time he came over to surrender, it was too late…I was hooked.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

My noisiest hen by far is my salmon faverolle. And I have a few that really let you know that they laid an egg and some that say nothing at all. It all depends on their personality...every hen has one of their own so you never really know until you get them. I wouldn't worry...even my noisiest hen is not that annoying at all.

 

[eggsforsale]

I have 6 Easter Eggers and 2 Rhode Island Reds. The RIR's are definitely the noisy ones. Oh my gosh...I can't believe it lately. One of them just started laying and she is very vocal about the whole process. As Chotii said, my RIR just goes on and on even after she's done laying for the day. It's kind of like announcing to everyone how excited she is.

 

[msjones]

Update: A very happy ending!

We have our 3 hens. We're enjoying them all and are very happy to have them. We did put the coop in the spot on the concerned neighbor's side of the yard.

The first day they were here, the neighbor noticed, seemed concerned, but didn't say much. I was a little worried, but they had been there all day with her dog home, and she said he hadn't noticed.

A few days later, she came over to see the coop (I invited her), and said the dog hadn't noticed a thing. Hooray!

She was very kind, thought the coop was cute, looked at my veg garden, and said we had quite a little farm going. I told her she'd be sure to get some eggs as well as some compost for her beautiful yard.

The one funny thing is that their clear favorite spot in the yard is smack dab next to her fence under my climbing hydrangea. It was the first place they ran to the first time we let them out. Her dog has been out there a few times while the girls are near that fence, and he hasn't made a peep.

Thanks, all for the support and encouragement. I'll try to get a photo up later!

 

[zoomia]

Chickens are a wonderfully unifying thing for a neighborhood, I think.

All the parents around who walk their toddlers around the block come to visit the chickens. Even though they're not getting eggs, they like to come and feed them with their kids.

My rooster crows like there's no tomorrow. I have asked everyone if it's bothering them--and telling them NOT to be polite because if he's bugging people, I'll get rid of him. Answers range from "I don't even hear it" to "I like it."

With the objection of my boyfriend, who wakes me up at 5 in the morning to tell me that my rooster's crowing and he's going to kill him.

Then again, there are two other roosters within crowing distance and they have cockaduels.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Congrats!!!! Looking forward to seeing the pics!