Please tell me they'll quiet down!?

[Kaseykeepstrack]

My hens are 20 weeks and have gotten SO loud over the past week. We got our first egg from one of our girls yesterday, and I can't tell which one, because two of them are singing a LOT (my buff and my barred rock). When egg laying loses it's novelty, will they quiet down a bit? Or will they always be this loud? Mostly they are loud when they see me, and I'm trying to be 'under the radar' with the backyard chickens here.

 

[Den in Penn]

They may or they may not. Since they are singing loud already I'd bet on their volume stays the same.

 

[shanahandra]

I'm having the same issue. Just this past week (20/21 weeks old) they've been really loud. especially in the morning. one is laying and the other two are not yet. I'm always shushing them. My neighbours know about them but I'm worried about the sound carrying across the street.

 

[HEChicken]

They probably won't quiet down that much - you'll just get used to it. I have found that my older layers don't seem to need to announce as much as the younger ones but they will all go around doing the pre-egg-laying squawk, regardless of age.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Chickens are loud. It's a fact of nature, I'm afraid. They have instincts to make these calls. Some are alerts, other are calls to flock mates, others signal this and that. Song birds sing, crows caw, eagles screech and chickens makes their sounds.

 

[Ntsees]

My hens are 20 weeks and have gotten SO loud over the past week. We got our first egg from one of our girls yesterday, and I can't tell which one, because two of them are singing a LOT (my buff and my barred rock). When egg laying loses it's novelty, will they quiet down a bit? Or will they always be this loud? Mostly they are loud when they see me, and I'm trying to be 'under the radar' with the backyard chickens here.

I'm trying to be under the radar with my own birds too. Been trying to find out a way to make them stop. My birds are quiet most of the time, but I don't want to have my neighbors complain.

 

[mtnviewfarms]

Staying 'off the radar' and having chickens don't go together I am afraid!

Chickens are very loud - that's just a fact of chicken life. I thought that
BRs were loud - that is until I had Welsummers and I swear they sound like
monkeys howling - not kidding!

I love it though, but we live in the country and before we built our chicken house we asked our one neighbor within hearing distance about it and they
said they grew up on a farm and it wouldn't bother them at all.

Roosters are the loudest with their crowing but the hens are extremely
verbal as well. Good luck with that radar!

 

[RaeRae2]

I have 14 hens and when one lays an egg, about 5 of them start singing. They are very loud from about 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. After all the eggs are laid, then they get fairly quiet. The only ones that don't make any noise hardly at all are the 7 year old and the 3 year old. I guess they're just too old to really care anymore.

 

[sezjasper]

I'm always surprised--and I think it's very sad--how many of us are in the same boat, having to keep our chickens hidden from neighbors. Having chickens has been such a positive experience for my daughters and me, it's a shame to think of how many families could also be taking joy in their chickens but they don't give it a try because "chickens are not allowed." Tomorrow I need to keep my girls in their run because there is a community picnic taking place on the common area behind our house. I don't want the hens to be seen running around, and probably the music from the picnic will cover up any noise they make. I plan to hang a head of cabbage to give them something to play with/peck at tomorrow, and hopefully it will keep them quiet, too!

One of our hens just started laying, too, and can she ever sing! Yesterday morning she was singing so loud when I came downstairs around 7:00...my daughter and I went outside and when she saw us, she quieted down as if to say "well it's about time you got here!" I can't even imagine the racket when all four girls are laying...I just hope they are on a different schedule!

 

[ChickiesInUtah]

My White Leghorns, while not the most popular or friendly breed, are very quiet. I like them a lot!

Good luck to you.