Best Chicken Breeds for Pesky Neighbors?

[The-White-Elephant]

I chose bantam cochins for my small urban property for the same reasons. Quiet, don't fly well (no need to clip the wings), and at least the breeder quality ones I got were very short legged and didn't excavate the garden as much as I've seen from other people's chickens. They are also very cute and pretty and round.

Decent layers for a bantam when young but they do go broody a lot. But mine lived a very long time (10 years) without health issues. My neighbors never knew I had chickens.

So Cochin bantams are quieter than Large fowl ones?

Interesting!

 

[Windrider]

So Cochin bantams are quieter than Large fowl ones?

Interesting!

Well, my chicken experience is extremely limited. I've only ever had the three bantam cochin hens. They died last year and I'm waiting for some poultry shows to open up so I can go get some new ones. My three were siblings, so other lines could be louder maybe?

 

[JustBabyMargo]

So Cochin bantams are quieter than Large fowl ones?

Interesting!

Not necessarily. I have 4 large fowl Cochins, and we have had more in the past too. They have all been quiet. I think they are just a quiet and mellow breed overall.

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Well, my chicken experience is extremely limited. I've only ever had the three bantam cochin hens. They died last year and I'm waiting for some poultry shows to open up so I can go get some new ones. My three were siblings, so other lines could be louder maybe?

Mine are all quiet, except for this girl here who ”squaks” rather loudly at meal time. Just for a minute or 2, but pretty loud . Good thing the neighbors don’t mind. Of course, I still love her

 

[Alohacayo]

I second, third and forth the “stay away from welsummers”.

My welsummer NEVER shuts up. I only have one, but omg, that girl can wake the dead. She isn’t normal though, because her loudest noises are barking and moaning. When she gets a wild feather up her butt, she will bawk loud enough to make you jump and there’s no human rhyme or reason to that noise.

I have one cream legbar, and she’s basically mute.

The two polish are also very quiet, just normal, soft chicken noises.

I’m guessing, bc the welsummer never shuts up with her racket, none of the others feel the need to do an egg song.

It’s individual.

Re your plan to chicken tractor but concerned over them being visible to neighbors, that’s probably completely unrealistic. Any amount of free-ranging is also literally not feasible.

Having more than 4 is probably also a bad idea.

Based on your original description, if it was my yard, pick a spot, build a 20x20 6’ tall solid privacy fence, put your coop inside that, call it a day. Plant hedges and vines around the outside of the fence to make it pretty.

I already had a 6’ solid privacy fence around my backyard, built a hoop coop on one side and covered the hoop coop with vines on 3 sides, a batch of bamboo and various rose bushes/other bushes as a second layer. No one can see anything. But we sure all do hear Carla the welsummer.

If I was home I’d take pictures, but grandma is in the hospital, so can’t right now.

But here are some pictures I used for inspiration:

 

[Elly LaPerriere]

Okay, so... @Florida Bullfrog it's more of trying to keep it from a picky neighbor. I'll keep that in mind about free-ranging, thank you. In the very far back of our yard we have an enclosure with our mini 'fruit forest', kept behind 7' netting to keep the deer out. I thought about maybe letting them run around a little in there, I'd just have to keep them out when the strawberries are out.
Okay so the consensus is Brahamas and Cochins? I'll look into them, thank you all very much. And, um, I'm very new to breeds, sooo... could you please elaborate on what EE's are? I'm sorry.
I think my family wants normal-sized eggs so I don't really want to get Bantams. I can always expand on the A-Frame tractor I have in mind, I think.

 

[Elly LaPerriere]

@Alohacayo yes I've been planting trees this winter and planning to put in a few Mexican Sunflowers along various gate areas that seem a little too open. We have a privacy fence but it's right up along our neighbor's house and they'd easily hear the chickens, even if they couldn't see them. The biggest issue is where our lawn is situated, almost exactly between two hills, panoramic views from either side on what we do. But we've been building up the garden and if I plant a lot of bushy plants this summer that could solve some problems.

 

[Elly LaPerriere]

Yes, @cherrynberry, that would be my plan B, giving eggs to neighbors in exchange for peace. So if there are quiet, good layers... yes that's what I'm looking into, good layers, quiet hens. I think Cochins are pretty good layers if what I've read is accurate... not quite sure though. Haven't read about Brahmas yet, going to do that right now.

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Yes, @cherrynberry, that would be my plan B, giving eggs to neighbors in exchange for peace. So if there are quiet, good layers... yes that's what I'm looking into, good layers, quiet hens. I think Cochins are pretty good layers if what I've read is accurate... not quite sure though. Haven't read about Brahmas yet, going to do that right now.

Maybe try Jersey giants. Quiet, calm, and lay a pretty good amount of eggs

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Noise level will be very individual to the bird, not just the breed. That being said, of the breeds I have, the Polish/Polish crosses, EE and leghorn mixes are the quietest. Marans are loud after they have laid an egg. Silkies are very loud considering their small size. My one bantam cochin is pretty noisy too.
Another plug for Polish, they are very good layers and mine have never been broody.