Chicken behavior

[sunshynertc]

My chickens get noisy on the days the garbage gets collected. I think it is the vibration. Since we have had water restrictions we have not had the sprinklers on in the morning. We are now off restrictions and my neighbor waters her back garden at the same time the chickens wake up, (I guess they will wake up earlier as we get into summer). When her sprinklers goes off it sounds like they give out an alert sound. Is this normal and is there something I can do. I cannot move the coop.

 

[Rod-T]

My chickens get noisy on the days the garbage gets collected.  I think it is the vibration.  Since we have had water restrictions we have not had the sprinklers on in the morning.  We are now off restrictions and my neighbor waters her back garden at the same time the chickens wake up, (I guess they will wake up earlier as we get into summer).  When her sprinklers goes off it sounds like they give out an alert sound.  Is this normal and is there something I can do.  I cannot move the coop.

Maybe a radio in the coop? Playing soothing music.. also would get them used to hearing noise... sounds like it's quiet there and then when it's not it disturbs them..

 

[azygous]

Chickens will react to any specific noise or shape, that is new within their perceived territory, and will squawk an alert. You can play a radio, but unless it drowns out all other noises within the chickens' hearing, it will just be more noise for them to sort through.

If any intrusive noise or truck or people is ongoing, they will quickly adjust to it and quiet down. But a garbage truck moves on and returns in another few days, so you are reintroducing the intrusion, and the chickens will feel they need to react all over again.

If those sprinklers remained on or came on several times a day so the chickens got used to them, they would be quiet, but if they only come on every so often, it's going to cause them to alert each time.

Does that answer your question? No, you can't do anything to change this behavior. It's instinct.