chickens and power tools

[catdaddy66]

I am getting birds in a few weeks and by the time they are old enough for the coop outdoors I should be doing some lawn mowing/chain sawing/leaf blowing etc. Does this scare a chicken badly or will they acclimate to it? Just trying to avoid a future concern with a question now!

 

[HennyJenny]

The riding mower could all but shave off the feathers of mine and they would not notice. The fool dog however....

 

[tdgill]

ummm....one of my chickens jumped up on the table saw while my bf was running it. No one got hurt thank god. But, there ya go. lol.

 

[Dinkadoo]

they get used to it. Mine know that grass clippings will be coming soon. A few weeks back DH was plowing up a patch of garden and they were out free ranging. They were afraid at first.. until they discovered the fresh tilled dirt.They couldn't wait for him to get out of the way.

 

[gritsar]

The first time I used the mower around my chickens they were babies and living in their brooder on the screened porch. It scared them badly and I had a pile up. A pile up is when they all pile on top of each other in a corner and the ones on the bottom of the pile can suffocate. Luckily I noticed the pile up in time and was able to rescue the two bottom chicks; though it was a close one.
Now as adults, nothing bothers them. We literally built their coop around them and they didn't mind. I even had one hen push my DH's power drill outta her way to get to the nestbox.

 

[tdgill]

wow good info gritsar!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Mine are okay with random power tools (they usually come over to see what's going on). They do not like the lawn mower though. Usually they head back into the coop until I have finished the circle around the coops. No lasting trauma.

 

[gritsar]

Just for future reference - When I had the pile up and two pullets that looked dead, I called my DH in tears and he told me what to do to save their lives.
He told me to run them under cool/cold water and then sit in front of the fan with them until they dried. It worked. Both revived, although Lilith's comb turned bright red that night and has never turned back.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

Mine are raised around noise. I was in the hoop coop last week cutting a window in the huddle box with the skilsaw. While running the saw I had pullets on my shoulder, my head, and my lap. It's a wonder I can get anything done sometimes. I must admit though, it was fun having them around. Things take a little longer with them around but I don't mind.

 

[SC_Hugh]

My flock loves construction noise, because they know an upgrade is coming soon to their coop and run

Yesterday, my rooster was crowing continuously so I went out to investigate and the neighbor was using his leaf blower and Little Ricky was trying to out compete the leaf blower noise...

If your chickens are raised around loud noise, then most likely they will get used to it.

--Hugh