Desperate! Why did no one tell me this about chickens?

[pipermark]

biretta , sorry I am reading this so late. I had exactly the same problem since I changed my flock to Welsumers.

If you listen the clamour is usually started by the same bird. I kept determining which bird started it and then I sold it.

The good news is my 2 white easter eggers never get involved , I would hate to lose them. I am down to 5 Welsumers, but there is peace.

They still make noise when they see me , but its more like a hello and as soon as I am out of site it stops.

 

[biretta]

Pipermark, it was great to hear your insight. One chicken was definitely the initiator, and the others caught on. The first one more or less infected the others! I was thinking that I should have removed it earlier but then not having had much experience, I didn't know if this occured in all maturing pullets. And incidentally, my 2 EEs are quiet too except for one that started catching on towards the end before I rehomed the worst offenders. I hope with just the 2 of them, they'll mellow out.