Egg Song and Neighbors

[city kid farm]

I've seen people mention it but no real discussion about it. Has anyone had a problem with their neighbors and the "egg song?"

We're new to the whole chicken thing, and the first time we heard one of the girls sing it we thought she was being attacked. Now that two of our girls are starting to lay (4 more coming) I am really worried about the racket they make! I throw scratch in the run and hope they'll get distracted, but boy can they bellow! Do they ever settle down or do I have to buy gift baskets to put eggs in for the neighbors?

Thanks for the response/any advice!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Some are louder than others. Not all of mine sing, and some sing quietly and some sing like they want the whole world to hear it.

ETA: To answer your question, no I don't have problems with my neighbors. I'm on 5 acres though and if anyone is going to bother them it would be my roosters.

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

Dolly is our loud mouth! She is OCD about getting her egg laid every day! Starts about 9am and can go on til 2pm...she paces and sings the song. My neighbors are for the most part gone during the day and with the 100 degree temps most are inside with a/c going full blast!

 

[JLS]

Not all of mine sing, but a couple really let the world know that they've laid an egg! I have over 2 achers of land but I do have neighbors close by. My neighbors think it's amuzing when my ladies sing. In fact they get excited...they know that if I have extra eggs, they have first dibbs

Dont worry too much until you have a problem with your neighbors, most likely they will be just fine with the egg song.

Oh, and it is ALWAYS a good idea to gift some eggs to your neighbors

 

[OrloffTom]

Mine aren't laying yet and my neighbors are cool thus far with my chickens but I have one hen who is a real loud mouth when you get close and just start talking to her. I think she likes the attention...I'm anxious to hear what she's gonna have to say when he laying days begin!

 

[city kid farm]

Thanks for the replies so far. We're pretty close (distance wise) to others so I am worried about how they'll handle the noise. The neighbors' kids will come over and learn about the chickens, but their folks are not so friendly. I'm nervous about any complaints. We don't have roosters, but when one starts shouting about eggs, they all want to get involved and it is a ton of noise.

I keep trying to remind myself that other people have dogs barking, and that normal nature stuff (cicadas, birds, crickets) as well as constantly buzzing. That said, we live in a constant hum of noise - Harleys and police cars whipping by, kids playing in their yards...

 

[atimme]

A lot of my neighbors are at work by the time the hens start singing, when asked most of them didn't know we even had chickens! Our girls lay around mid-morning so you might get lucky...

 

[hchorselover]

My neighbors LOVE our chickens they will come over and play with them and watch them! they think its so funny when they sing!

good luck with the parents!

 

[anbhean]

Yeah I can empathize with you. I have very obnoxious neighbors who are not chicken friendly and even though having hens is legal where I am (barely and under ridiculous restrictions) they have been very snarfy about me having them (albeit very passive aggressively and behind my back). So when egg song started about three weeks ago I was sweating bullets. I'm not sure how well they did or did not take it, but codes hasn't shown up at my door yet, so we'll see. Course like I said, a chicken making noise within city limits is not against any codes. So at least I have that on my side! Good luck.

Oh and I can say, once my loudest girl started actually laying... her egg song became much more subdued than the weeks leading up to it. Hopefully that happens for you too!

 

[2dogs1cat]

I have a loudmouth who has yet to lay. I think she is just practicing and I hope after awhile it gets old and she quiets down...