Got a suggestion for super-quiet hens in a small-lot suburb?

[LadiesAndJane]

General rule of thumb is 10 sq ft per bird run space and 4 sq. ft per bird coop space. This of course depends on many factors and is not carved in stone.

 

[Brooks_]

Like how big do you think a pen should be, per chicken, to keep them happy, and...say you had someone at home who needed quiet, how far away would you want the coop to be from your house so that you weren't hearing the birds early in the morning or through a good chunk of the day?

General guide is 4 sf in the coop and 10 sf in the run. I can easily hear mine from this room, but i'd not venture a guess of a good set back. Right now, they are silent.

 

[McChooky]

My chickens are noisy when they start laying in the morning up until about 2 everyday. If you're a day sleeper and work nights you probably shouldn't agree to them having chickens

 

[Brooks_]

My chickens are noisy when they start laying in the morning up until about 2 everyday. If you're a day sleeper and work nights you probably shouldn't agree to them having chickens

I can see that line of thought, but I doubt the 3-6 of a typical suburban flock would be near as loud as my 23. Just putting that out there for consideration.

 

[Ebony Rose]

Your mileage may vary, but I found my americana-type hens (black feathers with a greenish sheen when the sun hits them just-so) to be very secretive (read that as quiet) when (and after) laying.

 

[JedJackson]

I would just say 'no' to the neighbors. It seems like there just isn't enough space for chickens where you live. I've worked night jobs and graveyard jobs in the past, and I know how difficult it can be in those circumstances to get enough sleep. It can be very, very frustrating. Since you have the power to prevent a problem before it happens, you should use it. The neighbors can move to a house with a bigger yard if chickens are that important to them.

 

[Tonyroo]

I would just say 'no' to the neighbors. It seems like there just isn't enough space for chickens where you live. I've worked night jobs and graveyard jobs in the past, and I know how difficult it can be in those circumstances to get enough sleep. It can be very, very frustrating. Since you have the power to prevent a problem before it happens, you should use it. The neighbors can move to a house with a bigger yard if chickens are that important to them.

I second that, the lot is just too small to avoid the noise of any type of chickens.

 

[McChooky]

My rooster and 6 hens have over 200+ sq ft combined so they have lots of room. They're noisy during the day and would wake me up if I was a day sleeper.My coop and run are 20 ft from my backdoor .

 

[rosemarythyme]

Salmon Faverolles are the MOST CHILL chickens. Very quiet, are not opinionated or bossy.

Heh, you should meet my one and only SF. Her nickname: Noisehole. She follows me around, screaming for attention, then screaming as she runs away. She screams if she's thinking about laying within the next 6 hours, or if someone else has laid. She even tries to make noise while drinking which causes her to hiccup.

Like how big do you think a pen should be, per chicken, to keep them happy, and...say you had someone at home who needed quiet, how far away would you want the coop to be from your house so that you weren't hearing the birds early in the morning or through a good chunk of the day?

10 sq ft per bird in a pen, at minimum (though that could be too tight for some birds and cause bickering or fighting, which gets noisy).

My entire set up is only 20' from my living room, but we have double pane windows which do an amazing job of cutting the sound - inside the house, if I concentrate I can hear the chickens outside, otherwise it's not really noticeable at all and I can nap on the sofa some 30' away from the chickens without issue.

I am sitting on 4 acres. To give you an idea how loud they can get while outside/windows are open, when I'm out jogging I can hear my loudest birds from the next street, which is another 2 acres over.

 

[LizzzyJo]

Maybe try quail?