Help! Loud, loud, loud urban backyard hen!

[coastalkelly]

Thelma, our 1-year old Buff Orpington has recently started clucking at the top of her lungs for hours beginning at the crack of dawn. We live in a subdivision with a persnickety HOA. Our chickens are happy go-lucky free range girls, but recently Millie started being getting really broody and won't leave the nesting box except for a few moments several times a day to do the basics of feeding and watering. This is when Thelma started all her yodeling at 5:45 in the morning.

Help!

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Living in southern, coastal California with a wooly Scandinavian husband, 4-Viking children, one sloth-like Basset Hound and 2-Buff Orpingtons

 

[Katy]

Not much you can do other than trying to break her of being broody......she's just being a chicken.

 

[wsdareme]

You'll need to keep them locked in the coop until a "decent" hour for your neighbors. Do you have an automatic pop door so you don't have to be there to let them out? Also, your signature indicates you only have 2 hens -- I'll bet Thelma is lonely because Millie won't get off the nest. You might want to consider adding another hen or two if your HOA will allow it. I have a couple of hens that are pretty noisy, too, but not quite as bad as what you are experiencing!

 

[Katy]

ooops, I misread your post......I thought the broody one was the one making a racket.

 

[alhanse77]

As much as it annoys me, when my BO starts bawking early in the morning, I have to go out and tell her to shush! I think she just needs a little attention.

I have to do the same thing after she lays an egg. I, too, am worried about my neighbors getting annoyed!

 

[chickiepie]

Maybe you could try sending the 'wooly scandinavian' or one of your Vikings after her?

Seriously, I have no advice, but your signature cracked me up!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Can you put curtains on the windows of the coop (to darken the coop) to give yourself some more quiet time in the morning? Works with roos.

 

[coastalkelly]

Thanks so much everyone. We will try the curtains. We boarded up the entrance to the nesting box, but Millie somehow weaseled her way in there and is holed up again. To which Thelma replied with loud squawking. We'll try again tonight! We're considering a buddy for poor Thelma not that Millie's gone and ditched her for non-existent chick hatching. Question 1: if we can successfully keep Millie from the nesting box, how long do we go on like that to be assured she's over her broodiness? Question 2: any tips for introducing a new girl to the coop?
Thanks to you all, I've loved reading your comments.
PS - that woolly Scandinavian husband of mine is ready to turn Thelma into a nugget!
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Living in southern, coastal California with a woolly Scandinavian husband, 4-Viking children, one sloth-like Basset Hound and 2-Buff Orpingtons

 

[chuckzoo]

I had the same problem when I started with two hens. Daisy would cackle all the time Sally was in the nesting box laying so I decided to add another two hens to keep her company. Well...........it did'nt really work, but it is a bit better. Daisy still cackles when Sally goes up to lay and yes she is very loud! I too live in a subdivision where the homes are very close to each other.

You could try adding another hen, but if it were me I would get maybe two fertile eggs and let your broody hatch them and raise them with your other hen. That would be easier than trying to intergrate a new hen IMO. I had trouble intergrating mine and they are still not all on an equal footing. The two BR are best mates and the two buffs are friends.

Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.

 

[NottinghamChicks]

Some hens are just plain noisy. I have one Silkie mix that makes so much noise if the others stay in the nest box too long. Don't even think about going broody because she will scream at them until she breaks them! She may be noisy but she is so pretty, vulture hocks, noise and all! She just raised her own brood of five and now no one else is allowed, LOL!!