Help, my hens won't be quiet!

[SilasMarner]

Interesting comment, vionau. I have 3 blue Andalusians and that is what they seem to do. Yes, I know that they are known talkers. So far it isn't a problem for me, but I am moving to a different neighborhood and I fear that the new neighbors may not be so tolerant as my current ones. It really is that morning, 'let me out' call that is the most obnoxious.

I will try not to be at their beck and call so much as you suggest to see if this helps.

I also thought of trying to manage their light in the morning so that they don't respond as early in the morning. I was thinking shade cloth and/or artificial light.

 

[shelbydog]

I won't start my flock till this spring but I was telling a coworker about the breeds of chickens I wanted to get. She asked if they were loud (talkative breed) and I replied I hope so! I was previously living with someone that had their own flock and I helped at adding turkeys and new chickens to his flock. I loved the variety of noises they made and look forward to hearing them again. The turkeys were the best....love the gooble. And I would like to have a peacock b/c I like the noise they make.

 

[rendezvous1838]

Just because,...
Only the chickens know for sure
Some days one of our BOs squawwwwks! when she wakes up, sometimes she doesn't

 

[my sunwolf]

My chickens were really quiet for months and months... then they hit laying age and BAM started to make all sorts of loud squawking. Every time I open the back door they mob the run, begging for scraps with their bwaking. I have no roosters, so a few of the lead hens make warning calls to cheer on their fellow hens laying eggs, to warn everyone of predators, and just when they feel like being loud. You can't really control chickens' noises. It's kind of like having a dog that likes to bark... it's pretty hard to train it out of the dog. Not to mention, they're chickens.

You can also create sound barriers around your chicken coop with large, bushy evergreen bushes, though if they're free ranging guess that won't help much.

I agree that you should appease the neighbors with eggs, that's usually the best option when your chickens won't be quiet (and it has worked wonders for me, even with roosters).

 

[april29]

My hens have a 20 by 60 foot pen made with dog kennel panels . I will have a rooster in the spring. I just got some day old buff brahma bantams straight run. I dont want neighbor problems because of crowing so I am planting evergreens all around the inside of their pen, two feet apart should create a dense hedge. I am going to put hay bales all around too untill the evergreens are esyablished. They are only 2 foot tall at planting this fall. Hopefully doing this and not letting my flock out untill 9am weekdays and later on weekends I should be OK. Roosters are allowed but I dont need complaints. I read somewheres that this guy use to put a thin baby sock over his roosters head with a hole for his beak. The rooster could see a bit through the thin sock but not far off to see hawks or anything that would alarm him to crow. So he was quieter. Hmmm. Thats interesting. I suppose if it works its better than freezer camp. Im going to have to give it a try out of curiousity in the spring. If anyone here ever wants to give it a try Id be interested to hear your results. Sounds funny. Id get a cute white ruffly bobby sock. LOL

 

[april29]

Mouse in the coop??Bees?? Sounds like a good mystery.

 

[eggergal]

I accidentally discovered that chickens become very quiet looking in a mirror. I hava a large mirror I have at the front of the gate between their play area and the rest of the yard. It helps keep the racket down a bit

 

[JensChickies]

I feel your pain. My patridge rock is the equivalent as a chicken alarm system. Squawks at everything. I too am trying to figure out how to quiet her down, but I think she is just a high strung hen and that is just her personality. :/