Help! Noisy Chicken!

[Wattles]

I don't know what to do about my speckled sussex's noisiness. She bellows so loudly in the morning that I'm worried my neighbors will complain. I purposely chose this breed and my cochin because I thought they would be quiet and docile. Is noisiness a trait of sussex, does anyone know? It was the worst it's ever been this morning. She was bellowing like a walrus and my husband went rushing out there in a panic to let her out of the coop. It didn't abate though - she kept right on bellowing, not showing interest in food, treats or getting to free-range in the yard. She doesn't seem to want attention either so I can't tell what the problem is. Maybe she is just an exuberant chicken. She's four months old this week - could it be that she's going through some sort of teenage chicken phase? I hope so - I hope she'll grow out of this . . .

I took this video of her to show her behavior. Can anyone tell me if this is normal chicken behavior? She coninues to act this way, even after I've let her out to roam around - just bellowing and acting nuts:

This problem is making me nervous - I appreciate any advice,
Thanks!
Tara

 

[speckledhen]

I have no idea! My Speckled Sussex girl is pretty quiet.

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

I know nothing about that breed.

BUT I will tell you that my girls (BR, RIR, NHR) suddenly got VERY loud just before they started to lay. Before that they were all pretty quiet. I used to laugh when people came to visit because they'd never know we had chickens if we didn't tell them. Not now though! Feels deafening some mornings.

It's only been about a month, so I don't know. But my ladies are still super noisy.

Meghan

 

[Wattles]

Thanks - I was hoping that maybe that was a reason for her sudden boisterousness. I know that chickens can get loud when they lay but I never thought they would be so noisy the rest of the time and especially in the morning the way she is. I had promised my husband that chickens were quiet and that the neighbors would never know they were there. Yeah right. SQWAAAAAAK!

I want an egg!!! When she lays one, it will be the first fresh chicken egg I've had in over 15 years and it will be my husband's first. I've told him all about how fresh and tasty home grown ones are and I hope the ones my girls lay will live up to all my promises.

Tara

 

[lexustami]

I don't really have anything helpful to add but I wanted to tell you what my son said about your SS.

I was watching your video when my 10 year old son walked up. He said, "Why is that chicken so noisy?"

Take care and good luck with her.

Tami

 

[SeaChick]

Huh, well, our girls are noisy like that any time they see us coming.

We live in a VERY tight neighborhood so it does stress me out sometimes.... we worked hard to get the ordinance changed to allow us to have chickens, and we promised everyone that hens are QUIET!

Yeah, not so much. Actually they ARE quiet when we're not around (unless they're declaring an egg) but when they want OUT or FOOD, they are noisy like yours. Not all of them, but maybe 2 or 3 of the 6... loud enough, I tell ya! And you're right, its a bratty, whiny noise.

We still love 'em though!!!

 

[rdranch]

I have three speckled sussex and they make yours look very quiet!. Every morning they are the only ones left on the roost and move all the wal to the end by the door and makes all sorts of noise as I open their door and give them their morning scratch outside in the run. They are very friendly and "normal" like the rest of the flock, I guess it's just their personality.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Obelisk my Leghorn is like that too...she's always complaining about something...bikbik bik bikbik BikBik BIK BIK BIKBIKBIK...
She also has a stretchy lizard that she likes to bash on the floor...only hers is green.

 

[ratlummountain]

get a guinea hen, then you won't hear your speckled.

i have RIR's and golden comets, they used to be quiet until they started laying eggs. now they shreak their heads off to let you know an egg is coming down the pipes. they're not *as* loud as they were in the beginning, but they still announce the arrival of an egg for all the world to hear.

i also don't let them out until 9 a.m. out of courtesy for our neighbors.
but they have a window that looks down on our house and a perch that they sit on and watch the house with.
if someone walks outside they start up a racket because they want OUT!

 

[silkiechicken]

Sounds normal to me. They just want out and that is their "hey, I want something" sound. I adopted a hen who made those noises but I don't notice her making a peep anymore... she did get older and free ranges all the time now though.