Help - we have a screamer!!

[stllaura73]

Chicken Friends,

We have an issue that is quickly becoming urgent.

Lucy, my Silver Laced Wyandotte, who is normally the most docile of our bunch has taken to sqwaking in the morning and she is REALLY loud. So loud we are afraid the neighbors are going to call the police. We only live on a quarter acre and the neighbors are very close.

This behavior started early in the morning because she wants out of the pen. I usually let her out into the run by 6:45 or 7 a.m. My husband was home today and let her run around the backyard and she has been screaming for 15 minutes non-stop. We know it isn't the needing to be let out as she is running around the backyward. Could something else be going on?

She doesn't make this kind of noise when she lays so this is really out of character.

Anyone have any recommendations about how to quiet a bird down? This won't last long and I am afraid we will have to get rid of her if we can't figure out what is going on.

Laura

 

[aoxa]

How old is she? Mine get really loud when they are close to laying... My BR bawks when she wants out, wants food, wants attention..

If there is something wrong with her, I'm not sure what it could be...

 

[stllaura73]

She is 7 months old and has been laying since August.

My husband ended up putting her in the garage for about 30 minutes because the police cruised by twice and he was afraid it was because of her. He says she calmed down and is now happily and quietly running around the backyard with the other girls. This is an ok solution for today when one of us was home, but most days we are at work for 8 - 10 hours. He didn't mention whether or not she layed an egg... guess we will have to do more observing this week and weekend to see if this is connected with her laying.

Any insight anyone has would be much appreciated.

Laura

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

My girls got VERY noisy as they got ready to lay around 4-6 months of age. And then they slowly settled down after that. Now my Jersey Giant, who used to be the noisiest thing, doesn't even cackle after she lays an egg. So they do mellow with age.

One mistake I made when they were at the 4-6 month age, I would rush out and give them treats to shush them when they squawked. Well, they quickly learned that squawking got them treats. I was rewarding their naughty behavior. It was painful, but I made myself wait until they had been quiet for 10 minutes before giving them treats and that broke that behavior after about 10 days.

I never give them treats when they are noisy.

 

[dawg53]

I've had a couple of screamers before, it usually meant they were getting ready to lay, like Aoxa mentioned. Maybe "time outs" in the garage will work for your bird.

 

[HEChicken]

I have several who are very loud also. One complains if she wants to get in a certain nest box and it is already in use. Others just seem to like the sound of their own voices. If you are legal, you don't need to worry about the neighbor's calling the police - it is no different than a dog barking all day. It might not hurt to talk to the neighbors though and perhaps even offer them some eggs as a peace offering. I was surprised to learn my neighbors love the sounds of my chickens and wish I had a rooster so they could also hear the crowing!

 

[Nicole01]

My dark bramha is very noisy! It doesn't matter if she is in the coop or out free ranging, she is always squawking and is very loud! She is the top hen and treats the entire flock very well. She is very sweet to us too and lays fabulous eggs.

I haven't had any complaints from her noise yet. She is noisy all day and evening.

 

[ellieroo]

Mine do that if they have had a close encounter of the scarey kind??

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Quote:

I went out one morning when they were cackling which is so not like them anymore. There was a squirrel on top of their run, screaming. So the girls were screaming. Not sure if there had been a hawk sighting recently or what go the squirrel started but they do chime in for that.

 

[JPinVT]

I had one hen that seemed to scream over anything - notice I said "had"...