Hens are being loud

[JoGum]

I have 3 Rhode Island Reds. All hens. 2 of them make a loud weird crow sound once in a while. I am worried my neighbors will start complaining. Any suggestions on why they are doing that and how to stop it? Thanks.

 

[ivan3]

I have 3 Rhode Island Reds. All hens. 2 of them make a loud weird crow sound once in a while. I am worried my neighbors will start complaining. Any suggestions on why they are doing that and how to stop it? Thanks.

You might want to read this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/493978/noise-ordinances-egg-songs

Good luck and, again, welcome!

You can also try posting in: https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/18/chicken-behaviors-and-egglaying

 

[aart]

I have 3 Rhode Island Reds. All hens. 2 of them make a loud weird crow sound once in a while. I am worried my neighbors will start complaining. Any suggestions on why they are doing that and how to stop it? Thanks.

Welcome to BYC!

Hens can be loud...not just the roosters, kind of alarms people who don't know this.
Only way to stop it is eat them.....or you can give them away.

 

[N F C]

Welcome to BYC!

Chickens make noise, some more than others. I have some girls that sing their egg song at the top of their little lungs and others that don't at all. Even without laying, they chatter and bicker most the day.

I suppose you could add some sound-proofing type material to your coop or stay in your neighbor's good graces with some eggs. Other than that, I don't think you can keep them quiet.

 

[azygous]

Chicken behavior is utterly fascinating. If you spend time with your chickens, watching them interact and react to things, you will come to understand what their different vocalizations mean.

The first step to understanding why they are noisy is to observe them when they're doing it. Can you see what may have set them off? Are they outside or in the coop when they do it? Where they are when they are vocalizing will tell you a lot.

If they are outside roaming when they suddenly become very noisy, it may be they're issuing an alarm over seeing an animal that concerns them. If they're inside the coop when they're going off, it's most likely they and other hens are in egg laying mode. It's not uncommon for several hens to join in issuing the egg song vocalization when one is in the nest trying to lay an egg, or right after one has laid an egg.

Those are the two main reasons for noisy vocalizations. It's very nearly impossible to stop them from doing either one. If you have ordinances against noisy chickens and you have mean neighbors who object to the noise, you're SOL, in my opinion.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Chicken behavior is utterly fascinating. If you spend time with your chickens, watching them interact and react to things, you will come to understand what their different vocalizations mean.

The first step to understanding why they are noisy is to observe them when they're doing it. Can you see what may have set them off? Are they outside or in the coop when they do it? Where they are when they are vocalizing will tell you a lot.

If they are outside roaming when they suddenly become very noisy, it may be they're issuing an alarm over seeing an animal that concerns them. If they're inside the coop when they're going off, it's most likely they and other hens are in egg laying mode. It's not uncommon for several hens to join in issuing the egg song vocalization when one is in the nest trying to lay an egg, or right after one has laid an egg.

Those are the two main reasons for noisy vocalizations. It's very nearly impossible to stop them from doing either one. If you have ordinances against noisy chickens and you have mean neighbors who object to the noise, you're SOL, in my opinion.

X 2 - understanding your flock's communication is not all that difficult and pretty darn enjoyable. The "egg song" can also be heard if a bird has become separated from the group and is seeking to get back to them as they play a version of chicken marco-polo -- they call and respond (the others joining in) to help in location and reunion. Calls can also be issued when a tasty treat has been discovered - this is most commonly seen in a rooster or hen with a brood of chicks, as they will make a particular call and indicate that there is a special goody where they are and that attracts the hens (in the case of the roo) or chicks (for the brooding hen) over to enjoy the treat.....but it does occur in flocks with no chicks or roosters.

One thing you can do to help reduce the noise is to think about your response to them -- many chicken keepers inadvertently condition their birds to being noisy by immediately going out when they hear them and then tossing them treats. What this teaches the birds is if they want treats (or attention) they need only raise a ruckus so rather than reducing the noisy outbursts you end up increasing them. Additionally, if you identify other triggers for their noisiness you can take steps to eliminate those when/where possible.