How much noise do they make?

[4-H chicken mom]

Some of my meat roos have begun to crow when they get to about 8-9 wks. But, by that time they are ready to butcher.

 

[GBov]

Quote:
I was hoping that if I only got 15 the smell wouldnt be too bad, that and they will be on sand. I know the dogs poo doesnt smell past a few min. because the sand dries it out so fast. Hope the chicken poo will be the same, even if I have to shovel in fresh once or twice a day and then rake it all out after butchering them all.

And yep, LOTS of plants for sun shade, camouflage and stink reduction planned lol

 

[jaku]

Quote:
I was hoping that if I only got 15 the smell wouldnt be too bad, that and they will be on sand. I know the dogs poo doesnt smell past a few min. because the sand dries it out so fast. Hope the chicken poo will be the same, even if I have to shovel in fresh once or twice a day and then rake it all out after butchering them all.

And yep, LOTS of plants for sun shade, camouflage and stink reduction planned lol

The key to managing the smell is to keep them in a tractor, and move the tractor as much as possible. I have 75 birds right now, and my tractor circles my yard, sometimes quite close to my house. I've never smelled them inside the house. However, my stationary layer coop out by my barn, with only six birds smells awful, depending on the weather.

 

[GBov]

As most of the back yard is going to be used up by the kids I had planned on only having them in one fixed location but had planned on shoveling in fresh sand if needed but I could perhaps manage a four step rotation but my problem is going to be weight of the enclosure. Was planning to make it out of stock panels, one for the bottom and two bent into a U shape and wired onto the bottom, like a tunnel made of wire panels. Two of those wired end to end with half of another panel wired onto each end with a door in one and a tarp over the other. That should give me an enclosure 16 ft long by 4 ft wide by 4 ft high so plenty of room but heavy to shift! It will also be nice and cool for the birds which is important way down here in the south

Still, if it will prevent smell and keep the birds off their own muck than I will manage it, all I will need is about 12 extra feet so I can move it over its own width once per week and back to the starting place on week 5.

Hmmmmmmm, this should work from the poo side but puts paid to my plan of planting vines over it

I wonder if I make an extra wide scuppernong arbor over it with eye hooks on either side to slip a rope into would help with pulling it back and forth and help conceal it too?

Oooo now, I like that plan, two birds with one stone

It is so HELPFUL brainstorming this kind of thing with people who actually have chickens, thank you all SO MUCH

 

[jaku]

I'm not sure if you said how many you plan to get, but just for a perspective, if I didn't move my 10x10 pen for one day, my 75 birds would literally make a 10x10 solid mass of poo about 1/2 inch thick- every day. Sour smelling poo. If you think you can keep up with it by shoveling sand on, good luck to you! Consider how bad a cat's litter box smells- and cat litter is designed to absorb odor.

 

[Bassleg]

GBov your a gangster!!! Good luck!!

 

[BorderKelpie]

Fast growing fragrant hedges around the coop, wind chimes to camoflauge noise and sacrafice 1 or 2 chickens to a neighborhood bar-b-que.

Enjoy!

 

[vermontgal]

I think the poop issue is potential more of a problem than any noise. Think that one through, do research. The good thing, though, if you get caught is that you'll probably already be close to slaughter time. You can just say, OK - I'll get rid of them next week.

 

[biddie]

I have 4 hens and a roo the hens are not noisy at all but my roo thinks he is a watch dog crows anytime he see's anyone or anything in the yard. I use a chicken tractor and move it about every 4 days and have not had any problems with smell,I clean the inside 1 time a week.

 

[MeatKing]

Maybe all meat birds are different.. But my meaties crowed and made what'ever noise that the hens make (Kind've a quite noise) They didn't really devolop the power to belt it out till about 7-8 weeks.. Although, who knows.. The kids and I were enjoying running aroung the yard.. going "cock a doodle doo" so maybe this encourged them? My birds were kept inside (they had acess to out doors, but choose to stay in

Cold here already! Now my niegbours have a barn about 20 feet away (they have cows) they never heard them till the day before slaughter (when the food was taken away) It's like the roosters were trying to remind me, to come feed them.. you can get them sexed for extra here, although I really liked the rooseters and they grew to way bigger, you may want to get hens only... So what happenes if you get caught with the chickens? warning, fine?
Good luck!