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I do live in an area where it is legal to keep chickens.
I keep chickens because I want to know the source of my food.
This is a lifestyle choice to better the health of myself and my family.
I did expect the hens to make a tolerable level of noise.
What they are doing is not tolerable or what I would consider normal.
I think your response is rude and I am mildly offended.
Geesh, I kinda felt the same way when I read this elabraleon. It just really isn't helpful. I have a dog that someties barks, but I don't appreciate it when people let their dogs bark incessantly. 'Gosh, they are dogs, what am I supposed to do?' Or, I have really well behaved kids but I have seen irreseponsible parents with obnoxious children 'shrug..kids will be kids...'
Yes chickens can be noisy, but gosh, I understand you want to be a good neighbor! I have a roo and he was crowing at 5 am. Now, he is legal, but I close him in the barn every night and take him out every morning so that his morning song is muffled and I don't bother the neighbors. Just seems polite.
Here's my take: My hens can be pretty obnoxious and there are two that are particularly loud on occasion--not related to egg laying. For me, if I go out and shush them they do quiet down. I never feed them when they are noisy because that would reward their behaviour. If they don't quiet down to the shushing then I will track them down and pick them up and hold them until they settle down. Works well for me.
The other thing I did was add 2 nest boxes. I had 2 for 6 and now I have 4 (2 up and 2 below) for 8. There is always one box that is the favorite and when a dominant hen boots the sumissive one the low-man may compain rather loudly that she was bumped. The second set seems to have helped with that problem.
Good luck to you!
The thing is - when dogs bark excessively, you usually have a untrained dog that has a lot of energy or is neurotic. A noisy chicken is a normal, happy chicken. So, for me, they don't really equate.
I don't think Beekissed was trying to offend, just wanted to assure you that your cickens behavior is normal and typical of chickens. They are very vocal in thier routine and communications. I have observed this from over 25 yrs of chicken keeping. I hope that you will reconsider the offense you have felt at the comments from some very experienced poultry folks. It is not meant to offend, it comes from a place of experience and understanding of chicken behavior. They are loud, you might be able to make some slight modifications to your routine that cut down an noise a small bit. but you are working against the happy and healthy behavior of your birds.
