I have the noisiest chickens in the world- need some ideas

[matimeo]

Update:

I blacked out the coop as much as I could- to the point where I'm a little worried about ventilation. Yesterday they were much quieter (or at least the coop was muffling the sound somewhat). Could hear them but not until about 6:30. Today not so much as a peep out of them until I went out to release them at 6:45. However, this morning it was overcast, so that may have helped. Here's to hoping it continues to work through the summer.

 

[3goodeggs]

ventilation will be an issue when it gets hot and the sun comes up earlier.

I hope this works for you. I think some one that breeds chickens should work on a stealth chicken breed.
Aren't there dogs that don't bark? We need chickens that keep it to themselves.

 

[Mattemma]

I was justing thinking the other afternoon my roo is so nice and quiet,but then he crowed about 6-7 times. Just today my one hen was making all kind of egg song-ish noise because she wanted to be in the nest box that was occupied.We are on a city lot too. I do not let the chickens out till after 9am when I get back from dropping the kids at school.Sometimes by that time the roo has already crowed in the shed,and won't start up when I let him out.

I will also try to distract with food. Oh boy I can hear someone singing their egg song right now at 1pm,lol.
The girls can be as loud or louder than the rooster,lol.

If the police or AC show up I will deal with it,but until then the most I think we can do is keep them locked up till 8am-9am to placate(?) the neighbors.

 

[BooBear]

It is their morning role call. Got to make sure everyone made it through the night. Then there is the daily debreifing of activities. Who gets the nest box first and so forth.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Sorry if I missed it, but I'm wondering what breed(s) they are, and if you considered an automatic door opener?

 

[PortlandChick]

My little flock has just spent their first two nights outside. The first morning, it took some convincing to get them out the door of the coop. THey seemed a bit shell shocked at having been left outside all night. This morning, all seven heads popped up at the window when I went to check on them at 6:30. No sounds yet, but they are still young. They are actually loudest at night, around 7-7:30 when they used to come back in the house for bedtime. I have a houdan who wails bloody murder under I go out and sit with her and put her to bed. I'm afraid I may have really spoiled my birds, but luckily the closest neighbors are a hippie, hearing impaired family who we are great friends with (our pups have play dates) and the granddaughter of our other neighbor is 4 and so enraptured with our chicks, we won't have any problem there either.

Bring your neighbors eggs as bribes!

 

[matimeo]

Quote:
I have a Delaware, Gold Comet and two Rhode Island Reds- all hatchery stock. I've thought about an automatic opener, although it would probably take some work to incorporate it into the way my coop is built. Also leery of the cost. I appreciate you bringing it up, because I suppose it is maybe something I should look into some more.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Be sure to include the value of your sanity in the cost-benefit analysis

And yes! Bring eggs to your neighbors! Preferably with an ambassador
hen under your arm, if appropriate.

 

[Clintster]

I have a well insulated coop and I can rarely hear them until I go to let them out in the morning then I hear the loud thumps of them jumping off their roost. Is it possible to better insulate or put some kind of sound proofing on the ceiling to prevent the echoing? I'm sure you could quiet it down with some curtains or foam on the ceiling of the coop? I don't think you're going to get them to stop, you're gonna have to out smart them! LOL

 

[madamwlf]

My girls are quite loud when they lay eggs. I never knew hens could be so loud. I don't hear them in the morning since their pop door stays open and I'm usually up before them most mornings.