I've Had It!!! Please Help!!!

[TonySorrento]

Oh I meant I want a horse by boarding or moving to a home in this area with unrestricted acreage. I was just thinking there was some chicken that didn't do the happy egg song thing. I don't mind everyday little clucks to eachother but the loud "bak bak bagaak" has got to stop .

For your benefit or is it because of the neighbors? Like others say, a single dog will be more noisy during the day than s hen

 

[TheChicknGarden]

HOA's are just lame... seriously my one dog is louder then my six chickens and two ducks..... just saying... i think if you treat you neighbors with fresh eggs they'll be fine. chickens are super awesome as pets just wish more people actually took the time to realize it... as for breeds being loudest... my Plymouth is the loudest and my silkies are very quiet... but even then my dog is louder then all... wish you lots of luck... i say don't give up! perhaps you should stick with a smaller amount of hens?

 

[PoultryQueen29]

For your benefit or is it because of the neighbors? Like others say, a single dog will be more noisy during the day than s hen

Because of the neighbors. I know the dogs here are louder but it's just the fact that they're chickens that would "gross" out some people. Someone posted on out community chat after the law allowing 8 hens was passed and said "Can the HOA say no to this? No one wants smelly, noisy chickens in their neighbors backyard." They are only noisy and smelly if you don't clean up after them and you have a ton of chickens! A chicken can be a house pet and people keep them as house pets.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

If you're already considering getting rid of the chickens, why not take this opportunity to discuss the issue with the neighbors? Ask them if they mind the chicken sounds, how loud they are stuff like that. If they don't mind your chickens give them some fresh eggs every once in a while so they'll keep on liking them. If they don't, explain to them all of the stress its caused you, and how much effort you've put into keeping them quiet and that you're considering rehoming them. If you've never talked to your neighbors, you can't be sure of what their opinion is going to be- whether good or bad. You may just be getting yourself all worked up for nothing. Also, you could apply for a variance in your HOA rules. Its pretty hard to get them changed, but if you can find enough people around you that also want to have (or keep) chickens it can be done. Good luck.

 

[EweSheep]

Please do NOT give neighbors fresh eggs! What if they get sick and they will blame you for more the reason why you need to get rid of your chickens! Give ONLY if they ask or happened to say I would love to have some fresh eggs if you have some to spare! Many neighbors don't like "bribes" of free eggs so you can keep your chickens. What if another neighbor has chickens and didn't take care of them? One bad apple would ruin everyone surrounding the offender.

So be careful how you want to give the neighbor "free" eggs.

 

[RedDrgn]

Because of the neighbors. I know the dogs here are louder but it's just the fact that they're chickens that would "gross" out some people. Someone posted on out community chat after the law allowing 8 hens was passed and said "Can the HOA say no to this? No one wants smelly, noisy chickens in their neighbors backyard." They are only noisy and smelly if you don't clean up after them and you have a ton of chickens! A chicken can be a house pet and people keep them as house pets.

It's also the fact that most people are used to dogs barking and can ignore it easily enough. You get a new sound in there and they think the world's ending. I went through this with one of my neighbors over our rooster....after we talked to them and actually got permission from them to get a roo before we even went looking for one. Also even though our roo turned out to be one of the quieter type who really only crows some in the mornings and then whenever he hears kids screaming. It took about two weeks, but they did get used to it and apologized for having complained to us within the first week.

Noisy and smelly? HA!! Our chickens are not noisy...even our roo is not particularly noisy, and is quiet most of the day. And smelly? If I stick my nose up against one of our birds (and because they end up on arms and shoulders if left to their own devices, this does happen), they smell like dust/dirt....because they bathe in it. You can smell them if you're standing the middle of their run. If you stick your head in the coop the day before I clean it every week, you smell pine, dust, and a slight hint of "chicken" and no more. Dogs typically smell MUCH worse. Bunch of snobs.

Please do NOT give neighbors fresh eggs! What if they get sick and they will blame you for more the reason why you need to get rid of your chickens! Give ONLY if they ask or happened to say I would love to have some fresh eggs if you have some to spare! Many neighbors don't like "bribes" of free eggs so you can keep your chickens. What if another neighbor has chickens and didn't take care of them? One bad apple would ruin everyone surrounding the offender.

So be careful how you want to give the neighbor "free" eggs.

I don't think it's a bad idea to offer eggs, it's just how you go about it. For example, whenever a neighbor, friend, family, etc. are asking us about our chickens, they always ends up asking "So how well are they laying?" And so far we've been able to honestly answer that they've been laying very well and occasionally inundating us with eggs. "If you're interested, we can probably send some your way now and again." And no one has ever refused...especially once they see the dark brown wellie's egg and the blue EE egg in the mix.

But again, EweSheep's right, use caution. I wouldn't bring it up without a good leader into such a conversation. No one likes to feel like they're being forced into a position.

 

[Moonkit]

Its weird that you find the egg song so loud.. I live in an urban area in a standard middle-class house. My flock consists of 10 hens and the coop is on the North side of the house.. if I stand on the other side of the house, I can barely hear them (I tested it once when my frizzled cochin, my loudest and longest 'singer' at 10 minutes, was announcing her latest egg.) Standing in the front yard, its like hearing a dog bark 2 or three streets away when they're vocalizing ("We demand offerings of treats NOW!").

My brother sleeps on the opposite side of the house from where the coop is and says he never hears them. Our neighbor said she only hears them occasionally and her husband wasn't even aware we had anything making noise.

I've found my Polish and Arucana to be the noisiest as far as random vocalizing (not singing the egg song, just calling out like wannabe roosters.), but even at their best, if I stand across the street (3 cars wide) I can't hear them.

 

[PoultryQueen29]

I am just going to keep them until I get busted. I was reluctant because once that happens I can never raise chickens or anything in my backyard ever again. She hasn't been that loud since I started this thread. It seems to happen every 3 weeks or so. I don't even know if it was an egg song for this reason.

 

[suleo]

I got 17 week old started red star pullets (3) about two weeks ago. They are very quite and one hen has started laying everyday. Got the started because I needed to have hens. Not allowed to have roosters according to zoning. They are beautiful young ladies. I'll be getting 2 more. and maybe 2 black star pullets (started) in late summer.