Loud Chicken

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

If your town / city says you can legally keep chickens and you are following all the guidelines or regulations, then I don’t understand why you are so concerned. Chickens make noises, that’s a fact. Barking dogs and neighbors free range cats crapping in my yard and killing birds is more offensive than expressive hens. Sorry.

 

[cmom]

Some birds sing the egg song and some birds are the cheerleaders. Is there a way to move your coop and pen (unless you are free ranging) further away from the complaining neighbor. The birds won't look favorably at being squirted with the hose and do not have the intelligence to associate being squirted with noise. Good luck...

 

[aliris]

Hmm, well. I happen to agree with you about relative offense, but we all know not everyone does. However as it happens, he's quoted statute and verse to me and he's correct, the birds are asleep within 30' of his bedroom, probably. That his bedroom is illegally placed, however, might give his leverage a bit of trouble. I don't really want to get to that point though. But yeah, I'm probably too hyper-concerned about his concern. I guess.

If your town / city says you can legally keep chickens and you are following all the guidelines or regulations, then I don’t understand why you are so concerned. Chickens make noises, that’s a fact. Barking dogs and neighbors free range cats crapping in my yard and killing birds is more offensive than expressive hens. Sorry.

 

[aliris]

Some birds sing the egg song and some birds are the cheerleaders. Is there a way to move your coop and pen (unless you are free ranging) further away from the complaining neighbor. The birds won't look favorably at being squirted with the hose and do not have the intelligence to associate being squirted with noise. Good luck...

I could move the coope within the pen a bit, but it's currently in a good location. But I absolutely must build them a new coop so .... perhaps I should be considering not building it in the same place. The pen is large but not really large enough to make a difference noise-wise I don't think....

So you don't think my behavioral therapy plans will work. They definitely know the word "squirt" and make a beeline for it when I use the word. And they do seem to know I want them to shut up sometimes bc when my voice gets really sharp they do pipe down. Maybe I'm just making this up though...

 

[cmom]

I tried the same method many years ago. Didn't seem to work for me but maybe your birds are wiser than mine were. I had two hens that were bullies. I caught one hen really wailing away on the pullets. Originally I did take them out of the flock for about a week. When I did put them back with the flock one was ok but the other was still being a real bully so I took her back out and put her back in jail for another week then let her back in with the flock and she started in again. She was so intent on a pullet that she didn't know I was there. I had a hose in my hand and gave her a good squirt with the hose. She wasn't expecting it as she was really into beating up the pullet. Boy did she ever jump off when she got hit with the water. She ran into the coop and didn't come back out for a long time. I caught her a few more times and always had the hose handy and squirted her when she was being aggressive. She eventually quit bullying. That is when I used the hose and caught her off guard. I guess she eventually knew if she kept it up she would get squirted. She would block the pop door and keep the pullets out so they couldn't get to the feed. I put a second pop door in the coop and another feeder out in their run. She couldn't guard both pop doors and feeders. She didn't actually quit. I thought things were good for awhile but then caught her again even after I put in a second pop door. I had some males that needed to go and took them to an auction. I took her too. I thought maybe with a new environment she would be lower in the pecking order. I know the situation isn't the same just the method. Good luck...

 

[aliris]

Wow what a story. Yeah, bullies gonna bully. Though I heard a story about a pair of bullies that turned into the sweetest things in their next, reflock.... apparently. Dunno, I'm sure "chemistry" has something to do with it too.

Anyway, it does sound as if the squirting isn't without effect, just maybe not transformative effect. I'll keep an eye on that. Though TBH, I'm starting to lean more toward the answer being 'foggedaboudit". I haven't heard from the noisy neighbor in a while; it is possible he noticed the glass house he's living in. And perhaps I should learn to be a little less worried about others' reactions. In any event, this constant scurrying-and-feeding is contributing to my hens being overweight too, and perhaps I ought to have more care for them too....?

 

[McChooky]

My chickens acted half wild before they started laying and didn't want picked up but they were QUIET. Now they sing before they lay,while they lay and when its over. I also have one that pecks me until I pick her up when I go in the extension to do chores. So every time she does it now I reach down and pick her and lock her in the run until I'm done then I let her out and leave. Lol.

 

[rosemarythyme]

But I have chickens that go off constantly basically because they want me to come feed them. Is that normal?

I'm afraid I've taught them this because I have a neighbor who was complaining, so I was trying vainly to keep them quiet. Every time they'd peep I'd come running to try to get them to quiet down. Now every time they hear me move in the house they start in shrieking. And when they see me.... smh.

It's normal. You accidentally trained them to associate you with snacks/food, and most animals are highly motivated by food.

Mine only get treats on occasion when I step out, but they'll all run to the fence and stare expectantly at me regardless if I have anything for them. After all the early bird gets the worm, and any chicken that isn't standing at the fenceline might miss out on a snack if I do have anything to toss in.

 

[cmom]

I have a small bucket for treats and when the birds see the bucket they come running. They don't want to miss out on the treats. When I feed everyone gets treats to keep them out of the coops while I'm filling the feeders. I put the feed in buckets in my trailer that I tow around with my yard tractor. When they hear the tractor coming they also know it's treat time.

 

[Mellowmalt]

If your town / city says you can legally keep chickens and you are following all the guidelines or regulations, then I don’t understand why you are so concerned. Chickens make noises, that’s a fact. Barking dogs and neighbors free range cats crapping in my yard and killing birds is more offensive than expressive hens. Sorry.

So what you are saying is human beings should be as disrespectful to each other without breaking the law?

Anything is acceptable as long as you cannot get in trouble for it no matter how many people you end up upsetting?

This logic is something I just cannot understand...

There is no law telling us not to pollute the world. What will be the consequences?

Food shortages in about 30 years time because crops will perish in the hot weather we are creating.

Hey no law is being broken so who cares if a few million people die. Just blame it on god since he gave us free will not to care right?