Loud chickens

[ILoveChickensAWholeLot]

My (just over a year old) Buff Orpingtons have been quite noisy. Usually, it's not a huge problem and I can go out there to quiet them down... But the thing is I'm really the only one they listen to. I tell everyone who watches them if they absolutely can't handle the noise, just give them a few treats. Mainly we are concerned about the neighbors. About a week or so ago, my neighbour passive-aggressively told us that our chickens could be heard from their house some days. I kind of laughed it off but now I'm a bit worried.
We are leaving for vacation in a few days and we have asked a relative to check on them once or twice a day... But the problem of them being loud remains. They have a swing and a xylophone... But I don't think they have quite figured out how to use those yet since they are a fairly new addition. We don't want our chickens to be taken away, but we won't be home to have them be quiet...

Any ideas on how to make them calmer during our vacation, or maybe just in general? Thank you!

 

[azygous]

My initial thought is how can you expect to control the chicken noise when you aren't around when you can't really control it when you are there?

I have noticed with my chickens that they are much quieter when the flock is broken up into groups pecking away at a raw squash or hanging carrots. My run is divided into distinct sections, though it allows for full movement among them, so that it accommodates different group activities, thereby cutting down on the number of chickens that might get into each others business, causing conflict and some individuals feeling the need to make displays of their authority over others, and that can get noisy.

You have a greater chance of quieting your flock if you have ample space and it's broken up to make it more interesting so it's not just one big crowd in one confined space that can add to flock stress.

Image depicting construction of partitions before adding poultry mesh. There's another wing that takes off to the right of the coop in the background, accessible to the chickens under the coop. The main coop isn't pictured as it was behind the photographer.

 

[Brooks_]

Any ideas on how to make them calmer during our vacation, or maybe just in general? Thank you!

Xanax? Seriously, tho IDK. Mine are loud sometimes, especially for the egg song. If you're within all codes, tell the neighbor to kick rocks.

 

[aart]

I can go out there to quiet them down

Which trains them to make noise until you come out and give them treats.

Show us their coop and run?
How many birds are there and how old are they, in weeks or months?

 

[ReelFaster]

My girls can be very very noisy when they see me. If they see or hear me they start and it can be pretty loud. They want a treat, they look at me as one big walking treat.