Morning screamers - help!

[Suburban-chickies]

My hens are sweet (usually) girls who make soft happy chicken noises for most of the day but decide that my closely built neighborhood needs to be awake with them at 6:30 a.m. some mornings. There is never an egg, they usually lay in the late afternoon, and they quiet as soon as I stumble out shushing them. I give them a scoop of sunflowers or kitchen scraps and that usually quiets them but occasionally one goes back to screaming as soon as I'm back inside. There is no door on their coop (not against it, just haven't gotten to it yet) and that is the only thing I can think of to avoid a nastygram from annoyed neighbors. I'd love any other ideas, suggestions, or remedies you have to keep my girls happy and quiet in the morning.

 

[azygous]

You can start by quitting rewarding them with BOSS for their screeching demands for treats. Chickens learn very quickly what behavior gets results.

I have a similar problem. My chickens have learned what door I use when exiting my house, and they congregate on the door mat waiting for me to emerge, knowing they have a 50% chance of being tossed a few seeds. Then I gripe about all the messy poop I need to clean up or else track into the house.

We need to be constantly aware of how much our own behavior is intertwined with our chickens' behavior.

 

[Lovem all]

I second @azygous

 

[3KillerBs]

There is never an egg, they usually lay in the late afternoon, and they quiet as soon as I stumble out shushing them. I give them a scoop of sunflowers or kitchen scraps and that usually quiets them but occasionally one goes back to screaming as soon as I'm back inside.

You have inadvertently trained them to scream for treats.

It will take conscious effort and some degree of endurance to re-train them that treats occur only when they're quiet.

 

[Suburban-chickies]

Those rotten girls! I was afraid they had trained me. Thanks for the confirmation. Maybe a squirt bottle instead of goodies will get my quiet morning back. And installing a coop door.

 

[Sixandahalfacres]

I would definitely install a coop door. And block out any window light so they will sleep longer

 

[lizziemt]

I agree with Sixandahalfacres, the light is making them active too early in the day for you! Chickens have poor eyesight and won't want to wander around in a darkened environment. Curtains!

 

[azygous]

I agree with Sixandahalfacres, the light is making them active too early in the day for you! Chickens have poor eyesight and won't want to wander around in a darkened environment. Curtains!

Yes. Absolutely, curtains. But please make them tasteful.

 

[3KillerBs]

Don't block off their ventilation when trying to dim the light.