Noise chickens at 5am

[RJBast]

Once the days are long in June, my Chickens start making a lot of noise at 5am. They only do this in the summer and usually only in the early morning. I live in the city so I'm worried my neighbors are hearing them. They usually wake me up in bed so I'm pretty sure other people are hearing them if they have their windows open, again I live in the city.

So I go out there at 5am at give them some scratch or food and so they will be quiet. Is this normal for them to be noise first thing in the morning?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Yup. Mine do the same thing. I head out with scratch too.

If I am lucky the neighbors cat is in its home. If not I am back out within 10 minutes to escort the cat from my yard.

 

[MichelleBelle]

My chickens wake up early, too, around 5AM or so. After I get their food put out they quiet down until they announce loudly to the world that they've just laid the most perfect egg. I consider this situation greatly improved over my former plight. Before I found new homes for my 6 extra roosters, they would crow through the night at especially inconvenient times like midnight, 2:30-3:30 and 4-daylight.

 

[EggWalrus]

Mine usually start their version of the Muslim Call to Prayer as the first light begins to show in the sky. On one side of my house, about 100 birds sending prayers up to heaven, on the other side around 300 singing, screaming, and crowing prayers, thankful for another day and to have made it thru another night without a predator getting them. I have the tv programmed to come at 4:30 to drown out their calls otherwise I would never be able to sleep past 5am.
They're just doing what chickens do and have done for millions of years!

 

[aart]

So I go out there at 5am at give them some scratch or food and so they will be quiet. Is this normal for them to be noise first thing in the morning?

They should have feed and water available every hour they are awake.
Going out with treats may just 'train' them to squawk until you bring them something.

 

[EggWalrus]

Mine have fed and water in the pens 24/7. And they are still noisy in the mornings and at certain times of the day.

 

[EggWalrus]

They should have feed and water available every hour they are awake.
Going out with treats may just 'train' them to squawk until you bring them something.

^^^ THIS!^^^

 

[silkiedeb]

Once the days are long in June, my Chickens start making a lot of noise at 5am. They only do this in the summer and usually only in the early morning. I live in the city so I'm worried my neighbors are hearing them. They usually wake me up in bed so I'm pretty sure other people are hearing them if they have their windows open, again I live in the city.

So I go out there at 5am at give them some scratch or food and so they will be quiet. Is this normal for them to be noise first thing in the morning?

Hey this is silkiedeb from Texas, I have watched youtube vidoes and found a no crow collar for roosters. I was amazed how this small piece of velcro that you wrap around the roosters neck will stop them from crowing. Just be sure you can put your pinky between the velcro and the roosters neck. I have a polish roo and we noticed that he is starting to crow. It is funny listening to him trying to crow. I was thinking about using a no crow collar on him when he gets older.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Hey this is silkiedeb from Texas, I have watched youtube vidoes and found a no crow collar for roosters. I was amazed how this small piece of velcro that you wrap around the roosters neck will stop them from crowing. Just be sure you can put your pinky between the velcro and the roosters neck. I have a polish roo and we noticed that he is starting to crow. It is funny listening to him trying to crow. I was thinking about using a no crow collar on him when he gets older.

From my reading here on BYC they are not recommended.
There is a real danger of the rooster choking when trying to swallow food.

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed with 21 hens. I would not consider putting such a device on a bird. Those collars come with recommendation to not give pellets to the birds. Hello! If there is a warning not to feed crumble to birds wearing the collars, what's gonna happen the first time the roo tries to swallow a frog or a mouse? Think he's carrying a tape measure and will decide that the frog or mouse is too big and should be thrown back? Nope, he's gonna try to swallow it before someone else gets it. End of crowing problem.