Noisey chickens

[Chuckleberry Chickens]

Greetings.

I have 13 hens, all Americanas, eight months old, and they're making a racket. There doesn't seem to be any particular time they make noise and it doesn't seem connected with them laying an egg.

We let the chickens out of their run periodically and that doesn't seem to make a difference. There always seems to be one hen or another making too much noise. It's become a problem for me and I'm worried it's going to become a problem for some neighbours.

I've heard there could be issues with not enough nesting boxes. We have four.

Any thoughts?

 

[scooter147]

Unusual, my americana's couldn't be any more quiet. Although americana have many bloodlines and sounds like you got a noisey bunch.

Unfortunately I don't have any suggestions to keep them quiet except for freezer camp. If a chicken wants to squwak they are going to do it unless it's a predator of some sort that is getting them all fired up, then you can get rid of the predator as long as it's legal and all.

 

[bills]

When they start getting really loud throw them some scratch.

Hard to squak with your beak full..

 

[Nostalchic]

It's going to be really hard to change the chickens' vocal behavior, so you might want to start training the neighbors instead. Let them know that the loud squawking and cackling signifies an egg being laid (often does) and then provide them with sample of said items. They may look forward to hearing those "chickens at work"...
I don't think increasing numbers of nests will make any difference. These are noisy critters. Insulating the coop could help a littlej. Maybe your neighbors don't mind, why don't you ask them when you take some eggs over to them?