Noisy BA

[pipsmom]

So no one told my BA that she was supposed to be a quiet breed as suggested on the site that I ordered her from. Since she started laying a couple of weeks ago, she screams the egg song before, during and after laying. Also whenever anyone else is in a nest box. I also got a Golden Comet that never makes a peep when laying. The BA is mouthy though. If I am anywhere near her she makes growling noises, gradually getting louder. Is there any way that this girl might mellow out as she gets older? I am worried about my neighbors starting to complain. Closest house is about 100 ft away. I have had hens for about 7 yrs but this is the noisiest one. Do you think it is as annoying to them as it is to me? The coop is about 20 ft from my house and I can hear her clearly with the windows shut. Today she went in the nest box twice for a half hour. Before each time she yelled for 15 minutes, then yelled when she came out but never laid an egg. After that she was quiet the rest of the day and acted normal. She has done this a few times. Is it just because she is new at laying?

 

[SteveBaz]

Be a good neighbor and say hi or introduce yourself and ask? 100' or 100 yards. I found the easiest way in the end is go right to the source.

 

[oceanwidedesigns]

I've read in several threads the same occurrence with BAs and that after they got used to laying it quieted down for most. My BAs are doing the same thing but haven't started laying. My dog (the self-ordained Chicken Momma) goes out to see what all the fuss is and that usually quiets them down.

Thank goodness the neighborhood dogs, crows, and squirrels are all either just as loud or louder!

 

[dixieland]

I think once she gets used to laying she will quiet down...In the meantime, you might go and visit your neighbors and bring them a peace offering of a carton of fresh eggs

 

[dantodd]

My Delawares have been doing this for a month or more (since they started laying) and it is way less loud than the neighbor's dog. When my 4 year old hears them he tells me there's a new egg.

 

[AVF]

I have an 8 month old Rhode Island Red that is louder than the neighbor's gardner when he is using a leaf blower! It is crazy. She is sooo loud. It is the egg song, it is the I want the nesting box that is already occupied song, it is the I want my privacy cluck and I want attention call. It is outrageous. I just make sure I give my neighbors eggs pretty reguarly b/c I don't think there is anything that can be done short of getting rid of her. And we can't do that. She is the loudest hen ever. If you find a way to quiet her down (and keep her in your flock) please post the secret.

 

[brownysfp]

Quote:
Tell me about it; they have five boxes (three in the coop, two in the woodshed) and two nests they've made themselves (tool shed and woodshed).
There's this one L Sussex that yells and yells and yells in the woodshed despite an available site. The first few times she kicked off I was outside like a shot thinking all hell was breaking loose - and watched in disbelief as she screamed at an empty box. The occupant of the next box soon became just as vocal.
I'm very glad the neighbours are half a mile away and only there occasional weekends.

 

[kittykat01]

Both of my BA's started laying a few weeks ago and both of them are now VERY noisy! One sings the egg song both before and after laying, and sometimes just because she has been in to have a look at the nest box, or because someone else is in there. She also kicks up a fuss in the morning when she wants to be let out (which is at about 5am

, and randomly through the day if she wants a treat). I feel like I am being blackmailed by a chicken!

The last few days I have kept a water pistol (I know this probably sounds bad) near the coop, and if she is really noisy for more than a few minutes I shoot a stream of water over her back. So far it is working well, and I only have to appear with the water pistol and she stops sqwaking. It has not affected her friendliness, and she is still happy to have pats and cuddles, so no hard feelings obviously!

 

[Nonny]

My three started out a bit noisy, but I noticed recently that they hardly do the egg song much these days so I think some do settle down as they get older (mine are about 10 months I think).

You may be surprised at what your neighbours can and can't hear (or get bothered by). I have neighbours on both sides in a close suburban neighbourhood (so close I can hear them tinkle in the night!) who swear they don't hear my kids throwing tantrums. Yet I hear the kids across the road, cars revving, dogs barking, parrots and mynahs screeching and squawking, planes flying low overhead and trains a few blocks away and I just write it off as general neighbourhood noises.

Besides, I find the clucking and growling of the chooks is quite relaxing to listen to by comparison to the rest of the racket around here.

 

[pipsmom]

Well today was a bit better. I let them out around 8AM. My bedroom is about 20 ft from the coop and I never heard anything from them. There were 2 eggs in one of the nest boxes when I went out. I am pretty sure, from the eggs, they were both from the two quiet girls. Of course both of those girls belong to my daughter and will be leaving as soon as she gets her coop finished. My noisy girl disappeared into the coop a short while later, without making a sound. About a half hour later I heard the egg song but as soon as I opened the door she hopped out and was quiet. I checked and there was a nice warm egg but it was in a different nest box than what she had been laying in. Had one girl that didn't lay today but she laid a double yolker a couple of days ago. She will probably lay again tomorrow. My 4 yr old girl stopped laying a few weeks ago and is molting. Also doing some strange backward moonwalking, but only when I toss treats. She has some bad pinfeathers on the back of her neck. I am wondering if that what is causing her to do that.