Noisy Chickens

[Wol1]

Well, I think it's clear that it probably isn't the breed so much as the particular personality of the hen(s in my case). It also seems that different hatcheries have different strains, some good, some not so.

I appreciate all the replies. They've been both fun and informative. I've decided to get Americaunas for the green eggs (people ask for them!) and more golden comets to minimize the roo possibility. The ones we have now are sweet and lay lots of eggs. I just hope Mt. Healthy's golden comets are quiet as well. The ones we have were given to us by the neighbors who got them at TSC.

 

[Cuccismith]

Don't think this is a reply but - I think because my flock has gotten spoiled... if I leave them in their big run they scream until I let them out! What is happening? It's big with lots of food/water and roosts, the coop is attached and it has a roof. Not even an hour do they want to be left in there in the morning. At night I can put them early to bed about 7 and they are ok. Wait until I have to go back to work in September... my neighbors will need ear plugs.

 

[Wol1]

I would guess they have you trained. It's like a screaming toddler or a sulking teenager... if they find out it gets them what they want (you, to let them out) they'll try it again and again in the hope that it will work again. If you know your neighbors well enough, you may ask one of them whether it happens when you are gone... They (the chickens) may know when you are and aren't home and only make a racket if you are around to give them what they want. If that's the case, then you don't have to worry about them making noise while you are at work. If it drives you nuts when you're home, you may need to deliberately ignore them for several days...hopefully not weeks. Go outside to them only when they are quiet. It may take awhile, but I think you will win the psychological battle. You may want to warn the neighbors about what you are doing and why it will be noisy for a little while.

 

[Wol1]

I've decided to get Americaunas for the green eggs (people ask for them!) and more golden comets to minimize the roo possibility.

And two of the six Americaunas were roos.

 

[grizwaldfubar]

I have a black sex-link - she's the head of our flock, and the oldest. She's a quiet bird - very sweet and nurturing. She is just now starting to get more vocal with her responses. There was only one incident I found where she was actually loud - We moved her to an outdoor pen alone (none of her pen mates with her) and she was calling out often wondering where anyone was. When I left to go get the Buff Rock to join her - as I was coming back out to the pen - she was calling out very loudly (loud enough I think people across the street could have heard). When I gave her a friend to spend time with - she was very content - the two of them commiserated at being away from the flock but they settled in for the evening very well with no further complaints.

I am postulating that if they feel alone (and thus scared) they will start making alot of noise to either find a friend or shake-out any predators (one would assume a bird that was a prey-animal would keep quiet rather than attract attention but these are chickens). Not very different from humans - lost and alone a human will start crying out to find help or another person unless they were a very brave individual.

My pen is not very big - they could find each other easily from any spot in it. My friends who had chickens let them free-range all through the backyard and I can see when one of them was isolated in a place where they could not find another pen mate - they probably felt scared and called out.