Noisy hen making neighbors crazy

[PrimeFactor]

Hello! I have 2 rescue hens, black australorps, about 3 yrs old. Millie is shy, but Peaches is bold, fearless, and LOUD! (We joke that she has a lot of testosterone, because her call is practically like a crowing rooster when she gets in a cycle of "bukbukbuk BAAAWWWKK!!!")

Any tips for how to discourage her very loud & proud squawking? She does it not only when she's laid an egg, but when she is bored -- especially if Millie is off laying an egg and Peaches wants someone to play with.

I'm afraid that my current technique -- distracting her by talking, picking her up, or (probably worst of all) giving her a nibble of food -- is actually training her to keep being a noisy little pill. But I don't want to do anything strict or unkind... She was abused in her former home and it's beautiful that she now loves and trusts humans.

The neighbors are polite but clearly bothered by the frequent "yelling" Peaches does. Any ideas? Thank you!

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

So happy to hear that you rescued the hens!
Are you allowed to keep chickens where you live? If yes, then you have nothing to worry about. You are within your rights. If they work during the week then the weekends are when they will notice the noise. If you are able to you could put up a privacy fence and/or some large shrubs to try to dampen the noise of the clucking. My pullets and hens can get noisy after laying, but it doesn’t last more than 3 minutes. I do have 1 hen who will literally yell if she wants to be let out to forage or if another bird is in the nest boxes when she wants to lay.
I assume if you had a dog that was barking a lot they wouldn’t be so bothered.

 

[Dutch bantam 1]

Hi,
Just try to obscure the sound and like (Brahma Chicken 5000)said if you're allowed chickens in your area its totally within your rights. Try and find out how many you can keep in your area.

 

[Dutch bantam 1]

Also, try to get a rooster and strap a no-crow collar on he will keep the order.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Also, try to get a rooster and strap a no-crow collar on he will keep the order.

If the original poster isn’t allowed to keep roosters where she lives then a rooster won’t help the situation.

 

[Trish1974]

Also, try to get a rooster and strap a no-crow collar on he will keep the order.

That will depend on the rooster. Mine join in on egg songs!

 

[SurferchickinSB]

If the original poster isn’t allowed to keep roosters where she lives then a rooster won’t help the situation.

Will a no crow collar work on a noisy hen? If so maybe she should try that

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Hello! I have 2 rescue hens, black australorps, about 3 yrs old. Millie is shy, but Peaches is bold, fearless, and LOUD! (We joke that she has a lot of testosterone, because her call is practically like a crowing rooster when she gets in a cycle of "bukbukbuk BAAAWWWKK!!!")

Any tips for how to discourage her very loud & proud squawking? She does it not only when she's laid an egg, but when she is bored -- especially if Millie is off laying an egg and Peaches wants someone to play with.

I'm afraid that my current technique -- distracting her by talking, picking her up, or (probably worst of all) giving her a nibble of food -- is actually training her to keep being a noisy little pill. But I don't want to do anything strict or unkind... She was abused in her former home and it's beautiful that she now loves and trusts humans.

The neighbors are polite but clearly bothered by the frequent "yelling" Peaches does. Any ideas? Thank you!

Can you move your coop to the other side of the yard? All I can say is at least they should be glad that there is not noise at night. Your neighbors must be retired and do nothing but stay at home, lol!I have a couple chickens like that and it was really stressing me out too. My neighbors have never said anything and I have even asked them if the noise bothers them and they said no they like my chickens, so I guess I am a little more fortunate. It’s too bad that they are so bothered.

 

[Acre4Me]

Give us some more info.

Are you allowed chickens? If so, how many?

Do you have other chickens or just these two?

What is their coop situation like? Size, and position in the yard (how close to your home, the neighbors home, etc).

Are they locked in the coop at night, then let out by someone in the am, or do they have 24/7 access to come and go?

Are they penned in a run?

How close can they get to the neighbors?

My solutions (assuming I was going to do everything I could to keep the chickens) could be:
1. to lock them in their coop (if is was roomy enough) for 2-4 days. Give them water and food in there. They will be together and their sounds would be muffled. Sometimes it doesn't take too long to to re-adjust their habits. I would not do this if there wasn't at least 4 sq ft per bird, roosts, Light from a window, and adequate ventilation (1 sq ft per bird).
2. Re-position their coop away from the neighbors or at least as far from them as I could. Or maybe putting up a fence and hedge as a kind of sound barrier.

Alternately, you could re-home the noisy one or both together and get some other ones. You can buy started pullets from hatcheries and breeders, and they will be at or close to point of lay.

 

[PrimeFactor]

Hi, folks! We live in the city and are allowed hens, though not roosters. We have only Millie & Peaches. The henhouse is in the middle of our backyard (one-tenth of an acre), and not moveable -- and even if it was, sliding it a few feet to the right or left wouldn't really change anything, as the neighbors are on BOTH sides! Millie & Peaches have the run of the yard from sunrise to sunset -- The coop is open during that time so they can come and go at will. The yard has tall wooden fencing, about 7 feet high, entirely enclosed and secure. I know the hens are within my rights... but I'm concerned about my neighbors for courtesy's sake, not for any legal reasons.

Thank you for your input!