Noisy Hens- Advice Wanted!

[ChickNanny13]

2x All of the above ... You may want to start over, keeping the new flock confined. You could also check with your neighbors (maybe they work all day) if they are being disturbed. Breed also makes a difference, IF you decided to start over, research the "quieter" breeds. Then again it's possible an individual personality.

 

[gracenut123]

What breed are they? In my original flock I had one Dominique that was incredibly loud and never stopped talking throughout the day, as well as 2 Wyandottes that were loud. I first re-homed the Dominique and a few weeks later both of the Wyandottes. All 3 were just too loud! One would make the sound I can only describe as a prolonged scream!! And I have one "sensitive" neighbor. I kept my Buff Orpington and added a Barnevelder, a Pyncheon bantam (that I thought was a Polish) and 2 porcelain D'uccle. They're nice quiet girls. Good luck with yours. I know how hard it was for me to let go of my girls.

This is exactly our fear!! I am worried that when we get rid of our problem child another will just take her place of crying out, which sounds like is what happened in your situation! Our noisest girl is a blue mauran but we also have 2 amerucanas and 1 austerlorp. In my research that I should have done from the start about queit breeds, I have heard good things about buff orpingtons! I am glad to hear that it ended up working out for you in the end with your new flock, we may have to do the same. Thanks for the response.

 

[gracenut123]

Our hens always make that noise in the morning before we let them out to free range :'( I think she just wants to be free again

Meh, we may need to rehome and start over with some hens that we keep in the run from the start. Sounds like free ranging them in the beginning was our fatal error!

 

[Pghelp]

Our RIR is the loudmouth of our flock. We have joked that she sounds like she's rattling her tin cup on the jailhouse bars. For her it's mostly eternal hunger. She shuts up once she's fed and doesn't rev up again until evening. Some breeds are louder than others, ditto for some individual chickens. I'd give her a little time to see if she settles, as long as it's not annoying the neighbors.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Can't go wrong with Orpingtons

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

They really do love the freedom! Everyone has their reasons and it is MUCH easier to have chickens in runs/coop only, but why for you have you decided to not free range?

For us the chickens were free ranged early on so we can't keep them locked up haha, eating grass and bugs also cuts down on some feed costs which is nice : )

 

[gracenut123]

They really do love the freedom! Everyone has their reasons and it is MUCH easier to have chickens in runs/coop only, but why for you have you decided to not free range?

For us the chickens were free ranged early on so we can't keep them locked up haha, eating grass and bugs also cuts down on some feed costs which is nice : )

A few reasons the main being us worrying about predators, them getting into the garden and eating plants they aren't supposed to, and they were pooping all over the deck and patio. The run we would like for them to stick to extends across our backyard and has lots of fun different areas where they have access to bugs, grass, and dirt that they love to bathe in! It would be ideal for us if they could remain confined to that space so that we don't have to worry about them throughout the day, while they are still able to enjoy the yard!

 

[gracenut123]

2x All of the above ... You may want to start over, keeping the new flock confined. You could also check with your neighbors (maybe they work all day) if they are being disturbed. Breed also makes a difference, IF you decided to start over, research the "quieter" breeds. Then again it's possible an individual personality.

Thanks for the reply! I agree next step is to find out if the neighbors are bothered or if it is just our worries making it more of a problem than it really is. If it doesn't work out I will definitely seek out quieter breeds, I've heard good things about Buff Orpingtons as well as a few others!

 

[gracenut123]

Our RIR is the loudmouth of our flock. We have joked that she sounds like she's rattling her tin cup on the jailhouse bars. For her it's mostly eternal hunger. She shuts up once she's fed and doesn't rev up again until evening. Some breeds are louder than others, ditto for some individual chickens. I'd give her a little time to see if she settles, as long as it's not annoying the neighbors.

That is a hilarious description! We plan to give it some more time unless we get a complaint from the neighbors, maybe we are making it a bigger deal than they thing it is!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'd give her a few more days, to see if she settles into life in a run. Since chickens don't like change they'll fuss over a while over new things, but most will eventually accept the change without much issue.

Just don't give in and give her outside time, or she'll learn that fussing = gets time outside, and will continue to fuss.