Once pleasant birds turned noisy! Help!

[Lovemesomechicks]

So, I have three chickens, about 20 weeks old, a RIR, Americauna, and I'm assuming a white leghorn. ( When I bought her, the sign said Ideal 256).


Anywho, they have been, up untill this point, quiet birds, not really clucking much. Which is great, since I live in the middle of Dallas.

But for the past week, especially today, the Americauna has been clucking...LOUD. And some other noises.

The others are being noisier than usual lately too.

I'm getting kinda worried the neighbors might soon complain.

What is causing this??? Is this how life is going to be with them from now? Please help.

Thanks in advance

Here's pics of two of them

 

[SeaChick]

First of all WOW that leghorn has an enormous comb for a 20-weeker!!!!! I have never had that breed....

Second, are they laying yet? I've notived that some hens get loud if they are upset about laying for some reason. So maybe be's feeling the need to lay but hasn't quite figured out where/how to do it..... ????

Is it a Bok-Bok-Bok- BA- GAWK sort of noise? That's usually associated with laying (generally afterwards to announce the egg, but not always. I have one who fusses for a while before she lays) or because something is upsetting them. So another thought is: have you recently changed the coop, added a roost, added birds, etc?

Good luck!! I live on 5,000 sq feet in the middle of the city and I am always worrying about my girls' noises!!
Stacey

 

[reallemons1]

Your hens are singing! Thay are happy and getting ready to lay eggs.

 

[Lovemesomechicks]

First off, thank you for the replies.


Yes seachick, that is the noise. They free range, although I did make their coop a little bigger and move it around some, but that was weeks ago and they didn't seem to mind.


No new chickens.


And no eggs yet from any of them.

I have to admit I'm a bit behind on getting their nesting area ready...All I have at the moment are two kitty litter boxes, no lids, with hay in them. They aren't really all that private, and I put them in about a week ago.


What should I do to prepare them, or show them what to do? Should I try the fake egg thing? If so, do I need to use a white egg, or can I use a colored plastic one? Can I use a golf ball? Where would i purchase these plastic eggs if I needed a white one...


Thanks in advance!




Oh. and I thought the same thing about the comb, and that girl isn't really the noisy one, but she's not a rooster, is she?

 

[SeaChick]

I don't know about the Leghorn. I have NEVER seen a pullet with a comb like that, but as I said I don't know the breed. maybe post that pic on the "what breed or gender is this" section??

I'd put golf balls in the nests if you have them. We used those until we got some white wooden ones. And lift her into the nest a couple times a day so she can see what its all about.....

Good luck!

(edited to add, since that Bok-Ba-gawk is generally the "I laid an egg" noise, I would also check VERY carefull in other hiding places to see if she's already laying somewhere!! Since you're free ranging it could be anywhere. Watch and see!)

 

[pokachix]

The leghorns usually have a huge comb. I have brown leghorns & their combs are way bigger. 1 is very red & floppy compared to even the other leghorns but none of the roo type feathers or color on saddle or neck. Did see a couple of spur buds though but no crowing attempts. Mine are also starting to cluck cluck but havn't found eggs yet either free range also. The neighbors really shouldn't mind, it's not an annoying sound like all day crowing! Jody

 

[mtnhomechick]

Noise=get ready for eggs!

 

[Lovemesomechicks]

Thank you everyone.


While that's exciting to me, I really hope the neighbors don't mind.


Should the kitty litter boxes be okay? Should I make something more private?



Will they cluck like this from now on? All the time?

 

[FrontPorchIndiana]

They'll cluck like that when they need to lay an egg. Or afterwards. Shouldn't last all day though.

Your kitty litter box should be fine. I use a dish pan. Go ahead and put the golf ball in there. They could be making all that noise because they're confused and don't know where to go. I'm finding it doesn't take a whole lot to confuse a chicken.

As for the neighbors, you might try offering some eggs.

And you'd be surprised, I personally love the sounds of chickens. I'm sure others out there don't mind it either.

 

[Lovemesomechicks]

So, I had taken the chicken that was making all the noise this morning, and put her in our dog's kennel, placed her in the bathroom where it was quiet and dark with food and water, because I still wasn't quite sure what was wrong.


A few hours later, this is what I found....

I feel soo proud! My first one...well, not MY first.....I'm proud of her