PRoblem with whining chickens

[fiddleblue]

I have been having a problem with "whining' chickens for a while now. From time to time I like to give treats to my flock, such as greens, or bread, cooked rice, or really anything other than their standard feed. I also like to let them out to forage in the backyard once in a while. But the problem I am now having, is that on the days I don't give them treats or foraging time, or even on the days I do , after the treats are consumed, or they are put back in the pen, they raise hell.

They start in with loud whining sounds, which can go on for a while. Often now the whining is starting right at daybreak,as soon as they get out of the coop in the morning, I hear these nasty squawks and whining /crying sounds, and it is upsetting to me to be awakened at 6am by such sounds -- also (I live in an urban area) I don't want my neighbors bothered by this. They can start whining really at any time during the day, though it is worst in the morning, but it seems to happen intermittently thru the day.

I have tried several things to address this and not sure what is best. I've tried squirting them with water from a hose when they make these sounds. Sometimes that stops it, but sometimes it only stops it for a couple minutes, and then they squawk louder afterwards, as if now they have something else to complain about. I have tried arresting them for "public disturbance" and putting the worst offenders in "jail", meaning, in an animal crate in the garage, for a few minutes or up to an hour or two, in the dark, left there to reflect on the errors of their ways. This helps, but there are others squawking and I don't have room for all to be in pet carriers. (i have a flock of 13 hens) I am considering eliminating all treats and outside-pen priviledges altogether, but I dislike having to do that.

ANy suggestions, particularly from others who have had this problem and found something that works to stop the whining?

 

[sourland]

Well, they want out from the 'boredom' of their pen. When you let them out or give them treats, they feel rewarded - they are trying to train you to give in to their demands. A larger pen and the cessation of all free ranging might help with this bad habit, but now that they know what 'freedom' is retraining will be difficult.

 

[fiddleblue]

They actually have a pretty big pen -- about 280 sq ft for 13 chickens. It seems to be the treats they like the most. I find it convenient to give them my leftovers and kitchen remnants, but I also don't want to encourage them to start the chorus of whining and loud begging every time I go outside and they see me, which is what happens now. I used to try to give them weeds or some kitchen remnants at least 3 times a week -- now I feel like I've not been appreciated, and that my generosity is being taken for granted.

 

[Bine]

Hm.... they are bored.... 2 m² is not that big if you are a standard chicken and you have nothing to do .Most organic farms I know have 10 m² per bird, so try to give them something they can do in the run..... something they can climb, like some tree branches, hang treats in the branches, some foxtail millet, amaranthus i.e. or hide broken corn under straw,
give your chickens daily rhythm which they can rely on. Let them out every morning and every evening at the same time for a fixed time and after a week they get used to it an will wait for playtime and go back into the run when it is over without complaining.
My chickens i.e. know that they have an hour every morning between 7 and 8 and 3 hours in the evening when I come home.

 

[fiddleblue]

I do have tree branches in the run...
I am a little worried about letting them out to forage unsupervised, since I found that the bantam Mille Fleurs are able to fly pretty high, and I found one sitting on top of the 6 ft fence,...she could have gone into an adjacent yard and disappeared. I also have had trouble with unsupervised chickens pulling up new plants. And I don't have time to stay out there and supervise them for an hour a day while they are out. But, if it appeases the whining, I suppose I could try to let them out in the late afternoon more often.

 

[snow5164]

Did you know that a bucket of dirt is interesting to a chicken? I alternate what I give my girls . I pour a bucket of sand one day , left over lettuce ends the next and I think most importantly some days I give them fresh water and that's it! They look at me and I feel guilty but not screaming or waiting for me because there are no expectations !!
Watch tomorrow they'll start screaming at me

 

[fiddleblue]

Ha! Thanks for reminding me of that. Yes, you're right -- I have actually poured a bucket of dirt into their run on some days, and they do love it. I just hadn't thought of using that to entertain them.

The thing I need to undo in them, is the demand cycle I seem to have gotten into. At this point, they have learned that if they squawk, they get stuff -- whether it be kitchen remnants, or a bucket of dirt, or being let out to have a run in the yard --- what I want to avoid is the continuation of the cycle where they scream and then they get a present.

The idea of giving them things at set times could work, except that they may come to believe that the only reason they ever get those presents is because they have spent hours prior to that squawking and yelling to get it.

I thought maybe I could leave the door to the run open in the early morning, before they even get out of the coop, so that they see that they can get nice stuff without screaming for it. ALso so they don't start the day feeling bored already, if that is the problem.

 

[snow5164]

I am raising meal worms and putting a scoop of those under the mud makes my girls crazy.... I'm starting to see that raising kids or animals or taking care of parents ( or spouses

) is all the same it boils down to what can I do for them.
Have fun !!

 

[aart]

Ha! Thanks for reminding me of that. Yes, you're right -- I have actually poured a bucket of dirt into their run on some days, and they do love it. I just hadn't thought of using that to entertain them.

The thing I need to undo in them, is the demand cycle I seem to have gotten into. At this point, they have learned that if they squawk, they get stuff -- whether it be kitchen remnants, or a bucket of dirt, or being let out to have a run in the yard --- what I want to avoid is the continuation of the cycle where they scream and then they get a present.

The idea of giving them things at set times could work, except that they may come to believe that the only reason they ever get those presents is because they have spent hours prior to that squawking and yelling to get it.

I thought maybe I could leave the door to the run open in the early morning, before they even get out of the coop, so that they see that they can get nice stuff without screaming for it. ALso so they don't start the day feeling bored already, if that is the problem.

That's just going to prolong the problem and open them to getting out of the yard and into trouble.....might open the door(literally) to predators having access to them.

I'm with sourland, cease the free ranging totally and live thru(and don't give in) the ruckus until they acclimate to their new 'normal'.

 

[sjturner79]

Or the other option is to build them a run. Closed in mesh / cloth area about 5x times size of coop. Gives enough outside space to get some exercise and reduce boredom.