Quiet chicken?

[chicknduck]

Is there a breed that is not very loud?
Looking to get a few but dont want them to be too loud.
Thank you.

 

[foxypoproxy]

well make sure you don't get a rooster then because ANY rooster would be loud XD.

I'm not sure about breed maybe silkies?
Are polish is pretty quite but idk if thats just its personality.

 

[cobrien]

Do you want chickens for meat, eggs, pets or a combination of some of these?

I have chickens mainly for eggs but also as pets. So I look for breeds that are both friendly and good egg layers. The quietest hen I've had that was also a decent egg layer was a Cochin. She was also very friendly. Polish are not good layers and Silkies are okay layers but not great. Both are extremely cute, though, and Silkies are often very friendly. The best layers I've had have been Black Australorps, but 1 of my 3 is crazy loud, 1 is very quiet and 1 is in between. If a quiet hen is very important to you, you might consider buying one that is ~6 months or so old so that you know more about its temperament than you can tell by breed alone. Even then, when their housing/flockmates change, and as they mature, their personality can change.

Definitely avoid Leghorns and Andalusians, and any breed described as flighty.

Here is a handy chart - i would look for a breed that has characteristics that you like as well as being listed as "docile" and "tolerates confinement" if they will be confined.

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

That's really a tough question to answer because so many factors go into this. I have a BO who barely makes anything louder than a soft peep peep peep. Honestly, she was louder when she was a chick. But a friend has one and she is very loud and squawky. But this BO is her alpha hen.

I have a Jersey Giant. They are not known to be loud or obnoxious but since mind is my alpha hen, she is like an air raid siren. Especially, if she knows I'm home and I'm not letting her out of her run. OMG she's loud.

I would avoid Leghorns and RIR which are known for being chatty. But one way or the other, you are going to have an alpha hen and she's likely to be noisy.

 

[Pele]

If youre getting chickens for eggs, I'd suggest Red SLs. They are fairly docile, and mine are silent during laying. Some breeds like RIRs sing at the top of their lungs forever after they've laid. My Red SLs still make an occasionally ruckus, but it's very rare and doesn't last long.

If you are just looking for a pet, I'd suggest a silkie or a cochin. Both breeds are really quiet as a general rule. I have two cochins who just mutter to themselves all day, it's adorable.

 

[nwfl]

My two silkie hens are a hoot. Not quiet though, great talkers, demanders and complainers. My calmest ladies are a few welsumers, some buff orps and cornish hens. Other ladies of the same breeds are not quiet at all. I have some young rumpless easter eggers that are very quiet so far.

 

[Redcatcher]

The quietest chickens I've ever had are the oriental games. They're not talkative at all and when they do talk, it's low keyed. Even when a young one gets separated from the rest of the flock, the call sort of sounds like a kid with the croup. They aren't for beginners though nor are they for everyone.

 

[Zinnia-Hen]

Depending on what you want your chickens for, I'd say my Modern Games are actually pretty quiet aside from the little rooster. I can't hear them through the walls like I can with my others.

 

[arcatamarcia]

I have a barred Rock, an Ameraucana, a Welsummer and a Brahma. None of them are noisy. They aren't always silent, but at their noisiest it's a low level muttering to each other. I don't even hear the sound anymore. It just blends into the background.