Shh! I'm breaking the rules....and need some help!

[Chantele]

Hey Y'all..

I currently live on over an acre of land in central NC (not far from Raleigh). I live in a rural community that "currently" does not allow poultry in the subdivision. (I say currently because I am fighting to have that changed.) Our subdivision is by no means "ritzy" - I'll use the word average to best describe our small community. The president of our HOA hasn't returned any of my emails on the subject, so I have decided to own some hens on the "sly". I'm thinking about purchasing some cochin batams, orpingtons, and brahmas (owning a total of 8-10 birds). Everything I read online indicates that these types of hens are more docile and "quiet". For those of you who own any of these breeds, what is your experience with them? I'm not planning on owning any roosters, but was thinking if I did it would probably be a cochin bantam. Since the cochin bantams are much smaller, is the rooster loud? Our houses are not really close together in the neighborhood, but I'm not looking to offend any of my neighbors if they find my hens/one rooster to be a disturbance....

Thanks in advance!!

 

[paddock36]

I would say if your trying to be "sly" then roosters are out. My cochin bantam hens that I had actually seemed to be lounder than my BO, believe it or not. My BO just seemed to be more calm and quiet. Can't say about the Delawares 'cause I haven't owned any of those.

 

[tnchickenut]

I don't know if I should be the one to tell you... but a hen makes a racket when they lay a egg sometimes... especially when they first start laying... think about it. It makes sense... I bet it hurts.

That said, you could try but I really suggest having a "plan B" person who will take them incase you get in trouble. It can take some time to get rid of birds, even really good ones, sometimes.

I wouldn't get a rooster at all, if I was sneaking. I have standards and bantams, and the bantams are not as loud, volume wise - although they are loud... but they crow much more often. They get scared easier and will crow more often because of it.

Alot of people think that a chicken only crows in the morning... that isn't true at all. Wish it was. They crow to say "someone is nearby - beware!" they crow to say "this is my hen!" then the hens make noise when they lay a big egg that to me sounds like "A EGG, A EGG" lol... then on top of all that noise there is the cat that walks by and sets them all off and you can't shut them up until the cat gets way out of sight. And I have "quiet" breeds as well as not so quiet breeds. The difference, in my experience, is how easily they are set off.

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
My previous post was refering to my Delawares vs. my sebrights. Dels being one of my "quietest" breeds... sebrights are like alarms. lol. I actually keep them up close to my house so that they don't wake the neighborhood up.

Dels are quieter, but they do make noises like I mentioned before.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

My cochins are very quiet the only time they make any noise is when laying an egg. My roosters may crow a little first thing in the morning but what is weird, the don't crow when in they are in the run but, when I let them out to free range that's when I hear them doing the most crowing.

 

[Chantele]

Thanks for the responses!! I grew up on a farm in northern Kentucky and we had about 20 chickens. I remember our rooster crowing all the time. (I could hear our neighbors rooster crow more than ours and they lived a 1/4 mile down the road!) Okay, so no rooster for me. Currently my plan B is to keep the hens anyways. (I'm not really a follow the rules kinda gal..) And if things get "tough" I will give them to my parents who just bought a new farm in Kentucky. (We live in a neighborhood where someone can keep a run down truck in their backyard, two different kinds of siding on their house, and don't mow their grass!) I still wonder why in the world we have a HOA?! Anyhow, this should be a fun adventure.... Thanks a bunch!

 

[peeplessinNC]

Good luck, Chantele! I'm just up I-85 in Burlington where we can't keep chickens in the city. Funny thing though - when I bought my house about 12 years ago I would often hear a rooster in the early morning when I walked my dog. I could look across a school play yard to where the crowing was coming from, but it was too far to see what sort of coop and number of chickens were there. And this area is just blocks from downtown! Still walking the dog early but have not heard any crowing lately.

All the best!

 

[san415]

I don't live where I am supposed to have chickens, I don't have enough land area. There are farms a short way away from me but where we live the lots are long and narrow to cram as many cabins and houses in along Lake Huron. So far no problem for me. Any rooster I have ended up with I put on craigs list and people came the same day I posted to pick them up . I wanted Bantams so I finely ordered Pullets from MPC and paid the extra to have sexed bantams. And one time I ended up with a EE pullet that was a rooster, He was picked up also, listed him th efirst day he sort of crowed and some one was asking for him the same day. Several people asked for them each time (they were free) so I gave them to the one who replied first.
I should point out that we do have a pair of real crabby neighbors only one house between us. We have a privacy fence around the whole yard and then a tall fence around the hen yard, check my BYC page out for pics. They did complain my gazebo was to big and blocked the view, but it does not block any view except that of other houses. And so there isn't any thing they can do, but no complaints about the birds. They do love animals though. They have a dog and I know that they have given to the humane society. So maybe that helps?
My EE hen is so loud when she lays an egg, but she normally lays in the afternoon, not in the morning.

 

[mayberrygirl]

Makes me glad to be in Surry County where there are no restrictions for the most part. I would not get a roo, the less chance you have to offend the better. I also would not go on the sly on this. If they find out you did not wait for "permission" they would prolly say no flat out. That being said - I despise the thought of a HOA... the fact that anyone can tell you what you can build or keep on your land (within reason) is kinda silly. (I feel this way because my dad in Missouri had to fight to put in a handicap ramp to his front door.)

 

[Kacey's Krazee's]

Just to add a breed that appears to be on the quiet side, is the Black Australorp. I have 4 girls, and the are quiet, calm and very friendly. They also are the best layers we have. We have Orpingtons, Wyandottes, RIR, and Dominikers.

Hope you enjoy your Girls!