Sound insulation they won't eat

[Schrebergaertner]

We're doing our best to address a neighbor issue. Our 11 hens and one roo are in a closed wooden house all night, but we're still getting complaints. (Frankly, I don't think it's loud at all, but we're trying to be good neighbors. We're in a rural area and all homes are on at least one acre lots, and there are roosters everywhere. Other roosters who are in the open crow louder than ours and it carries through the whole neighborhood much louder than ours. But we don't want to have a feud if we can avoid it.) So I'm checking into ways to insulate the walls to help muffle the crowing. I did some searching here and found lots of posts about insulating for weather and how the chickens will peck at and eat the pink foam fiberglass insulation, and the only way to prevent that is to cover it with plywood. Are there any other options for sound insulation? Weather is not an issue for us (SoCal). I remember as a kid my friends who played drums used to tack up paper egg cartons on their walls and that supposedly helped. But I wonder if they'd chew on that, too.

So does anyone have any ideas for either a type of effective sound insulation that they either will leave alone, or if they do peck/eat, it won't harm them?

Thanks everyone!

 

[silkiechicken]

Is it just the rooster? If so, many often kennel the rooster up in the garage and put them out for the day hours.

 

[Buugette]

When I was a kid, my mother "corked" my bedroom wall (the wall I shared with her bedroom) so that in the morning I didn't give her a blow by blow play-back of their previous night's activities. Worked great, but they might pick at that too...

 

[wolfandfinch]

the best insulation against sound is air space. So, if you can double wall your coop it would be best. WHy don't you want to put up ply inside your coop - too expensive? Can you get used scraps on freecycle?

Insulation is good against cold AND heat...

 

[sunnyvera]

I live in the country too (almost 3 acres) -and have neighbors that are annoyed by everything. They hate that we park our trailer next to the garage, and that we heat our house with firewood. We have been doing both 35 years, way before any neighbors were there. I say they should move into the city where they can control their surroundings better. YIKES. We live in a Township for pete's sake. If other roos are crowing around you, they will not notice that yours is or isn't. I would not worry about it too much. I don't want to give the impression that our place is a hovel - we have one of the nicest houses on the street, just VERY picky neighbors. Don't let them get to you.

 

[sgtmom52]

We covered our fiberglass insulation with sheets of Luan plywood. Much cheaper than regular plywood.

 

[midget_farms]

Its good to be good neighbors. especially if they are friends of yours & you know it annoys them.

However - if its legal for you to keep a rooster then they need to butt out. I moved to Midget Farms subdivision 3 years ago. Not to brag but my neighbors though they were in an uppity area until I moved in with russell.

I checked the zoning before hand & politely asked everyone if they were bothered. Luckily for me none were - but I wouldn't have changed much even if they had.

I do have an automatic door & keep them locked up at least until everyone is awake - I consider @ 7:30 they should all be awake. At that point they usually free range & cackle & crow all day.

 

[Schrebergaertner]

Thanks, everybody. It's definitely legal to keep chickens. I'd read about the plywood over the pink foam, but was hoping there was something that was less trouble and expense. I'll check that other type of plywood. I agree they really don't have a leg to stand on, but having had a bad neighbor relationship at our old house (which was side-by-side), I'd really like to keep things friendly. What I'm tempted to do is tell her if she gets rid of her dogs that bark all day I'll get rid of the rooster. Might also try the kennel at night option.

We really don't want to get rid of him. When we first got our chicks in July we assumed we'd get rid of any males. But Domino has turned out so friendly, and so pretty, and such a gentleman to the girls, getting rid of him isn't an option. Watching him find a tasty tidbit and then call the hens over to pick it up blew me away! Watching him herd them around is amazing too. The whole chicken bug has bitten us in a big way!

 

[Country Parson]

Not to be a naysayer, but I don't think insulation will help you much with sound. Soundproofing only really works if you COMPLETELY sound proof the building (doors, windows, vents, etc). If you go out and buy and bunch of insulation and plywood, your sound will still be just as loud coming through your coop vents & uninsulated doors/windows. Lots of money for very little results.

We learned that the hard way in a few different construction situations. Soundproofing is only as good as your weakest point.

Why can't the rest of the world be like us, eh? The first time I heard my roo sound off at 4:30 am I smiled and rolled over back to sleep. Nothing communicates the sound of country living like a rooster.

 

[speedy2020]

There is a sound foam that you can use, but it is too expensive and only last about 10-15 years. Have you consider get rid your rooster and then borrow from the neighbor when you want to hatch some chick? You can also get rooster free pretty easy. It took me awhile, but I do get couple very quiet roosters. They are only crow few times early in the morning only. There are days they don't even crow at all.