Why is she yelling at me?

[cate1124]

My flock leader, a buff Orpington named Tess, is vocal, and she does not have a dulcet voice. She has always been the biggest talker of the flock; my first buff was also a talker, so maybe it's partly a breed thing. As Tess has gotten older and now, with the addition of chicks, what feels like raucous scolding has increased. It begins when I first go into the coop in the morning and repeats periodically throughout the day. Often, she seems to want me to let the flock out into the yard, or a better yard, or has some other complaint to which I can respond, though not always right when she wants me to. This is a loud, grating sound I'm sure neighbors can hear, too, even when she's in the coop. Tess is also the most bonded with me of all the hens; she enjoys being picked up and cuddled regularly.

Anyone else have this problem? Ideas on how to (non-lethally) get a loud hen to shut up? I will miss her temperament when she passes (she is 6) but I have to say I won't miss this behavior. It makes me want to flee the coop when I would otherwise enjoy keeping company with the flock. She makes me feel, uh, …. hen-pecked.

 

[Animal02]

I’ve had this issue before there are 3 different reasons she is doing this and I’ll tell you how to resolve it no.3 is probably the most effective

1. She feels unsafe: hens often cluck loudly when they feel a predator is nearby and are calling out to their leader (you) for protection...you can resolve this by either adding a rooster to your flock or adding more security to their pen eg. more hiding areas for you hens.

2. she is challenging your authority: often chicken either at the top of the pecking order or Chickens getting picked on by other members in their flock will either attack or vocalise loudly at you as it gives them a sense of power...you can fix this by every time she clicks loudly, grabbing her and flipping her on her back and holding like a baby.

3. she is just a noisy hen! You can fix this by when you have free time standing near her with a spray bottle filled with water and spray her every time she is too noisy, if she doesn’t react to the spray bottle use a hose, don’t worry she won’t hurt her! If you don’t want to use water you can bang together spoons of something noisy whenever she gets too loud which will distract her and teach her that’s what happens every time she’s too loud.

I hope this helped!!

 

[Aunt Angus]

My flock leader, a buff Orpington named Tess, is vocal, and she does not have a dulcet voice. She has always been the biggest talker of the flock; my first buff was also a talker, so maybe it's partly a breed thing. As Tess has gotten older and now, with the addition of chicks, what feels like raucous scolding has increased. It begins when I first go into the coop in the morning and repeats periodically throughout the day. Often, she seems to want me to let the flock out into the yard, or a better yard, or has some other complaint to which I can respond, though not always right when she wants me to. This is a loud, grating sound I'm sure neighbors can hear, too, even when she's in the coop. Tess is also the most bonded with me of all the hens; she enjoys being picked up and cuddled regularly.

Anyone else have this problem? Ideas on how to (non-lethally) get a loud hen to shut up? I will miss her temperament when she passes (she is 6) but I have to say I won't miss this behavior. It makes me want to flee the coop when I would otherwise enjoy keeping company with the flock. She makes me feel, uh, …. hen-pecked.

My Buff Brahma, Aster, yells at me, too. She makes a weird kind of growling shriek whenever she sees me. I figured out it's because she a) wants treats or b) wants out. She gets treats 1 or 2x per week (don't want her to lose her svelte physique) and free ranges every afternoon, so she equates me with the Treat Fairy and/or She-Who-Can-Open-The-Gate. Aster is also quite bonded with me and likes to sit on my shoe. Sounds like she and Tess have a lot in common!

I wonder if she makes that noise when you're not around. Knowing that might narrow down if it's directed at you or if she's just noisy.

 

[cate1124]

My Buff Brahma, Aster, yells at me, too. She makes a weird kind of growling shriek whenever she sees me. I figured out it's because she a) wants treats or b) wants out. She gets treats 1 or 2x per week (don't want her to lose her svelte physique) and free ranges every afternoon, so she equates me with the Treat Fairy and/or She-Who-Can-Open-The-Gate. Aster is also quite bonded with me and likes to sit on my shoe. Sounds like she and Tess have a lot in common!

I wonder if she makes that noise when you're not around. Knowing that might narrow down if it's directed at you or if she's just noisy.

I'm glad to hear I'm not alone. This may be the shadow side of having a close relationship with a certain kind of hen. Talking with you becomes part of the relating. Possibly, too -- let's just admit it -- there may be an element of being spoiled by learning that her wish is your command. The raucous vocalizing IS usually in my presence, and I do have the sense that she is expressing some desire, as is your brahma (I love your "Treat Fairy" or "She-who-can-open- the-gate" examples). Do you think it's just blondes?

 

[aart]

Some birds are just loudmouths....any feather color can be so.

 

[cate1124]

Thanks
I think it's likely #3, that she's just a noisy hen, and may try the spoons approach, because you know that saying about being madder than a wet hen. The last thing I need is to get bawled out more. Thanks for the tips.

 

[janiedoe]

My blondes/buffs are my loudest too, other than my damn rooster, who is 1/2 blue orpington/easter egger. As soon as I shut my car door in the afternoon they start screeching. They can't even see me when I shut the car door.
It doesn't matter that my husband has already let them out into the yard. They love yelling at me. The rooster screeches and crows until I come out of the house.
It's funny. I love it, but then I don't have neighbors close by.

 

[cate1124]

My blondes/buffs are my loudest too, other than my damn rooster, who is 1/2 blue orpington/easter egger. As soon as I shut my car door in the afternoon they start screeching. They can't even see me when I shut the car door.
It doesn't matter that my husband has already let them out into the yard. They love yelling at me. The rooster screeches and crows until I come out of the house.
It's funny. I love it, but then I don't have neighbors close by.

Well, this bird is otherwise a sweetheart, and a benevolent flock leader, so I'm glad to have her. But the frequent grating vocalizing of both buff orpingtons I've had -- especially the current -- caused me to not choose another when I got chicks this year. (Of course, I'll probably miss even her complaining when she passes.)

Thanks for sharing your experience. It does seem that, from their perspective, such vocalizing is at least an expression of recognition and relationship, for which we can be grateful.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I'm glad to hear I'm not alone. This may be the shadow side of having a close relationship with a certain kind of hen. Talking with you becomes part of the relating. Possibly, too -- let's just admit it -- there may be an element of being spoiled by learning that her wish is your command. The raucous vocalizing IS usually in my presence, and I do have the sense that she is expressing some desire, as is your brahma (I love your "Treat Fairy" or "She-who-can-open- the-gate" examples). Do you think it's just blondes?

Well, come to think of it... My Buff Orp is pushy and vocal, too!

 

[Kgbao]

We have a 7/8week old Lavender Orpington we named Loud Mouth, I assume you can guess why. From day one she has been very vocal, and twice as loud as the other chicks. Luckily since we moved them into the coop she has seemed to quiet down, time will tell if she gets comfortable in the coop and starts again. She does this to us to get attention or if the food bowl is empty to her standards.