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Two of my five hens have started laying this week but they have been getting really noisy sometimes. Usually when i open the back door and they see me they start chuckling but the last few days and this morning especially they have been squawking really loud. Has anyone else had this? I'm worried about getting complaints from the neighbours and don't want to have to get rid of them.

Mine can get very loud because they are telling the world they have laid an egg.

'LOOK, QUICK, LOOK!!!!! I'VE LAID AN EGG!!!! AN EGG!!!! COME AND SEE MY EGG!!!!! I JUST LAID THAT I DID!!!!! (translation courtesy of chook-english dictionary)

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If there's anyone on here from around Notts that would be interested in these five birds then make me an offer if you can come and collect them.

P.S. Here's a photo of one, they have grown a bit since then, they're starting to get the comb on the tops of their heads. I didn't want to get rid of them they are lovely birds but they are just too noisy for where I live so if your interested just let me know.

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Very pretty Hen! Don't worry about the noise, they'll soon settle down when they're laying every day. It's probably just a case that they are so amazed at what they've produced they want to tell you about it, once they're doing it every day the novelty will wear off!

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Hi Ford I agree with Glutton they will settle down. I have a couple of noisy ones at times, wouldn't worry too much. They have been a little louder since coming back into lay but they have soon settled.

Mine used to give us regular birth announcements! They don't bother any more. I think they're just used to the idea that this big stone-like object drops out of their bum every morning!

Those are very pretty birds.

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LOL Flum, nearly made me spray coffee on my poota!

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I think they will quieten down. Mine used to be quite noisy but I hardly hear a peep out of them now. Could you keep them in the coop until about 8am ? That would muffle the noise until everyone gets up. I can't think that your neighbours would mind the noise of hens anyway. It might be a bit different if you had a cockerel. Have you asked the neighbours if they mind? I would love to home them as I want some more but I'm a long way from you.

They are locating the rest of the flock when they 'cluck' like that! I really can't see why anyone would object, its a nice sound, appease your neighbours with free eggs!

Got to agree, the boys are a worry re - upsetting the neighbours, how noisy are they

My lot shout:
a) when they are hungry
b) when they think they are hungry yet the feeder is full
c) when they want to lay an egg, and run around telling everyone about it
d) when they have just laid an egg, and run around telling everyone about it
e) when they see me (that's a lot of the time)

The rest of the time they are pretty quiet!

PS: Would also love your Campines, but you are too far from me.

*adds Campines to the list...

Wellies,
Barnies,
Campines...

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Keep them. Remember people have loud dogs that bark. We live in a built up area, we are aloud hens but not cockerels and mine are really noisey as they have started laying this week.

Keep them! Nobody - Unless you have Victor Meldrew as a neighbour could moan about a few chickens - kids, dogs etc they all make a little noise occassionally- at least its not a turkey, THEY are noisy!!

Hens making a noise is good noise. It is soothing and comforting to a lot of people. I shouldn't think your neighbours would complain but if you do get the odd one then a few eggs usually brings them round.
I live in a town and it gives people a little bit of country feeling in their day, or so I like to think.

Take care and let nature take it's course

James

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Victor Meldrew as a neighbour

I have one of those

Only just got my hens not making too much noise at the moment as they are young uns

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I would be a perfectionist, but I dont have the time

or guinea fowl; my neighbour raises them for meat in a run near my girls, even my girls put their little ear plugs in and even though i'm veggie i sometimes wonder how long they'll take to reach the right weight

Oh yes.. we have "him" as a neighbour too... and we have had complaints about noise from the hens (amongst other things ) We shut our hens in every night by 9.30pm and we keep them in till 7.45-8am - this reduces any potential "the sun is shining, it's a beautiful day!" noise so the only other noise we might get from the hens is "I've laid an egg!!!!" or the very occasional "scarey monster is coming to get me!"... and I feel that as long it is after 8am then it is considered 'normal' every day noise.

Don't make a spur of the moment decision to get rid - just see what happens and maybe shut them in till 8am-ish. We nearly got rid of ours as the stress of neighbour problems (it wasn't just the hens) was so bad but then I realised that we often hear dogs barking at all times of day and night (and it wasn't our dog!); we often hear the guy over the road revving his engine very early in the morning and we often hear our neighbours music or noise from their garden etc so realised that our hens were not really noisy and nor were they really causing anyone a problem.

Give it a bit longer!

as has been said,dont be too hasty getting rid of your birds,mine moan when i let them out in the morning(7am),probably saying "its too cold",then comes the egg announcement,then the "its him come to let us roam and clean out coop",followed then in the afternoon,"its time for our rice/sweetcorn/peelings",and that is 7 birds,they do make a noise but our neighbour,who is in her 80s says that the sound reminds her of when she was 10/11 and most families round here kept a few birds,i have bits and pieces that they have to work at if they want them and it keeps them occupied,too busy to make a noise,also a roost in the best bit for sunshine,they love basking in the sun and some go off to sleep,they dont get time to be bored,and now they are all laying an egg a day,i wouldnt be without them.....

I have kept chickens in my current home for over 10 years, and never had a complaint. I am not out in the sticks but am in the middle of an estate. The only problems I ever had were when I kept ducks. And no one actually complained about them.
I had 9 cockerels in the garden the year before last and in the early mornings (even still in their coop) they were not exactly quiet. They all loved to shout back at the scrap man too which made a fair old racket. When we finally despatched them (tasty things) I had quite a few neighbours asking if they'd gone and saying they missed the noise! I can't tell you how suprised I was.
Now I have 5, er 12 erm oh lets say a lot of hens and 2 cockerels and they like to shout at each other a lot, and all the girls seem to want to announce their eggs, as seems the case with the other replies, my garden can be a noisy old place. But I do my usual trip round the street to check no one is upset with it and I have, so far, no complaints. Of course the odd box of eggs now and then goes down well, as does letting people see the chicks.
I say keep them until you get a complaint. The worse that can happen is that you feel you have to get rid of them.
Good luck

Ford, I hope you have kept them! Got to agree 100% with above posts re - kids, dogs barking etc etc. My neighbours dog barks every morning from 6am (past 3 yrs) I've never thought to complain just got used to it and to be honest my neighbours love the sound of the girls or watching them race round the garden!

Many thanks for your replies they're all much appreciated. I found out that the reason for the sudden increase in noise was because at least two others have started laying aswell. Whenever they are noisy its like an alarm to go and get eggs! I also found a little blood on one egg - does anyone know if thats common? I'm going to keep them for now and hope i don't get any complaints from our next door neighbours, we don't exactly get on!

Again many thanks for your help, you can read all the books but you can't beat experience! Cheers.

If you start having problem neighbours invite them round and show them your hens - you never know they might become interested themselves. Also provide them with some free eggs. By receiving some of the produce they might be less likely to complain.

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You do occasionally get blood on an egg, especially when the chickens are new to laying. You can get blood inside an egg too but unless it happens very often it's nothing to worry about. Good luck with the neighbours!

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Whoever plants a garden believes in the future.

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated July 25th - A Village Wedding

www.henheaven.blogspot.com - June 29th - Foraging

and appease them with free eggs - it works!