Are chickens noisy?!!!

[Jenny22Cumbria]

Hi everyone,

My boyfriend and I are in the process of buying our first house and the house we've had an offer accepted on has a large garden with more than enough space for a little lawn for him and a seperate bit for my veg...and that set me thinking...!

I've always wanted chickens so I'm working on persuading Ben! I'm a little bit worried though that they might upset the neighbours - I wouldn't be getting a cockeral or anything (just 4/5 girls maybe) so would there be any noise for people to possibly complain about?

There's an existing shed that I thought I could convert to a chicken house and I'd put up the biggest run I can fit in. Still wondering whether it will need to be covered though (as we've seen a cat and the accompnying mess on our visits so far) and if it is I'd like to be able to stand up in it so that might get expensive.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - I know you're always very sweet to newbies like me

Jenny

[pdblake]

Hens are generally quiet. They have a good old cluck when they lay an egg usually but not much noise apart from that.

Though I've just found out that when you introduce new birds then world war three breaks out

[walldanzig]

When you introduce new chickens they are mean and make a lot of noise. But other than that they just make a noise when laying an egg. Also if there is something around that scares them they make a noise mine go crazy when the petrol lawnmower is on the go

[Bramble-Poultry]

To be fair most of your neighbours will probably not mind the noise - they are generally quiet, they cluck for a few minutes when they lay an egg and then they will create a fuss when you turn up cos they think they will get food - especially if they see you with treats in your hands!!

It amazing how many people get chickens and then the neighbours will investigate getting them too.

a 6ft high run is not that costly really, you just build 6 ft by 3 ft panels and screw them together, rather like an aviary, this is usually the easiest because wood from a hardware shop comes in 6ft lengths so this limits your cutting and aviary mesh comes in 3ft widths so also easier to fit!! Pond netting stretched over the top is usually sufficient to stop the birds flying out and cats getting in - all of our tall runs are roofed over with pond mesh - its cheap.

[its hilly]

If you dont get a cockeral, then there wont be much noise, and the odd gift of half-a-dozen eggs should cure any possible mutters And if you let Ben choose a couple of the birds he'll end up as hooked as you will be
By the way, I'm at Millom , hello neighbour.

[Two_Sheds]

the ones on my old allotment were REALLY noisy, but there were about 100 of them. You could tell when Michael was late to feed them ... what a racket!

However, 4 or 5 will just make little bok bok noises ... much quieter than the seagulls, pigeons and crows on my roof anyway

[Hans Mum]

much quieter than most neighbours too and dont worry about cats chickens will soon put them in their place

[Hilary B]

Cats, probably no problem, but if you get chooks, you WILL find out that there are foxes not far away!
The other problem is that rats will come looking (they are going to be about, but probably never been noticed; once the chooks are about the rats will be seen, and the chooks will be blamed) so if the floor and lowest 3 ft of walls of the run are rat-proof as well, it would be a good idea.

[Flummery]

I asked our neighbours if they found our 4 girls noisy. I notice the Egg Announcement clucking because I'm on edge in case they are disturbed by it. One said they were less noisy than the local wild birds (there's a rookery down the lane) and the other (deaf!) said he wished we had a cockerel as he loved the 'country sound'!

[MrsC]

Hi I too was worried about the noise, I have 8 girls and looking at rehoming 4 more come October time. They are relatively quiet, except when laying, but it doesn't last for long and I do find that the neighbours are really interested once they know you have chickens. They like to make a bit of noise when I get home around 3.30 in the afternoon and open the back door and again when it's treat time, but no more than the pigeons nesting in the trees make. They have a good run round from me getting home 'til bed and all weekend, also school holidays (bonus for me!) Wouldn't be without them, we have had so many animals and they are the most entertaining and apart from dogs (have been the ones to captivate kids the most!) They love them! Go for it!

[RedThorn]

The only times my girls make a noise is if I'm not fast enough to let them out in the morning ( 1 girl in particular) and when they've just laid an egg (wouldn't you too) oh and when they see me in the afternoon and know I'm going to get their treats ... lol they've got me well trained I tell ya! Go for it, they are real characters and worm their way very quickly into your heart and unlike most pets, give you back something you can eat too!

Aunty Flum I had the same request from one of my neighbours with regards to the cockerel... but not sure how the other neighbours would take to it....

Oh and as to neighbours moaning about the girls, they were only too happy to take the eggs off me Friday gone, when I went door to door giving the eggs away. My girls(all eight of them) have been in hyper drive with laying the last couple of weeks, had 50 or 51 eggs in seven days!

Oh and our 2 cats and all the neighbours cats get chased away(1 girl in particular takes great pleasure in chasing them)

[Alice]

I don't think hens are noisy. I don't keep them but when we rented a house in France there were hens at the bottom of the garden. I was certainly aware of their chuck chucking but nothing that annoyed me. So I suppose it depends on who lives next door to you and how easily annoyed they are. If you don't have a cockerel (blimmin nuisance) I don't think it should be a problem.

[Jenny22Cumbria]

Thank you all so much for your advice!!!

I think we'll settle in a bit, try and get on the good side of both next-door neighbours and then broach the subject with them with the promise of eggs. From what you've said it doesn't sound like there'll be any noise for them to complain about.

I'm a bit worried about the rat thing though - hadn't thought about that!!! I thought I'd put up a run much as Bramble Poultry suggested (thanks for the tips on height and pond netting!) and sit it on grass - but then rats will just be able to dig underneath. I suppose I could sink the bottom of the wall pannels into the ground a bit to stop them burrowing under?

Hi It's Hilly - I didn't realise there was a grape living so close by!

[TPeers]

You should either dig the run in as a permenant thing or have a 'skirt' around the edge that you weigh down with bricks and/or peg to stop Mr Fox.

Foxes both dig and climb.

[pdblake]

We only talked to the one neighbour about them and he's fine about them. The ones behind us didn't even notice the chickens for about two months She saw them one day and remarked how lovely they were and how she'd always wanted some.