Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: SamT on April 04, 2011, 10:42

Title: How to stop chickens pacing and making noise?
Post by: SamT on April 04, 2011, 10:42
On a morning the chickens can come out their shed and into the pen as soon as they want, but after 20mins they start pacing up and down and howling to be let out. I've tried ignoring them so they get used to it but am worried about waking the neighbours as we approach very light mornings. At the moment I can get up to let them out but there are days when I will be leaving at 5.30am and they will be left in pen all day (only let them out when we are in) so won't be here to shush them. They have bark to dig in, mud and grass so they have things to do but they want to come out. Any ideas on how to get them used to being in pen in mornings and to keep quiet? Thanks
Title: Re: How to stop chickens pacing and making noise?
Post by: joyfull on April 04, 2011, 11:47
if they are used to being let out then some hens just aren't happy being made to stay in a run. There is nothing you can do to make them quiet I'm afraid.
Title: Re: How to stop chickens pacing and making noise?
Post by: compostqueen on April 04, 2011, 11:59
They are like caged tigers  :nowink:  Mine are the same but are mostly let out when I'm at home but sometimes you just have to leave them in.  Give them something to keep them occupied, like food crammed into logs etc, a whole cabbage to peck at (preferably a hard one)  Something to climb on.  Mine have straw bales, a chair. Like a kids playground really  :D  Peck a block - you get my drift  :) :)  On a nice day they will settle down and snooze
Title: Re: How to stop chickens pacing and making noise?
Post by: hillfooter on April 04, 2011, 12:04
You could buy them a good book or a DVD try "Chicken Run".   ;)

Though seriously the only thing you can do is give them as much space as you can and plenty of distractions.  You could install an auto pophole opener on the main house and leave the run open to the garden which is similar to what I do though the house is within a larger run protectected with an electric net.  This would also mean your house would be safer from preditors and less draughty at night so your run needn't be so secure.  Depends whether you want to let the chx have the run of the garden when you aren't around.
HF
Title: Re: How to stop chickens pacing and making noise?
Post by: compostqueen on April 04, 2011, 12:10
We made ours a shed with a full roof and it's 12 foot long by six foot wide and 7 foot hight (why I'm not sure as I'm only 5'3"  :lol:)   This gives them plenty of room when I'm not there.  The rest of the time they're let out into a netted corale so they don't wreck my garden  :)
Title: Re: How to stop chickens pacing and making noise?
Post by: helens-hens on April 04, 2011, 13:20
I agree with all of the above. Mine are the same and I am in the process of extending their run and will try and make it into a form of mini chicken funfare or should I say runfare?

One thing I would say is don't give in to them too much, mine soon cottoned onto the fact that if they started making a racket, if there, I would come out and let them out rather than ignore them cringing in case it disturbed the neighbours! They will give up after a while and resume what they were doing.
Title: Re: How to stop chickens pacing and making noise?
Post by: feelingbroody on April 04, 2011, 15:37
I bet they are only noisy when they Know you are around, mine do that, but If I creep up and spy on them they are all having a lovely time and as soon as they see me the drama commences.

What about a mirror secured to a solid surface at least they can check themselves out  ::) ::) and I thread a peice of baling twine through a cabbage for them to peck at its a bit like apple bobbing but with a cabbage and the other way round  :D :D

 I love the idea of a hay bale too I will do that for mine.......

Broody
Title: Re: How to stop chickens pacing and making noise?
Post by: hillfooter on April 04, 2011, 16:01
I bet they are only noisy when they Know you are around, mine do that, but If I creep up and spy on them they are all having a lovely time and as soon as they see me the drama commences.

What about a mirror secured to a solid surface at least they can check themselves out  ::) ::) and I thread a peice of baling twine through a cabbage for them to peck at its a bit like apple bobbing but with a cabbage and the other way round  :D :D

 I love the idea of a hay bale too I will do that for mine.......

Broody

Do you mean hay bale or straw bale?  In commercial barn systems the RSPCA welfare standards actually state a minimum number of straw bales per so many birds.  It helps the less dominant birds find cover from being bullied and they will also pull them apart for bedding.  

If you use bales outside they will need to be replaced regularly as wet bales quickly start to smell and also harbour straw mites which are very itchy and can cause allergic reactions to humans  I found out the hard way after spending a long period time leaning on a pile of old straw bales while shooting rabbits once. :D
HF
Title: Re: How to stop chickens pacing and making noise?
Post by: SusieB on April 04, 2011, 16:40
I agree with Feeling Broody.  Mine seem to have a good sense of when I'm in, and they are usually always queuing up at their door.  So I have been surprised when I have caught them unawares, that they are all ambling quite happily round the pen.

Hillfooter - is it alright, as a rule, to leave them outside all day whilst I'm at work, if they are within an electric fence?  I think I would worry (though I'm not sure about what).
Title: Re: How to stop chickens pacing and making noise?
Post by: hillfooter on April 04, 2011, 21:56
Provided the net is well implemented they should be perfectly safe.  In a garden situation you need to ensure there are no convenient sheds and fences a fox might use to get easy access. 

The other problem is you really need to lay the net in a straight sided geometric shape with long runs ie you can't have lots of changes of direction to curve the net round obstructions etc or it will sag and tend to short out. A rectangular shape is fine if your garden can support this.

Nets are usually available as 25metres or 50 mtrs.  You can obviously shorten the net by folding it but a 25 m net will give you a run of upto 39sq mtrs enough for 10 chx with plenty of room.
HF