[nottage]

We are considering keeping chickens at home. We live in a typical suburban new built house  with a 40 foot garden. Our garden is sided by other houses. Our only concern is the chickens annoying our neighbours with noise. We have no intention of keeping a cockerel, only hens. Advice and opinions please.

[Nats]

Hi there, they make very little noise.

A few happy clucks when you let them out in the morning, even happier clucks when you give them a treat and if something scares them then they will make a louder cluck. The happy clucks are quiet and nice to listen to.

They make less noise than my neighbour's dog, stereo and teenagers playing guitar!

[violet]

Ours make a sort of quiet chucking noise...but when the lay they are quite vocal....especially the little bantam!  Certainly no worse than any other noise you might have from a neighbours garden and many people comment on what a nice noise it is....

[Fifitrix]

I'd mostly agree with the above.  Mostly ours make a lovely sound and our neighbours have commented on what a lovely sound it is.

But every now and then they make a huge racket.  It's usually because a cat has come in the garden or because the sky is falling!  :shock: .

We've been away for the weekend and it's like having kids because it's payback time today.  I'm having to go out there every 5 minutes to tell them to be quiet.  Either it's cos one is missing (it's gone in to lay) or because there's a pigeon on the lawn.  They're driving me bonkers! :roll:

[Wildeone]

I'd mostly agree with the above.  Mostly ours make a lovely sound and our neighbours have commented on what a lovely sound it is.

But every now and then they make a huge racket.  It's usually because a cat has come in the garden or because the sky is falling!  :shock: .

We've been away for the weekend and it's like having kids because it's payback time today.  I'm having to go out there every 5 minutes to tell them to be quiet.  Either it's cos one is missing (it's gone in to lay) or because there's a pigeon on the lawn.  They're driving me bonkers! :roll:

mine are really loud some days and quiet the next but i've noticed they do not like it if the kitchen window is open  :roll:  They can hear me chatting and get all excited that a treat or a few greens are on the way!  :roll:

[compostqueen]

mine are quiet but one hen was cross with me the other day as I started cleaning them out and I quite forgot that she'd not laid. She soon reminded me, the racket (right in my ear'ole was ear splitting).  I threw everything back together and hightailed it out of there

She was as quiet as a mouse after that. It was my own fault for upsetting her routine and I shan't do it again    Bless em

[mtoyne]

Hiya, we live in a similar area, weve got chickens and they do make some noise but its far nicer than barking dogs and boy racers reving their engines so go for it.

[smiler43]

Hi there, I have 3 hens on the garden, they don't make an aweful lot of noise, only if spooked by something.  So long as you don't get a cockerel!
Neighbours probably won't notice them anyway, they are a lot quieter than a dog.  I love the quiet noises they make, really soothing I think.
 

[dawnsmith]

I live on an estate. I have neighbours very close.
My chooks are fairly vocal in the morning when they want to be let out of their house. I used to worry about it, but I figured they don't make as much noise in the morning as the local wood pidgeon. And they definately never make as much noise as the neighbours children   And do you know what?... the neighbours children haven't laid an egg yet!!