[viks chicks]

Is there anything I can do about noisy chickens in the morning? Mine start shouting about 4am, when it gets light. They are quiet from about 7am onwards though. I usually let them out of their ark about 9am. There ark is totally fox proof, so they come out of their nesting box into the tiny run and make a racket! Should I make a door for their nestingbox/roosting area so they can't  see it's light- or is it just a built in mechanism to Yell at 4:00am. Am worried about the neighbours.

[Aunt Sally]

I don't let my chooks out of their eglu into the run until a least 7:30 and 8:00 at weekends.  I can't be doin' with noisy chooks waking me  

[kattcottrell]

D'you know I have the same problem, I've had them a couple of weeks and the oldest one has started crowing at 5am in the morning, she only started doing it a couple of days ago but like you am worried about neighbours, we live in a terraced house, I find myself shushing them out of the bathroom window but this just makes her louder, I too would like some advise :?

[peggyprice]

D'you know I have the same problem, I've had them a couple of weeks and the oldest one has started crowing at 5am in the morning, she only started doing it a couple of days ago but like you am worried about neighbours, we live in a terraced house, I find myself shushing them out of the bathroom window but this just makes her louder, I too would like some advise :?

Move your bedroom to the front of the house :?:     :?:

I know ours are in a dark house with the only light coming in through the ventilation gaps; they're always grumbling away when we go to let them out, usually around 6.30/7am ish, but once they're out and about they're more interested in eating than anything else ..

[Kate and her Ducks]

My ducks do the same if I don't lock them in their ark overnight. If I leave them with access to their run we are all up at 5am!!
Shut them in

[kattcottrell]

right that does it then, I'm locking them down for the night

[Foxy]

can you keep the henhouse dark??? If they are reacting to light might be worth trying!
I never really noticed in the winter- but Bigfoot is crowing early at the moment and am sure is the early mornings. Will be turning his house around and putting dark evergreens by the window to see if that helps....

[kattcottrell]

I've been leaving their pop hole open which is on the bottom of the house leading down into a very secure small run underneath, the only other light is ventilation gap, I'm gonna have to shut their pop hole up, I was just being lazy so I didn't have to let them out at the crack of dawn

[pushrod]

D'you know I have the same problem, I've had them a couple of weeks and the oldest one has started crowing at 5am in the morning, she only started doing it a couple of days ago but like you am worried about neighbours, we live in a terraced house, I find myself shushing them out of the bathroom window but this just makes her louder, I too would like some advise :?

She might be a he    

The best cure for an unnecessary noisy cockerel is a slow cooker  

Alternatively try keeping them in total darkness til you let them out and you might fool them that it is still middle of the night, although if they already have the habit it is harder to break it.

[poultrygeist]

We were thinking of hanging a 'curtain' of sacking across the pophole and leavign it open but I'd not sleep in case a fox got in the run.
Rather get up (usually OH!) at 6 and know they'll still be there.  

Rob

[Porffor]

My girls aren't waking anyone.. that i know anyway. I've been up around 5am with the kids a few times the last week and haven't heard a thing from the chooks. I shut them into their house though and open their door around 7.30-8.00 - no earlier than 7.30 as the dogs are on the prowl for a while before that. They never make a sound till they hear my footsteps coming to their run.

Kat, does sound like your she may be a he...  :shock:

[Vember]

We get Bob Dylan crowing from as early as 2 am, but we're lucky with no neighbours to worry about

I've got used to it now so it doesn't disturb me  

My girls are very good though, no noise till they hear me then they grumble till i let them out

[Porffor]

2am!!!  :shock:   :shock:  :shock:
Bob would have met the pot a long time ago!!  :twisted:

[Vember]

Nooooo  like I said we've got used to it  

     

[kattcottrell]

Well if it was a he and not a she then he'd be worth loads of money as he/she has laid nearly an egg a day since we got her