[newhen]

hi again,

Sorry another question.  I wondered where you keep your chickens.  Do you have them in your gardens or have land?
Thanks.

[Celtic Eagle]

Ours are in a coop down the garden with an attached run. I know at one person round us who has them at home as well. I have a couple of mates in our allotment society which keep them on the lottie.
Best bet is to keep them where you are happy with them being and you can give the attention they deserve.

[nzdunn]

i keep my girlies at home, we have a patio outside out back door and thats were the girls house is, its only a dog kennel so it takes no room up atall.   Nickyx

[newhen]

great, sounds like mine will be fine in our garden. We have a large garden.
I have already got my chicken house and run, I am just a bit wary of upsetting any neighbours, but we are semi rural.. and natural chicken sounds is far better than me putting out awful music which they would hate. Just worrying.
Thanks for your replies.

[CattinJ]

we are semi rural too and I dont feel our hens make nearly as much noise as our neighbours dogs or children - they can get a bit noisier when laying but generally are such quiet pets I can't see anyone complaining if your gardens quite big!

[AmandaH]

I agree with CattinJ, we have four chooks and they don't make anywhere near as much noise as other's people's dogs, children, blaring music, etc.  

If you are planning on a cockerel, then that's a different matter, but just hens are no problem.  We ran the idea of chickens past the neighbours (either side, couldn't give a stuff about the noisy b******s opposite, would drop a bomb on them if I could) and they were really excited for us.  Everyone keeps dropping by "just to see the chickens".  My girls are almost local celebs!

We are semi-rural too but, even so, I honestly can't see how people can grumble about a few chickens...

[Brambles]

I have my girls on a patio outside the front of my house at the moment (I rarely use my back door)...  My house is in a very rural area and our house and garden are in a large walled and gated area so no traffic passes, no people pass unless to visit!   They are almost under my bedroom window so I hear if Mr. Fox is about and my dog certainly hears if there are any unwanted intruders around my girls...
Sadly I have a more permanent site lined up around the side of my house, but I am dreading moving them as I shall miss not having them so close.

[iwantanallotment]

Mine are up the garden too, but to be honest my neighbours didn't even know I had hens until I told them - they are so quiet!
I'd absolutely love a colourful little cockerel though, but daren't 

Plz keep us posted (and pics!) when you get your hens?

[power_of_p3]

Hey, 

Like dad says, they are at the bottom of the garden and make barley any noise...unless Winnie has just layed.  Sound slike you have b*****d neighbours like we do, but i wouldn't worry about upsetting them too much...they don't have a leg to stand on unless you have a cockerel which is the only reason we don't have one of those beauties.

I want them to free range sometimes, but I worry about them getting over the 6ft fence cause with the dog next door there prob wouldn't be much left by the time I got round there to retrieve one of our girls.  Not so worrie d bout Buffy, shes a silkie so good luck to her if she can ge that high, although she is still quite light lol

A nice big ground area as a run on SHORt grass or soil is perfect I think, we put a little straw and wood chip in so it doens't get too wet and is easy to clean.

BB ~~jo~~

[Sue33]

our three girls are at the bottom of the garden, spoke to a few neighbours recently and they said when they do hear them, which isn't often, it's not too loud and they all quite like the noise, one lady said "aah they're talking to each other"  they also liked the fresh eggs we took round 

[newhen]

thanks everyone that is really reassuring! 
My neighbours are vile... (on one side) 

I am only getting hens and have now got our coop and run up.  Still not sure where we are going to put it... hope to get my chicks on sat.  and promise to post piccys. 

[nzdunn]

i felt abit like you to start with, i live in a very built up area sadly and was so worried at wot the neighbours would say, i only know my immediate neighbour and ran it by them to begin with, they were fine about it,  a few of the neighbours do know i have them but i dont worry about them now,  theres a couple of neighbours that i do treat with eggs and they love it, gave another neighbour 5 fresh eggs this morning and she was over the moon.   Im alot more relaxed now with them and it doesnt bother me, getting two new girlies on sunday so that will be 5, that will defo be my limit though until we move.   Nickyx