[SamT]

Just lately, one of my chickens has started making a lot of noise in the mornings before I get down to let them out.  There is the general rosey that goes on but one of them is hollering very loudly and I have to get up as soon as she starts otherwise it will wake the neighbours up.  I normally let them out about 8am so is it because of the lighter mornings, they are waiting to be let out?  She kicked off about 7.15 yesterday, but I was up earlier today and let them out before she started but am a bit worried that if this carries on we might start getting complaints.   Also she makes a similar noise when she's left on her own in the garden, I have 3 chickens but if two go in to lay eggs at the same time she kicks off again and wont shut up til one re-appears or you give her a treat to distract her.  The other 2 can be left on their own without any bother. I have read about other people still letting their chickens out at the same time during summer so if it is to do with lighter mornings I will have to black out the chicken hut to stop and chinks of light coming in.

[lucylou]

hi samT - it is very stressful having a noisy girl and worrying about neighbours certainly blacking out the hen house works in many cases.  One of mine was like yours, so bad i was considering getting her a new home but she isnt nearly so loud lately - you might find yours quietens down after a while (mine went around with her beak half open making long crowing noises all the time!) good luck lucyloux   

[compostqueen]

I think local noise might set them off as mine were really noisy as there was a cockerel nearby which used to wake them up dead early and they were clamouring to be let out.  I think 8.00 am is a bit late as you want them up at daybreak so they get plenty of sunlight to lay good eggs    You can always go back to bed with a cuppa if you let them out early 

[UrbanG]

Wow, So glad I stumbled across this thread just before I went to bed because I have a little girl who seems to do the exact same thing.

We got our very 1st two hens 5 weeks ago at 16 weeks old (now nearly 22)

In the last week or so the white one (Sussex/RIR) has started making a right racket! moreso in the mornings when let out but throughout the day as well.

She does the normal "cluck cluck" stuff as expected but she also does a similer moaning sound?? hard to explain but its not a cockadoodledo crow type thing, more like a "Harrrrrrrrrrrrrrr kk rharrrrrrrrrr"   (hahaha not very informative really is it?? )

I spoke to the breeder who said they do that just before they are about to start laying (great news) but not that great for my neighbours who I told I was only having quiet hens and no loud mouth roosters or moaning hens.

Is your girl already laying??
If not, I would love to see the outcome / reason for this random moaning noise?

S

[SamT]

They started laying about five months ago, they do make a noise when they are laying but its not very loud.  It may well be noise that startles them in a morning, when kids kick a ball against a wall during the day even across the road it sets her off for a min, maybe something in the morning has startled her.  She seems to have been OK the last few days just hope it stays that way.

[Sopho]

A couple of my girls are really noisy... but they are telling me something when they make the racket!! Either they have run out of food/water they have laid a lovely egg they want me to look at/take and treat them with a nibble of something nice or there is the scary big bully tom cat about!! Most of the time they are reasonably quiet!

It could possibly be that they want to be up and out earlier then you let them out! My girls are in a secure encloser and therefore do not get shut in at night, they are usually up and about as soon as it is just light! The only option if their run is not secure would be to set your alarm really early!!

Sopho