Why do they squark?

GerryOB · « **on:** July 12, 2010, 07:13 »

We let the girls out into their run as soon as we get up in the morning, and they dash to the food and water and have their fill, then when they have eaten breakfast, they start squarking. Is there some reason for this? They are 19 weeks old and not laying yet. Obviously if I go and put corn in for them, they will be quiet as they will be pecking it up, but I don't want to 'reward' their squarking with a treat, or they will associate one with the other just to get more. Besides, I prefer to give them corn later in the day. Same with greens really. Could it be that they can see me as my desk is just inside the back door, and maybe they want company? Again I don't want them to associate making a noise with me going to chat with them either, as there will be times when I can't. I do go and chat to them, sitting on the floor and talking to them, but don't want to be at their beck and call so to speak.

Would it help to not let them out quite so early? We get up at 6am and let them out as soon as we are downstairs.

Hubby is worried we will get complaints from neighbours.

Any advice would be most welcome.

Gerry

ehs284 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 12, 2010, 08:33 »

Probably easiest and best to keep them in for another hour or so. Some squawk others are quiet it's just the way they are. We have one who is so noisy that sometimes you can see the others telling her to, 'shut up'. You don't have a problem but they will train you if you give them a chance.

It's also a good idea to ask the neighbours if they are a problem; you might find that they never hear them and anyway your interest in the neighbours will be helpful should a real problem emerge such as foxes in the area.

compostqueen · « **Reply #2 on:** July 12, 2010, 12:20 »

I wonder if the squawking is in response to local noise. I've moved house and since then my girls have been much quieter. We are in town now on a main road whereas before we backed onto open fields and you could always hear neighbouring cockerels, turkeys and hens and I wonder if that was what set my girls off. Now we have no domestic poultry within earshot and they're really quiet. They sometimes kick up if they see a dog or cat, or wood pigeon

sneezer · « **Reply #3 on:** July 12, 2010, 14:25 »

I have one who squarks when she hears a noise, as for letting them out later mine make lots of noise to be let out and this would get louder and louder if I didn't act quickly. Mine also make noise before, during and a little after laying!!

i think its a nice noise and maybe your neighbours will aswell.

viettaclark · « **Reply #4 on:** July 12, 2010, 23:05 »

I have 2 neighbours with dogs who bark continuously so I don't get any complaints when the girls want to proudly announce to the world at full squawk that they've laid me another egg.....

Clever girls....

GerryOB · « **Reply #5 on:** July 13, 2010, 06:37 »

Quote from: viettaclark on July 12, 2010, 23:05

I have 2 neighbours with dogs who bark continuously so I don't get any complaints when the girls want to proudly announce to the world at full squawk that they've laid me another egg..... Clever girls....

Well this was going to be my response if the neighbours complained. Both sides have kids that are very noisy, and I just put up with it and don't say anything, even though on one side all the kids swear like troupers, and can't say a sentence without there being a swear word in it. Also I put up with the bad language of the parents of those children, as well as their rows and door slamming and mother bellowing at the kids. The other side are asians, and I have to live with their curry smells constantly invading our home, and am on antihistamines because I have a drastic spice allergy. I live and let live, and my feeling is so should they (although I doubt they will see it that way).

I've left them half an hour longer this morning, and I'm going to cut a piece of cardboard to cover the little window in their coop area to see if that will keep them quiet for a bit longer.

Trouble is, they don't only squark in the coop, once they are out and running about, they scoff their breakfast, then start squarking again. I wonder if they are bored.

Why do they squark?

GerryOB

Why do they squark?

ehs284

Re: Why do they squark?

compostqueen

Re: Why do they squark?

sneezer

Re: Why do they squark?

viettaclark

Re: Why do they squark?

GerryOB

Re: Why do they squark?