[min200]

I have had the 4 girls for a couple of months now but never and I mean never have I had such noisey hens!

They constantly shout out even though theres plenty to do in their run!

Any ideas on how to quieten them down?  The noise is getting so bad now I am worried about the neighbours!

[ANHBUC]

I had a noisey hen that seemed to set the other girls off.  I managed to rehome her with one of her sisters to someone with plenty of land and no close neighbours.  We now have peace and quiet unless one has laid an egg of course. 

[compostqueen]

I had noisy hens but I think it was noise from the immediate vicinity that set them off, eg noisy kids next door and nearby turkeys and cockerels

Once we moved house that had neither the girls shut up 

[syman]

Every now and then my girls have a funny half hour and "crow" for england. I don't know if the see a cat or something else to spook them.

As said, one will start the rest will join in, bit like drunks having a sing song

[Willow_Warren]

When I had just 3 chickens, one of them would make an unbelievable racket if she was left on her own (with the other two in the coop laying an egg!), it was worse than the egg laying "song"...

Forutnaly I've not noticed it of late and I think having 5 chickens means she's sell likely to be on her own!

Hope you sort your girls out!

H 

[compostqueen]

They do react loudly to strangers in the garden and will let you know that there's something there. Gives you chance to rush out with your sweeping brush    Be it pigeons, magpies, cats, dogs, ferrets, rats. It's a jungle out there 

Something could be setting them off so have a listen and see if you can identify what it is

[min200]

Ive been watching them of late and it seems to be whenever anyone oes outside theres one that starts shouting her head off and this sets the others going.

Maybe a roast chicken on Sunday eh 

[compostqueen]

Are they able to see what's happening?  If they can see then they might be less noisy 

[grinling]

If mine start for no reason I chat to them....saying that I chat to them anyway

[symonep]

I posted the very same thing a few months back, ours were like spoilt children and screamed every time we went out as they wanted to free range. We got some more hens and this made them worse for a few months but now as we have reduced the amount of time they are allowed out they have quietened down heaps. They have logs and bars to climb and perch on, they have a deck chair to sit on and we normally hang corn on the cob in the coop just out of their reach so they have to jump to get it, keeps them quiet for hours!

We have now cut the bottom of a pumpkin out and hunt it in the coop, all that is left is the stalk! 
Are they expecting treats when they see someone? We throw some layers or mixed corn in if they see us and start shouting, they are just reminding you they are there and want attention (or in my hens case.....food!)

[lizt]

i too am new to hens, had my 3 ladies since April, i was surprised how much noise they can make, first time i thought they where being attacked and i went dashing out to 'rescue' them but it was just one having a shout and a sing song... luckily none of the neighbours have complained so it can't be as loud as i dread... 

the range of sounds as well as the reason i find amusing, if one wants the middle nest box and its occupied she starts getting very vocal... despite there being a next box each, she must find the middle one must be the best! 

[symonep]

Haha Lizt I have one that does the same, she like the whole nest box to herself and god forbid any brave hen who enters while she is laying lol

[ycholmes]

We had very noisy hens too - 6 of them. Like a few of you have said, one starts and they all join in.  They had so much in their very large run to play on. It was fine if you went out there and they could see you!  However, last night the fox visited. Well I say night, it must have been about 5pm (still corn in the run uneaten).  No noise at all!  Never heard a thing, not a peep. 1 dead, 2 missing. My guess is he went back a couple of times to collect!  My OH caught him trying to get back in again in the bushes.  He ran off. Why couldn't they have aid a racket last night

[helens-hens]

I read in your other post about losing ome of your hens to a fox vcholmes - really sorry to hear that. As you say its such a shame they didn't make racket when they saw the fox, I would have expected them to make some noise, it must have happened very quickly