Chickens

[JJF]

I am thinking of buying some chickens as pets - are they really noisy ? Any advice anyone - thanks.

[electricblue]

Yeah,keep them indoors!!

[horsestache1]

Chickens are not noisy, but ******** are especially in the morning, so don't get one unless you want to be woken at the crack of dawn

[sixpence]

JJF, a few years ago we "rescued" 12 chickens from a farmer who had kept them in the battery system. They came to us looking as if they were ready for the oven, with so many bald patches, but within minutes they were scratching at the ground, looking for natural food and within a few days the feathers were growing back. It was a really rewarding experience, and the sound they made when they laid eggs was great. We don't keep them any longer (they died from old age), but it was great fun, but obviously a responsibility as well, as with any animal.

[JJF]

Hello Sixpence, thanks for your reply - did you find them noisy? The only thing that I am worried about is the neighbours as we live in a really quite road!

[wilsonator]

Bird Flu

[meltoadhall]

the only noisy bit is a cockeral so dont get one.

we have 10 at the bottom of the garden and although we do have a boy , his harem is quiet.

you dont need a boy to get eggs.

[sixpence]

I suppose if I'm honest, there were times when they did make quite a noise, but no-one ever complained to us about it. In fact, we had one cockerel for a while, but got rid of him to a farm when he crowed every morning before it got light. Our next door neighbour complained that they missed him!! If we did it again, I would ask the neighbours their opinion, and just start off with one or two.However, I'm not sure if there are any bye-laws about keeping them in built up areas now. Perhaps one of our legal Abers will know more about that side of things.

[sixpence]

Sorry, meldtoadhall, your answer popped up while I was typing.You are all making me go quite broody again!

[spudqueen]

My neighbour has some hens, 3 marans - a biggish hen and a bantam cockerel and hen. I can't say that any of them are particularly noisy. Yes I have heard them, but no more than the curlews who nest in the field at the back or the rooks or crows or starlings! She gets lovely big eggs from the marans and obviously smaller ones from the bantam. They help to keep her garden free of slugs and when she's away I shut them away at night at let them out in the morning and get to keep any eggs they have laid!

[Smercer]

I bought two egg laying hens and I hand reared a cockeral. The hens were absolutely fantastic and layed eggs every day - good fun animals I would say. However, I would strongly recommend not to get a cockeral, very noisy and they can be quite vicious.

[nickmo]

http://www.omlet.co.uk/homepage/homepage.php has a stack of breed info as well as supplying really funky arks rather than the traditional wooden versions, and you should look at the info on : http://www.poultryscotland.co.uk/ for some more background.

There will be a local breed club near you and they would be happy to offer any further advice, and maybe be a source for your first girls as well. Rescue hens are probably not for the first timer as they can have issues after their previous living space.

Chickens will make a nice comforting sort of constant clucking to each other but this isn't intrusive and is part of the fun of them being around. Maybe also try to get to view some poultry before you decide to go ahead to make sure you have a grip on the requirements - cleaning, health, and general maintenance - but they are pretty straight forward and don't need too much effort to enjoy.

Hens do not need a c0ckerel to lay eggs, as above - if you want to breed, then you will have to have the hens mated, but otherwise, enjoy the fresh eggs, and good cluck.......

[dancecaller]

You'll find lots of chicken enthusiasts here http://users.boardnation.com/~downthelane/index.php too.

I agree with the others, nice comfortable clucking, then a louder squawk when they've laid an egg but that only happens once a day. I take it your jusy getting 3 or , not starting a battery farm.

[dancecaller]

I got mine from http://www.gardenpoultry.cwc.net/breeds.htm as I live in Cheshire, I went to look first. He sells pure breeds and hybrids.

The Rhode Island hybrids lay very consistently (more than 6 eggs / week for the first 2 years). I think some of the pure breeds may be more ornamental.

[JJF]

Hi All, Thanks very much for your advice - I think you've persuaded me - chickens it is!! Happy Clucking!

[sixpence]

JJF, good luck, and enjoy. My children, and nieces and nephews who are now all grown up, still remember our hens with affection. When we knew they were coming to the house, as toddlers, we used to write their names on the eggs and let them go and find them in the nest boxes. They say now that they thought it was magic that the hens knew that they were coming.

[JJF]

Thank you Sixpence, I'll let you know how I get on. x

[waltadasilva]

yes, they start making lots of noises when they can't turn over the pages of the newspaper

[foxy.fagin]

Enjoy the experience, JJF. We kept chickens for a number of years and apart from enjoying the very fresh eggs (as did the neihbours) we enjoyed the company.What surprised me was how attached I grew to them. And they're surprisingly intelligent.

It is certainly an experience I want to live again.

[elmojo]

Can I just add, as a neighbour to a garden of chickens - that the noise is not the problem.... it's the smell! We are blighted by the constant smell to chicken poo and it's unbearable. I don't think the owners can smell it as they are used to it, but it's got to a stage where I can't invite people round because of the smell.

[JJF]

Thank you elmojo. I must say that I have been a bit concerned as to what the neighbours might think - we are out at work all day, but our neighbours are pensioners so are at their house all day - if there was a smell, they would probably notice it more than us. I wouldnt want to upset our them, I have told them that we are thinking of getting chickens and their response wasnt that of joy I must say! Thanks again. JJF.