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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

chickens in a built-up neighbourhood

54 replies

IOnceAdoredARodent · 04/11/2017 19:50

Do chickens (not roosters) make a lot of noise? Obviously I'd be blandishing the neighbours with an egg or two.

OP posts:
trilbydoll · 04/11/2017 19:52

Next door have chickens. I think you can hear them clucking in our back bedroom but it's not loud or unpleasant, it's just background noise. They're not super noisy early in the morning or anything.

Justbookedasummmerholiday · 04/11/2017 19:52

Imo it's a lovely noise!!
Keeping chickens is the ultimate in pet ownership!!

Takeoutyourhen · 04/11/2017 19:53

A neighbour across the road and further down the road from me keeps chickens and yes they are noisy. I can hear them, especially the rooster, just walking up and down the road so I'm sure an immediate neighbour would.
They may not mind, they may mind about vermin though!
Ask them, they may appreciate the eggs 🍳

Caspiana · 04/11/2017 19:55

Our neighbours have chickens and a cockerel. The chickens are background noise, bit annoying but fine. We have never been offered eggs!

00100001 · 04/11/2017 19:56

Just be prepared to keep the chickens after they stop laying after a couple of years.
A lot of people don't want them after they stop.

DJBaggySmalls · 04/11/2017 19:57

Check your local by laws and ask your neighbours. If no one minds you'll be ok. But if anyone complains they can be removed.
Make sure you work out how to deal with the dung as it can be pungent in hot weather. Also, you cant leave their food out at night because it attracts rats.

Gizlotsmum · 04/11/2017 19:58

Both our new neighbours have chickens and I can’t say I have noticed the noise

Mycarsmellsoflavender · 04/11/2017 19:58

After the first year they stop laying in autumn and winter but even our old ladies manage to lay in the spring and summer. Have a 4 year old chicken who still lays regularly in spring / summer.

Danceswithwarthogs · 04/11/2017 19:59

My SIL got complaint to council over noise from cockerel.... I would stick with hens

confusedlittleone · 04/11/2017 19:59

Our neighbours have chickens they're super freaking annoying! We also used to have an outside cat that we had to give to our inlaws because we couldn't keep it inside (she was often bringing mice in so was to much of a risk that she'd try and attack the chickens) so that's another thing to be wary of

hidinginthenightgarden · 04/11/2017 20:01

Don't get a cockerel, very noisy and in fact it was in our house deeds in our last house we couldn't get one!

TwentyChews · 04/11/2017 20:04

I leave me food out all day and night in one of these www.grandpasfeeders.co.uk/ and it definitely deters the rodents. Before I got it we were feeding half the rats in the town! We could tell by the tunnelling, poo and amount of feed we were getting through.

Since...not a scrap gone to them and no sign of them around the chickens.

Branleuse · 04/11/2017 20:04

One of our neighbours has chickens and a cockerel, and whilst he does do cockadoodledoos, I rather like it, and it never bothers me at all. The hens just cluck a bit. Its much less annoying than dogs barking or cars going by

RicottaPancakes · 04/11/2017 20:04

It' fine to keep hens in a built up neighbourhood. Cats and hens normally squabble at bit at first, but after a while they start ignoring eachother! Don't get a cockerel.

NovemberWitch · 04/11/2017 20:06

My friend keeps chickens, no cockerel. Less annoying than small children or students in the garden.

LivingDeadGirlUK · 04/11/2017 20:06

We had them when I was a kid, they can be a bit noisy if you have a lay in and they are waiting for breakfast but other than that no. Remember to clip their wings if you are letting them roam or they hop into the neighbours gardens!

AccidentalyRunToWindsor · 04/11/2017 20:10

We had 6 hens and assumed a rooster role and would try to crow in the mornings 🤨

I think it’s a lovely noise though, our neighbors seemed to like it too.

Just be prepared for your garden to be trashed- they are filthy buggers.

AccidentalyRunToWindsor · 04/11/2017 20:11

@confusedlittleone my massive very outdoorsy hunter boy cat tried to go for a hen once...they ganged up on him and penned him into a corner! He was terrified and never went near them again.

Caspiana · 04/11/2017 20:14

One of our neighbours has chickens and a cockerel, and whilst he does do cockadoodledoos, I rather like it

That’s fortunate for you, but we don’t. It severely interferes with our ability to enjoy our home as there is ear splitting noise at all times of day. Impossible to sleep, relax or work (I’m self employed so would like to be able to work from home sometimes). It is an indefensible, selfish dick move to own a cockerel in a city.

Etymology23 · 04/11/2017 20:16

I think if you get hens you're likely to find hybrids (gingery cheap ones) are best as they lay well and longer and often for more years than the posh breeds.

They make more than no noise, even with no cockerel but I love the sound so I wouldn't mind! Been debating whether my town-life would be okay for some too, as I'm not in the country any more and I miss the quality of the eggs.

Minxmumma · 04/11/2017 20:17

I have hens - they are fab characters. I won't have a rooster as I know he would aggravate the neighbours. The ladies just potter about and only make any real noise when they are fighting over a snail.
If you can then rescue some battery girls - you'll still get a few years laying and it is lovely to watch them recover.

Greyhorses · 04/11/2017 20:18

We have them on the farm where we have the horses and I wouldn't want them at home mainly due to the noise and rats that come with them Blush

Etymology23 · 04/11/2017 20:18

Oh and I'd say give them more space than eg an egloo thingy, they like a really good run, and I think they tend to make less noise when they have more space.

Remember that they will cover everywhere in chicken shit though. But on the plus side you'll never see a slug or a snail again. They like shrubs and bushes to peck under if they can.

Starlight2345 · 04/11/2017 20:19

I used to live near someone with a cockrel. It drove me insane . So no cockerel 🐓

RicottaPancakes · 04/11/2017 20:23

Rooster - American/NZ ( and possibly other) word for male chicken
Cockerel - British word for male chicken under the age of one year
Cock - British word for male chicken over the age of one year
:-)

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