Is there any way to encourage noisy chickens to be quiet!?

[Wibblewobbles]

I'm worried they'll annoy the neighbours and we'll get complaints and have to get rid of them They are obviously not allowed out at the moment so I think they're bored. I've tried giving them vegetable leaves and treats to eat to keep them amused but they keep making so much noise. I don't want to encourage it by rewarding them with treats every time they are noisy!

Watching with interest. Our chickens are coming back into lay after the winter and are very proud each time they lay an egg and want to tell everyone all about it. The trouble is they all then join in and make a real racket. Like you op, I'm worried the neighbours will complain.

Share the eggs with the neighbours? It always worked for us, out neighbours all loved our chickens and used to encourage them into their gardens!

Ah yes we do dole out eggs every now and again! Haven't had any complaints though. When I first got them and they made a racket I was literally in a hot sweat thinking "what have I done?" and imagining being really unpopular. Now I think I'm just more tuned into it because I'm scared of causing upset iyswim, but the neighbours don't seem to have noticed as much. When I'm being sensible I realise that the magpies and seagulls actually make a lot more noise.