Silence Your Backyard Chickens Now!
By Tom Seest
How Can I Keep My Backyard Chickens Quiet?
At BackyardChickenNews, we help people who want to raise backyard chickens by collating information and news blended with our own personal experiences.
When you have backyard chickens, you will notice that they make some noises. They can cluck, sing, and even squabble! So what causes this noise? It depends on your chicken breed. But if you want to raise healthy, happy chickens, you should know that chickens like to be in the open during the day.

How Can I Keep My Backyard Chickens Quiet?
Table Of Contents
- How Does the Rooster’s Crow Impact Your Backyard?
- What is the Purpose of a Hen’s Clucking?
- What Makes Roosters Sing So Loudly?
- What Makes Roosters So Noisy?
- Why Do Hens Squabble Over Territory?
- What Inspires Hens to Sing After Laying an Egg?
- What Makes Hens Sing After Escaping?
- What Makes Roosters So Noisy? with each other
How Does the Rooster’s Crow Impact Your Backyard?
If your backyard chickens are noisy, it could be a rooster. Roosters have powerful hearing, which is an important function in the chicken world. Their crowing is a signal to other chickens in their territory to retreat or advance. This sound also helps them protect themselves and the flock. However, if you don’t like noise, you should probably avoid keeping roosters. They can be annoying if you’re not used to their sounds, but they’re necessary to your flock’s life.
The noise that roosters make is not a constant problem, and some backyard chickens do make noise. A rooster crow can reach up to 90 decibels, which is close to the volume of a dog’s bark. However, most chickens only make noise at a volume of around 70 decibels, which is only slightly louder than a typical human conversation.
A rooster’s crowing can wake up the rest of the neighborhood. Unlike the clucking noises of birds, roosters also crow to warn off land predators. Their crowing at dawn is so loud that it can travel for blocks.

How Does the Rooster’s Crow Impact Your Backyard?
What is the Purpose of a Hen’s Clucking?
The most common sound a flock of backyard chickens makes is the egg song, which consists of several “bucks” in succession with an occasional “bukaw.” Although there are hens that are completely silent, the majority of flocks do have an internal language that enables them to communicate with their chicks. This language takes the form of a growl and is primarily meant to warn them about danger or disturbance.
Interestingly, chickens cluck for several reasons. They can be clucking to alert you of a predator nearby, and they make this sound as part of their socialization and eating behaviors. While there are breeds that are quieter than others, all chickens make noise. However, a hen’s cluck is much quieter than the barking of a dog.
Chickens also take dust baths, which are chicken equivalents to a shower. They bury themselves in the dirt or dig trenches to clean themselves. This is done to remove excess moisture and oil from their feathers.

What is the Purpose of a Hen’s Clucking?
What Makes Roosters Sing So Loudly?
One reason why backyard chickens can be noisy is because they produce alarm calls when they sense a potential threat. Roosters are more likely to issue these calls than other types of chickens. They emit piercing calls or elongated bellows to alert their flock of an impending danger without attracting it. Roosters can also emit caution calls, which are quickly repeated notes. The more frequent the calls, the stronger the likelihood that a predator is near the flock.
The way a chicken sings can give us a window into the inner workings of their minds. Some hens make distress calls when threatened, injured, or pecked. Some of these sounds are used to alert the hens to danger, while others serve as warnings or courtship calls.
A hen will also make an egg song to signal other hens that she’s finished laying eggs. This type of song is loud enough to be heard and is considered a brag song by the other hens.

What Makes Roosters Sing So Loudly?
What Makes Roosters So Noisy?
If you’re experiencing noise from your backyard chickens, you may want to learn about roosters. Roosters are the most common roosters in the world, and while they do have their own courtship rituals, they can also be very noisy. Roosters are constantly on the lookout for partners, and their mating behavior ramps up in spring. This behavior can be quite unpleasant for your chickens, and you may want to separate them from each other until the problem is resolved.
The rooster is a multi-faceted creature and has many roles throughout the day. He’s a Gentleman, Provider, Lover, Boss, Mediator, and Caregiver. As a result, he must be a good example for the hens.
Roosters’ noises are a good indicator of their intentions and feelings. The ‘cluck-cluck’ or “chuck-chuck’ noises are conversational sounds that chickens use to communicate with each other. They also make a “perp-perp’ noise when they need to call their hens or alert the chicks to a meal. Similarly, they’ll holler if they’re spotting a predator, which will cause them to scatter for cover.

What Makes Roosters So Noisy?
Why Do Hens Squabble Over Territory?
If you have backyard chickens, you’re probably aware of the fact that they often squabble with each other. Flocks usually organize themselves according to a pecking order. They also develop alliances between individual members. Social life rarely happens without some incident, so be sure to keep an eye on the situation. A simple act such as providing a low-ranking hen with an extra worm can set the stage for a squabble.
A good way to prevent your backyard chickens from squabbling is to provide them with ample space. This allows them to roam around and not feel confined. Providing them with ample space also means that they can escape if there is a squabble.
Backyard chickens can fight for food, water, and territory. Constant fighting can cause health problems for your chickens and reduce their production.

Why Do Hens Squabble Over Territory?
What Inspires Hens to Sing After Laying an Egg?
If you have backyard chickens, you’ve likely heard them cluck after they’ve laid an egg. This noise is a sort of celebratory song that occurs during the egg-laying process. It’s usually initiated by the hen who laid the egg and is then joined by other hens around her. The noise can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. It’s known as the “Egg Song.
Although all chickens talk after laying an egg, chickens who have lower social standing may not vocalize as loudly. Those at the top of the pecking order may even shriek a bit. This isn’t necessarily a sign of pain, but it may be a sign that a chicken is depressed. Chickens are highly social creatures, and being isolated can be traumatic for them.
Another explanation for noisy hens after laying an egg is that the hens may be calling other members of their flock. When the hen is laying an egg, she is sending out a signal to other hens that she is ready to lay an egg. This can distract predators and help protect a vulnerable hen. Also, since chickens are communal birds, the noise that they make after laying an egg will help you find it.

What Inspires Hens to Sing After Laying an Egg?
What Makes Hens Sing After Escaping?
The answer to this question depends on your location. Chickens that have escaped may be noisy after they’ve roosted in the yard or coop, but chickens that are confined to a smaller space might not make such noises. They may respond by crouching low or standing alert. If the chickens are confined to a smaller area, you should also consider checking your deeds to see if there are any restrictions regarding their activities.
One of the most famous types of chicken calls is the egg song. Hens take great delight in announcing a fresh egg, and the other chickens may even join in. This is known as a chicken chorus, and the volume and intensity of the sound vary greatly between breeds.

What Makes Hens Sing After Escaping?
What Makes Roosters So Noisy? with each other
Roosters can be aggressive, but it is important to know how to deal with this behavior. Signs of aggression include raising hackle feathers, head wagging, and stamping their feet. While these signs may not seem serious, they are very common and should be addressed before roosters attack.
Roosters fighting with each other are often caused by pecking order issues. A rooster that is aggressive will usually demonstrate dominance. In most cases, you should be able to avoid serious fights, but you must be aware of the signs of aggression.
When introducing new flock members, be sure to provide plenty of space. This will help both species be comfortable and escape when they squabble. Make sure to gradually introduce new flock members to the same area, and provide them with fair notice so they do not disrupt the existing flock.
Roosters squabble with their peers over food and perch space. These fights usually last a few minutes, but you should always monitor them to prevent serious injuries. Once the aggression has passed, you can try to establish a new order.

What Makes Roosters So Noisy? with each other
Be sure to read our other related stories at BackyardChickenNews to learn more about raising chickens in your backyard.