We got chickens for the first time about two years ago and discovered that they are really neat pets and make a great addition to the garden. They lay delicious eggs, and they make heaps of really great fertilizer. (Better eggs and fertilizer than you can get at the store, but I wouldn’t say cheaper, just to be warned. Dang birds eat a lot of feed!) We have only hens, so they’re also not particularly noisy. My neighbors have told me that most of the time they don’t even know the chickens are there except for the occasional cackling at mid-morning when eggs are laid, or when they see or hear a person and squawk excitedly in hopes of treats. (We live right near a river that’s a goose and duck flight path, and we have a flock of wild turkeys in the pasture across the street, so I wouldn’t doubt that the chicken noises are even sometimes mistaken for other bird noises, hah!)
This year we got three new babies to add to our small flock. Today was the first day we allowed them to visit the garden in our spare mobile cage. That dang stinking cute yellow one is Adagio and is the boldest one of the bunch. She is a cross between a Rhode Island Red and a Rhode Island White. The other two are Dominant Coppers and will lay neat chocolate brown eggs one day not too far from now.
The hens were very curious, and I think also a little annoyed, because after they inspected the little ones for a few minutes, they strutted off and huddled together in the corner of the yard, peeking over their shoulders at us as if they were discussing something outrageous. It was pretty hysterical, honestly. 😀
Happy gardening and chickening to you!