In recent years, the trend of raising chickens has spread from rural farms to cities and suburbs. Given the pressure on available space, and with chickens in closer proximity to our neighbors, the demand for quiet chicken breeds has increased.
Do quiet chicken breeds exist? There aren’t any completely quiet chicken breeds, but some are less fussy. These calmer breeds are perfect for your backyard, and will be less disruptive to you and your neighbors.
However, this is only applicable with hens; cockerels will always crow regardless of the breed. Egg-laying varieties are mostly noisy as they tend to draw attention after laying eggs. Here are some quiet chickens you can choose from.
The 11 Quietest Chicken Breeds:
1. Buff Orpington Chicken
The popular Buff Orpington varieties are more settled and submissive than other breeds. Also, they are quite friendly, extraordinarily docile, and need very little attention. If you observe it closely, you will notice that it squats down, waiting to be picked up by its human caregiver.
A Buff Orpington is matured at 6 months and can lay an average of 250 eggs per year. This variety can either be white or yellowish. If you are looking for an all-purpose bird, this is the best variety for you.
2. Cornish Cross Chicken
This variety is a hybrid bird between a Cornish chicken and a white rock chicken that is very large and clumsy. A tranquil bird, they tend to sit most of the time and don’t get away from predators quickly when under attack.
The Cornish Cross meat birds prefer to sit in front of their feeders and eat the food provided. Due to this, they require extra care to keep them safe from any attacks. However, these white chickens are well suited for your homestead as a result of their quiet nature.
3. Black Australorp Chicken
This is a dual-purpose bird that you can keep as a heritage breed. Coming from the same genetic line as the Buff Orpington, this breed is one to consider.
Unlike most dual-purpose birds, this chicken keeps its beaks shut more often, making them quieter. They are amazing egg layers and also have a significantly larger carcass in comparison to the Cornish Crosses. However, they take a long time before slaughter, approximately 6 months or more.
4. Wyandotte Chicken
The Wyandotte is one of the most common chicken breeds. A heritage bird, this variety was the first dual-purpose breed in America.
The hens weigh about 6-7 pounds, while the rooster weighs 8-9 pounds. The different types of this chicken come in various colors and patterns, from golden, blue, to silver.
Despite being very dominant, the Wyandotte is relatively a calm and docile bird. As an egg-laying bird, it lays around four eggs per week. This breed is non-aggressive and well-suited for a suburban home and your backyard.
These varieties are also scarce hence fetch a high price for breeders. Therefore, you can breed some to sell to your neighbors as well.
5. Bantam Chickens
Bantams are an egg-laying breed. They are small in size and often come in varying dark colors. A significant advantage for this breed is that it also plays as a surrogate mother hen for other varieties such as the Rhode Island Red.
A combination of these benefits and the fact that it’s a quiet bird makes it the right choice for a backyard bird. The Bantam has smaller breeds such as Nankin, Rosecomb, and Sebright.
- Also See: 5 Broody Chicken Breeds (with Pictures)
6. Rhode Island Red Chicken
This breed is rated as the quietest bird that lays the most eggs. Laying an average of 250 eggs per year, the Rhode Island Red is a favorite for most chicken keepers.
While it’s mostly quiet, the bird is not considered very affectionate. They are also easily trainable and tend to be aggressive; therefore, consider all these factors before settling down for this breed.
7. Plymouth Rock Chickens
If you live in a neighborhood with small or medium acreage, this is your preferred choice. Despite being quiet, Plymouth Rock also tends to be friendly with its caretakers. In terms of the climatic conditions, this breed is well suited for icy areas or long experience periods of the winter season.
8. Cochin Chicken
Cochin birds are peaceful and a top choice for your backyard. They come in a few colors compared to other varieties but are lovable and suitable to keep pets.
When it comes to laying eggs, they are ranked very low and are not dependable. However, they compensate for this by been excellent surrogate moms for other chickens. Due to their peaceful nature, they get along well with different breeds of chicken.
9. Ameraucana
Known for its attractive features, the Ameraucana is quite a unique bird. This breed lays blue-colored medium-sized eggs. As the bird grows, it can weigh up to around 7 pounds.
These birds are often very docile and calm unless frightened. The Ameraucana is a quiet chicken breed that you can keep easily in your house compound.
10. Brahma
Brahma breed is an egg-laying variety and one of the best sitters. Commonly referred to as the “King of Poultry,” they are very dependable on egg-laying. Known for its bulk size, this can be a disadvantage as they tend to crush their chicks.
As a heritage breed, this chicken can grow between 10-14 pounds in weight. They can also adapt very quickly to cold weather and winter seasons.
11. Java
As a dual-purpose bird, the Java is regarded as one of the oldest chicken breeds globally. They are very dependable as egg layers and will also serve a purpose when you need to slaughter them for meat.
Due to its history, breeders used Java to breed other American varieties, including the Barred Rock Plymouth and the Rhode Island Red. Java birds stay together in small groups and are relatively very quiet.
- Also See: 33 Brown Chicken Breeds (with Pictures)
How Can You Keep the Chickens Quiet?
Protect them from predators, so they don’t feel threatened.
You can do this by providing shade to keep aerial predators from attacking your flock. This is also essential during extreme weather conditions such as summer or winter seasons, especially for mother hens to sit on the eggs.
Always provide your chicken with water and food throughout the day.
A lack of these necessities results in a lot of crows, and you don’t want that. Ensure the chicken feed is enough whether you have egg-layers or meat birds. You may also want to look into a good chicken waterer.
Place enough nesting boxes, especially if your breed is egg-laying.
This significantly reduces incidences of conflicts or squabbling among them when it’s time to lay eggs.
Keep the chicken pens habitable at all times for increased comfort.
You can have a mixture of sawdust, wood ash, and sand for the chicken to have less distraction and more space to move around. Investing in proper facilities significantly reduces the irritability of your chickens.
Balance the number of roosters with the number of hens.
Too many roosters and fewer hens will cause trouble and fights making them loud. On the other hand, you can choose not to keep roosters at all. They are the noisiest bunch and will always be an inconvenience.
Have enough space for all the chickens you have.
Depending on your flock’s size, ensure that they are not too squeezed in a tiny room that they can’t move around. Estimate your chicken pens’ size according to the number of chickens you plan to keep to reduce noise incidences.
For distraction purposes, you can also include toys.
This keeps the chicken busy and provides an avenue for entertainment. As a result, you will have less noise or crowing, making your work easier.
Summary
Raising quiet chicken breeds is awesome. The above chicken breeds are a perfect choice for you if you need to keep chicken in your backyard. Ensure you provide them with a good environment because it plays a huge role in keeping your chickens quiet.
Featured Image: Dimhou, Pixabay