How Loud are Hens? Citations needed

[Yaychicks]

Howdy!

I am working on a document which needs to be cited. I keep coming across information stating hens, at their loudest, are "60-70 decibles, about the same as a human convorsation." This is repeated across multipe websites, however I cannot find anything other than heresay to back it up. Does anyone know where that claim is from? Even if not peer-reviewed, a published chicken husbandry book or such would work.

Thanks!

 

[aart]

at their loudest, are "60-70 decibles, about the same as a human convorsation."

They can get louder than that.

I would find something from a university website and just use that as your citation.
Maybe this one.

What is your document for and who is your audience?

 

[Yaychicks]

They can get louder than that.

I would find something from a university website and just use that as your citation.
Maybe this one.

What is your document for and who is your audience?

oh. my. goodness. WHY didn't I think of the universities? I live next to one with one with a huge poultry sci division. It's for the HOA, they are pretty gung ho about getting something approved, but I want to be able to back up anything said with something published, even if it's just a book and not google scholar or peer reviewed. Thanks!

 

[ChicKittyHouse]

If 3 or 4 of my hens are laying at the same time it's more like a lawn mower! I have my coop inside the corner of my garage for that reason. One of your state poultry associations may have the information. Good luck!!

 

[aart]

It's for the HOA, they are pretty gung ho about getting something approved, but I want to be able to back up anything said with something published, even if it's just a book and not google scholar or peer reviewed.

Better find out what the Db's are for a newly laying pullet....or several of them.
They are much louder than a 'human conversation'.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

My chickens "yelling" (layed an egg, saw a cat, etc) is similar to a person yelling - like kids hollering to each other during a game of tag. But most of the time they are much quieter. You could get a decibel measuring device and visit a chicken . If you can't find the data, a primary source could be an option? I would suggest measuring from the same distance as the proposed minimum set back between a coop and a neighbor's property line...doubt any neighbors are going to he sticking their ears up against someone else's chicken coop, lol. So I'd get that number, perhaps in addition to the close-up measurement.

 

[VeryHappyHens]

My chickens "yelling" (layed an egg, saw a cat, etc) is similar to a person yelling - like kids hollering to each other during a game of tag. But most of the time they are much quieter. You could get a decibel measuring device and visit a chicken . If you can't find the data, a primary source could be an option? I would suggest measuring from the same distance as the proposed minimum set back between a coop and a neighbor's property line...doubt any neighbors are going to he sticking their ears up against someone else's chicken coop, lol. So I'd get that number, perhaps in addition to the close-up measurement.

I agree we should be able to own backyard chickens no matter where we live their munch quieter than a dog.

 

[Yaychicks]

We are all on acerage, so I'm not worried about the noise whatsoever- many out here have hens- it was more about documentation. Thanks!!

 

[aart]

We are all on acerage, so I'm not worried about the noise whatsoever- many out here have hens- it was more about documentation. Thanks!!

How much acreage?
...and there's an HOA?

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I think I found one of the sources to which you are referring: https://www.rupehort.com/_ccLib/att...7+False+Myths+About+Urban+Chickens_110214.pdf

Human conversation, to be slightly more precise, is indeed about 65 Decibels SPL (sound pressure level), on average. That document states a rooster's crow is about 90 dB. However, I've read other sources that say rooster's crows can be much louder than 90 dB. I feel fairly confident in saying that a hen's egg song is every bit as loud as a rooster's crow! While I know how to use a sound level meter, they are unfortunately very expensive or I'd jump on this opportunity to measure my hens' ruckus!

You can use a cell phone to measure the dB of noise, but cell phone microphones are purposefully calibrated to have a short range for picking up sound. This is necessary to keep phone calls from sounding too noisy! Essentially, phone apps for sound level meters are a ball park estimate at best, unfortunately. If you ever find the answer to your question, I'd love to know!

Here is my rooster and some of my hens making a ruckus!