Hello all, Happy belated Thanksgiving.
To set the stage, we live in the city - close neighbors 30 feet away on either side and directly behind.
Problem is this - the one lot behind our side yard is the only one left on the block with large trees. A builder bought the lot and it is staked out for development. They will begin destruction (removal) of all the trees (makes me angry) to build a new house. This is only 50 feet from the chicken run / coop. The noise will be extremely obnoxious from sunrise to sunset for weeks with constant beeping of heavy equipment, bucket trucks, chain saws, men yelling, loud music, skid steers, back hoes, large trees shaking the house and ground as they fall, etc. They've cleared 12 lots in a two block area in the past year for new houses. We could hear the noise inside the house with all the windows closed, AC on, TV for noise and it still stressed out our dogs (and me). What I am going to do with the chickens? They flinch and jump now when they hear a sudden loud unexpected noise from the people currently suffocating us. What can I do to help them manage the stress while this is happening? I suspect they will be starting next week. I'm so upset about this you guys, mostly because we lose the only treed lot around, which also provided badly needed shade for our yard, not to mention the significant loss of all the wildlife around (birds, coyotes, hawks, owls - all gone). I'm so disgusted but really concerned for the stress level of the pullets. What should I do? What would you do? Bringing them into the house is an option, but certainly not for weeks on end. Please don't tell me to move, I would have done that years ago if it were feasible; that's not currently an option. Thank you in advance.
To set the stage, we live in the city - close neighbors 30 feet away on either side and directly behind.
Problem is this - the one lot behind our side yard is the only one left on the block with large trees. A builder bought the lot and it is staked out for development. They will begin destruction (removal) of all the trees (makes me angry) to build a new house. This is only 50 feet from the chicken run / coop. The noise will be extremely obnoxious from sunrise to sunset for weeks with constant beeping of heavy equipment, bucket trucks, chain saws, men yelling, loud music, skid steers, back hoes, large trees shaking the house and ground as they fall, etc. They've cleared 12 lots in a two block area in the past year for new houses. We could hear the noise inside the house with all the windows closed, AC on, TV for noise and it still stressed out our dogs (and me). What I am going to do with the chickens? They flinch and jump now when they hear a sudden loud unexpected noise from the people currently suffocating us. What can I do to help them manage the stress while this is happening? I suspect they will be starting next week. I'm so upset about this you guys, mostly because we lose the only treed lot around, which also provided badly needed shade for our yard, not to mention the significant loss of all the wildlife around (birds, coyotes, hawks, owls - all gone). I'm so disgusted but really concerned for the stress level of the pullets. What should I do? What would you do? Bringing them into the house is an option, but certainly not for weeks on end. Please don't tell me to move, I would have done that years ago if it were feasible; that's not currently an option. Thank you in advance.
