Indoor chicken coop

[Molpet]

I have a pullet that was hatched around labor day in a parrot cage in the living room. She survived a hawk attack Oct 26 ... But she isn't that active yet.. She just looks out the window and watches TV.

 

[KentuckyRooster]

I have 2 house chickens with no problems. I keep potty pads in their night cage, which I change often. I wash their feet before they come out of the cage, and then put diapers on them. I have chicken food in a bowl out and water. The diapers need changed every couple of hours so if I have to be gone a long time I put them in the cage then, but otherwise they're free to range my home.

 

[PaigeAndy'schickens]

I've got a couple of thoughts. First off, make sure the chicken is treated for every type of bug/worm early on. I have parrots, and find Moxidectin Plus to be a great cure-all for those types of things. It kills all parasites, inside and out. Chooks apparently don't like the taste, but if you add some orange juice to the water, I've heard they are okay with it. Just follow the directions on the bottle if you choose to use Moxi. If you don't want to use that, just use whatever worming and anti-lousing products you prefer.
The next thing I'd suggest is that you might want to add a special "dust bathing" area which you can control, rather than have her tossing wood chips everywhere all the time. I was thinking of a large plastic container, something like a small kids' pool or sandbox, eg. as on the following website.
https://www.walmart.com/browse/toys/sandboxes-water-tables/4171_14521_133062
I'd suggest putting very coarse sand in it for them to dust bath in. That way, they would still feel like they're getting a type of dust bath, but you wouldn't have to put up with actual dust from it since coarse sand won't fly all over the house. With it being contained in a smallish area, i.e. kids' pool or similar, you shouldn't get too much mess from it.
As for dander, I've had many indoor parrots over the years, and still do, and I haven't found it to be unbearable at all. You are obviously a clean person, so clean as needed and I'm sure you'll be fine.
Best of luck. I'm so glad you saved the chook. I love a happy ending.

Thanks for the tips! We will definitely do the sand bath. I'm glad you mentioned that because I hadn't thought of that. And thanks for the encouragement!!!

 

[KentuckyRooster]

Thanks for the tips! We will definitely do the sand bath. I'm glad you mentioned that because I hadn't thought of that. And thanks for the encouragement!!!

I think you'll find having a chicken indoors very enjoyable. Ours are some of the best pets we have and we have a LOT of pets. They are so charming and personable and they follow us everywhere. They are just so precious. Their care really isn't that hard once you get a routine and having a tiny rooster fall asleep on your chest watching TV is about the best feeling in the world. This is the only way we can have chickens anymore at our home and they're the best.

 

[GemmaA]

Thanks for rescuing her! I also have a rescued hen who led me to getting my first little flock.

I agree that keeping her inside is your best option for the time being. I'm not sure where you live but it's COLD here, and I'd be very worried about a single chicken generating enough body heat to make it through. I have 3 girls and I still fret about them being warm enough (although, I am also very new to chicken keeping so I fret about everything!!).

My rescue hen was an inside chicken at her foster home. They gradually acclimated her to the outside so she'd make it through the winter. She's extremely people oriented due to the time she spent inside so is my only hen that likes to be picked up and cuddled. She's also fearless and has zero survival instinct so I don't let her free roam, even though she clearly wants to! She has integrated well into my tiny flock, and is now second in command.

Best of luck!

 

[lynnehd]

I agree with the words of encouragement. Hopefully this Spring she will do well with the chicks, and take up residence in your newly secure coop outside. But for now, it's only one chicken inside, and I think you will do fine, with some of the suggestions that have been made. Best of luck!

 

[PaigeAndy'schickens]

I think you'll find having a chicken indoors very enjoyable. Ours are some of the best pets we have and we have a LOT of pets. They are so charming and personable and they follow us everywhere. They are just so precious. Their care really isn't that hard once you get a routine and having a tiny rooster fall asleep on your chest watching TV is about the best feeling in the world. This is the only way we can have chickens anymore at our home and they're the best.

They roam free on your house? That's awesome! What do you do about their leavings? Do you use diapers?

 

[PaigeAndy'schickens]

I agree with the words of encouragement. Hopefully this Spring she will do well with the chicks, and take up residence in your newly secure coop outside. But for now, it's only one chicken inside, and I think you will do fine, with some of the suggestions that have been made. Best of luck!

Thank you!!

 

[PaigeAndy'schickens]

Thanks for rescuing her! I also have a rescued hen who led me to getting my first little flock.

I agree that keeping her inside is your best option for the time being. I'm not sure where you live but it's COLD here, and I'd be very worried about a single chicken generating enough body heat to make it through. I have 3 girls and I still fret about them being warm enough (although, I am also very new to chicken keeping so I fret about everything!!).

My rescue hen was an inside chicken at her foster home. They gradually acclimated her to the outside so she'd make it through the winter. She's extremely people oriented due to the time she spent inside so is my only hen that likes to be picked up and cuddled. She's also fearless and has zero survival instinct so I don't let her free roam, even though she clearly wants to! She has integrated well into my tiny flock, and is now second in command.

Best of luck!

I live in very cold north Western Ohio. It is actually 6° here right now. So putting her outside by herself was just not an option! With all the positive words of encouragement I am very excited to start this journey of having an indoor chicken coup.

 

[KentuckyRooster]

They roam free on your house? That's awesome! What do you do about their leavings? Do you use diapers?

They have a cage for when we are not home for long periods or during the night, but the rest of the time I am usually home with them and they get to wander around. They wear little diapers (I call them their pants LOL) and I change them every few hours.