Indoor Pet Chickens

[Stacykins]

I am wondering, how many people here keep an indoor chicken as a pet? I've heard of people doing this, just not here on the BYC. The idea is intriguing, especially since chicken sized diapers are available to take care of the poo problem. Do you keep the chicken inside most of the time or just for visits? I really am curious!

 

[tinychicky]

i have a house chicken

tiny (the hen in my avatar) is my favorite, but she is partially lame and blind in one eye, so i decided to keep her inside. she couldn't fly to the roost and was having trouble getting enough to eat. most of the younger hens picked on her, so she hid behind my rooster raven most of the time. she's been living inside for about six months now and is doing a whole lot better. she can't have the run of the house, but she has a large rabbit cage and i let her out whenever i'm there to lay down towels (i can't put a chicken diaper on her, since it's already hard for her to walk). she also comes with me every evening when i go out to close up the chickens so she can see her friends. the next time she goes broody, we're going to let her hatch some chicks, so maybe she won't be so lonely!

oh and she lives in my bedroom...yes i said in my bedroom. maybe i'm crazy, but

 

[chickenaddictntn]

I like my chickens outside or in the freezer where God intended them to be

 

[casportpony]

GreenPea likes the firplace:

 

[axion_lotus]

I would keep one or two "house chickens" but...

...I am allergic to birds.

Which sucks, because I love birds! Especially chickens.

The only reason I can keep my parakeet in the house is because he produces very little dander and he's in a very open area in the house, and there is sufficient air flow.

So, my chickens had to stay outside, in a fenced-in run, which is where I spent most of my time with them. I can't stay in the chicken house for more than twenty minutes without my eyes getting puffy and not being able to breathe.

My point is, If you want to keep your chickens in the house, more power to ya, at least you can actually do it, without risk of an allergic reaction.

 

[Trish1974]

Kramer did!

 

[Pinky]

I wouldn't mind having a chicken in the house if they were not so messy.

 

[crj]

Ok, yes, I have a chicken living in my kitchen. What can I say. I had surgery the 2nd of Aug. I came home the next day to find my hen terribly ill. I didn't think she would make it through the night. Then, I didn't think she would make it through the next night. Needless to say she made it through all the nights. She is now blind from what I can tell. Sometimes I wonder. I made a perch for her that is about 1 1/2 inches off the ground. She knows where her food is on the door of a small pet crate which is left open. She rarely goes in the crate.

I have a towel that is laid on the floor and on top of that I use to use puppy pads. Then I moved to adult size pads that are used on beds. They are much longer and a bit wider. They work great and clean up is easy. My hen pretty much stays in place but on occassion she will tour the kitchen so you have to be careful where you step at times. The last think I want to do is step on the chicken or kick her across the room. I think the first thing everyone does when entering the kitchen is look to see if Nellie is on her perch........ LOL. She is great with conversation too. She hasn't laid an egg since she was sick either. She has been sick several times. I don't think this chicken will die because she should have 3 times. I can't put her with the other chickens because they try to kill her.

 

[Anansi]

I have two indoor bantams, both hens. The older of the two walked into our garage last October, and now has a 16 sq ft pen, while the younger one has a 4 sq ft rabbit cage. There is actually very little smell and cleaning is easy.9 I'm in the process of making custom diapers for them that can also double as a harness for going out and about. They are both very people friendly and the older one gets lots of attention when she goes out (she's the only one with a diaper right now). She even had a fan club. Once I'm done with diapers, they'll be going out more. They get plenty of roaming around, and love their time in the kitchen at night because it means crickets and superworms for chasing and eating. They are also trainable, and one of the trainers at the petsmart in our area can now add training a chicken to her resume.

This is Gurtrude.


And this is Lizbeth


They are real sweethearts. I don't regret having either one in our house.

 

[crb1487]

I have two indoor bantams, both hens. The older of the two walked into our garage last October, and now has a 16 sq ft pen, while the younger one has a 4 sq ft rabbit cage. There is actually very little smell and cleaning is easy.9 I'm in the process of making custom diapers for them that can also double as a harness for going out and about. They are both very people friendly and the older one gets lots of attention when she goes out (she's the only one with a diaper right now). She even had a fan club. Once I'm done with diapers, they'll be going out more. They get plenty of roaming around, and love their time in the kitchen at night because it means crickets and superworms for chasing and eating. They are also trainable, and one of the trainers at the petsmart in our area can now add training a chicken to her resume.

This is Gurtrude.
View attachment 1111112

And this is Lizbeth
View attachment 1111113

They are real sweethearts. I don't regret having either one in our house.

I love them!
They actually better mannered than any of my dogs or cats too.

This was Miss Gobble Gutts (name is self explanatory... Lol) She had genetic heart murmur and got Asperaligus caused by previous neighbor.
She lived inside with us and went every where with me til her last days.
Nothing more precious.