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Introduction
Keeping a house chicken is a very debated topic. In this article we will cover a few success stories, statistics, tips, care, and other options. Please be respectful and considerate of any opinions that anyone has on keeping house chickens. Also, this article is not about temporarily keeping chicks in the house, but adult chickens for long or short periods of time. Let’s get started!How? Caring for your House chicken.
While they may be in a different environment, house chickens still need most of the things that their outdoor friends need:- Feed and water
- A place to sleep/perch
- A clean environment
- Some outside time
- Stimulation and Enrichment
When? And how long?
Some people may just be keeping a house chicken because they want to, but there are some other reasons why people keep house chickens. Sometimes they just keep them in the house because they are sick or need to be isolated or quarantined. Sometimes people will keep a chicken inside due to a permanent disability, e.g., a cross-beak, blindness, injuries, or lameness. Chickens can even be kept inside as emotional support animals! Some of these reasons are temporary, while some are more long-term.A poll by @BDutch found how long and why some people keep chickens in the house. This poll was replied to by 61 people, including myself. We were able to choose multiple answers. The question asked was: how often do you have chickens or other poultry in the house? The percentages are in the table below.
| Never | 6.6% |
| Always | 9.8% |
| Every day or at least 4 times a week | 9.8% |
| Occasionally (trespassing) | 16.4% |
| I let them in occasionally | 19.7% |
| Chicks, yes grown ups as voted elsewhere | 29.5% |
| Only chicks in a brooder | 34.4% |
| When I have a sick chicken | 63.9% |
If you plan to keep a house chicken, be sure to evaluate the time period so you can set up and buy appropriately. You don’t want to spend a lot of money and get an awesome setup just to keep a chicken inside for two weeks. You will want to have a nice setup if it permanent, however. Either way, be sure that your bird is getting all that they need.
Why (Not)?
We covered some of the reasons why in the previous reason; now let’s cover the reasons why not to keep a house chicken. Keeping indoors presents complications that aren’t found when keeping chickens outdoors. One thing you will definitely need to take into consideration is your household. If you rent, your landlord probably won’t appreciate a house chicken. Will your family tolerate it? Do you have other pets that may not get along with your chicken? Do you have the space in your house? Is anyone going to mind the noise or mess? Hygiene is another concern. Can you keep on top of keeping everything sanitary? Chickens produce dander and manure pretty prolifically. Another concern is vacationing. Will you have anyone to watch your bird while you’re taking a break? You will also need to be responsible yourself. Do you have the patience, work ethic, and budget for it? You will also want to think about the bird’s quality of life. Will they be happy living in the house, or will they be lonely and bored? Another important question is whether keeping chickens is legal in your town. You can find information on chicken keeping by zone here and ask questions here.Other Options…
Fortunately, keeping a house chicken is not your only option, whether you’re looking for a new pet or are considering moving one of your chickens inside.If just looking for a pet:
If you are just looking for a new pet and don’t have a chicken yet, I have a few suggestions. First, I would write down your criteria for a pet. You may find out that a chicken doesn’t fit these requirements, while something else might. You can take a quiz to determine what might be your perfect pet here! If the idea of having a bird is what intrigues you, why not look into quail or traditional caged birds? If you still are convinced that a house chicken is the animal for you, I would double-check the “why” section of this article to make sure it will be possible for you. If so, I would recommend bantams rather than standard birds. You will also need to determine how many birds to keep and whether to keep roosters or not. Always have a backup plan in case something happens or you realize that it’s just too much.If you have a disabled, injured or ostracized bird:
If you already have a chicken that you are trying to integrate into your home due to the above reasons, you have a few other options. First I would check to see if keeping them happy in their coop is possible. If they are happy where they are, there is no reason to move them away from the others. However, if they are unhealthy or unhappy, moving them to another coop or rehoming may be necessary. If there is no way for a chicken to have a good quality of life, culling may be necessary. If you would like to get advice for your bird, you can post in the emergency, injury, and disease forum or the managing your flock forum.Examples and Stories
We’re going to go through a couple real life examples of house chickens.Leia
I received Leia about a year ago from a friend who no longer wanted to keep her. She and my rooster were the only bantams I had. Leia was absolutely terrified of the other chickens and would stay hidden away all day. She also has a mild cross-beak which makes it a little difficult for her to eat. Earlier this year, on a particularly cold morning, I saw her shivering by herself. Upon further inspection I realized that her beak had broken and she was underweight. She came inside and lived in my bedroom for a week. My dogs couldn’t come in my room and my family had to watch out for her. She pooped everywhere, spilled food and water, slept on the foot of my bed, spilled stuff, knocked over plants, and even got in the toilet! It was a fun but exhausting week. I was glad to see her go outside with a better beak and some more weight on her. Today she is doing fantastic, lays eggs regularly, and has a higher spot in the pecking order! I wouldn’t bring her back unless something drastically changed. I would personally recommend keeping your chickens outside whenever possible.
Ebony
Ebony is @kittyvamp1884 ’s black Australorp, who is a house chicken. Unfortunately and unintentionally, Ebony has suffered multiple attacks from a dog. These injuries have caused blindness, abdominal wounds, and head and throat trauma. She has healed quite well but is still living inside due to integration concerns and some of the injuries being permanent. Her family spends a lot of time with her, but they are trying to find her a suitable companion. She does interact with other chickens, spend time outside, and dust bathe. She doesn’t wear a diaper but usually only poops about four times a day, according to her owner. She has a large dog crate. Her dog crate contains two spice racks covered in grippy material. They serve as steps. Everything in her crate is lined with pieces of old sheet, which are regularly washed. These worked better than wood shavings, and Ebony seems to like them! She also has a couple of dog beds in her setup. To help her find her feed and water, she has a water fountain! She also gets table scraps, grits, and treats, along with her homemade feed that the other chickens get.
