Am I nuts!?!

[riftnreef]

OK...I'm just curious how many of you think I'm totally off my rocker. I have 4 young Serama chicks that I hatched out, and 4 adults comming in the mail today for my kids' 4-H projects. I have my six laying hens in a retrofitted 8x8 garden shed with a small attached run. All this and I live in a less than chicken friendly town!...so here is the "crazy" part...I am putting together a coop in my basement for the Seramas. We have a small enclosed area that was used for storage that is about 7' wide and 12' long...I am closing in this space with a chicken wire covered wall for the birds to live in. I have installed some rather expensive timed UV lighting (normally used for reef fish tanks) since the birds will only get outdoor time during the summer months, and I'm working on an exhaust vent in the small basement window that is already in place. So, I pose the question to all of you....is this over the top? Would you ever consider keeping chickens, even small ones, inside your home for extended periods of time? I just know that some one will call the health department and have my house condemed for this...LOL....some people are just sooooo darn touchy about these things.

Also, suggestings for bedding type, care, and maint. would be appreciated...

 

[Scoop]

YOU are a true chicken lover!

I say go for it! You'd just have to be really adament in cleaning the poo up all the time or your basement would be a real stinker! (I'm not recommending that you break zoning laws, of course!)

 

[possumqueen]

riftnreef, darlin',

You join BYC and become a regular and you expect to be considered normal and sane????

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

 

[thechickenchick]

Quote:
Exactly! Asking us if you are nuts is like asking the patient in the bed next to you at an insane asylum!!

 

[Keri78]

Honestly, it seems like alot of work to me but I've never had seramas so maybe they are alot cleaner than other chickens?

If I were ever going to keep any in my house(granted this is your basement soooo it's not going to be in your living room!(LOL) BUT...I would limit it to just a couple so it's more managable...of course I have three little ones here sooo your situation may be totally different and your kiddos may be totally capable and old enough to care for them all and enjoy it!

Have you ever considered button quail?

I met someone on here a while back that was in a similar situation and she too had seramas inside b/c of her neighborhood and she ended up selling them all and converting to buttonquail! She says that they are MUCH easier to keep inside(cleaner...less noise etc) Who's to say REALLY????

It's up to you & your kiddos and if everyone's cool with it then go for it! If it doesn't work out then you can always scale back or try something else? I'm VERY interested to see pics of your set up! And to answer your question..."YES" ummm...we are all a little crazy that's why we are talking on a "CHICKEN BOARD"!!!!

You're a FUN Mama and a good sport to even consider it...your kids will only be kids for such a short time enjoy it and make some memories!(even if they are ones you all look back at and laugh and say "what the heck were we thinkin!!!

) I lump myself in this joke as well!

 

[Andi]

Personally, it sounds like too much work when I think about having to make all the trips hauling bedding material out. But that's why I wouldn't do it in my house in my situation. Your exhaust will need to be pretty darn hefty to handle those times just before you change out the bedding. 8 birds is a lot of poo! Put a good several coats of sealer on the floor so you don't have that smell seeping into the cement and so during shoveling you don't break off the high ridges on the sealing. I'd be concerned about lingering odors if you decide this wasn't a good idea. Do you have a basement door close that accesses the outside. That would make chores easier.

Seramas are beautiful birds. Are you planning on turning a profit or is this just for pets. I hope you have a wonderful experience with this project. Good luck!

 

[Keri78]

Ok...still thinking here Maybe rabbit hutch(or two) and then a childs plastic swimming pool filled with hay or shavings for a "free range area for them???

See this is why I love BYC it lets me think about challenging things like this So my general thought process is "tending to my babies, laundry, laundry, laundry, CHICKENS!, little housework, little housework, CHICKENS!!!!!Repeat...Repeat...Repeat

 

[riftnreef]

The floor and walls are both sealed and painted, so that should keep any permanent damage to a minimum. This may be a seasonal solution as I'm sitting here thinking that a small inconspicious coop could be put outside for spring through fall IF (and thats a big IF) the roo's don't make too much noise. My neghborhood is fine with the hens I keep...in fact, most love them dearly...but I don't think the roo's would go over well...and it only takes one unhappy neighbor to make my chickens disappear. Granted, they would move to my dads house 1 1/2 miles away that is perfectly leagal to keep them...go figure! Lastly, these are purely pets and show birds for my kids. I have zero interest in breeding or propagating them...I have enough hobbies that I don't need that hassle...

My largest worry is that during spring ball season we are soooo very busy that keeping up with the pen will become WORK instead of a labor of love and could become a problem then, but so far every one has committed to keeping up with it.

 

[LynneP]

Be careful not to let dust get into the house, you could be allergy central. When I had cockatiels years ago, even two created a lot of dust from grooming. Do any of you have allergies?