Announcing: Minimal Mess INDOOR Coop

[teach1rusl]

I have to say...very ingenious. I hope it works out for you as they get bigger, and that you're soon able to find a place where your chickens will be accepted...

 

[amsunshine]

Thank you everyone! The girlz seem very happy. They are 17 weeks now and Agnes, I think the place is big enough for them. The tanks are 6 feet long by 2 feet wide, each, and with the 2 tanks side by side, the top tank, and the observation deck, everyone has somewhere to go if they want some space of their own or if someone gets on someone else's nerves. But most of the time, they're right next to each other, roosting, eating, or foraging.

Sweet Cheeks, someone gave me a baby duck as a joke in college I built her a cage out of discarded pallets and hardware cloth and kept her indoors for 6 years, so I'm not a stranger to keeping poultry indoors (though it has never been my first choice). I know how dusty things can get. I suffered no ill effects; I just kept everything as clean as possible, and that's what I'm doing now. I live "alone" (have a dog, canary, and tree frog too) so no concerns about children and chickens. The only electronics in that room are a TV and DVD/VCR player and that is a good idea to cover them (thank you ScaredofShadows) so I think I will. They are still working.

as was my TV and VCR back in my college days with my duckie (a Muscovy, by the way!).

I like this setup because I have a point of reference from keeping my duck years ago. The wire mesh in my duck's cage extended down to the 4" bottom frame so she was always kicking bedding out onto the floor. In my setup now my girlz can't do that.

ScaredofShadows, thanks for the wonderful compliments and I LOVE your avatar even though I am not really a cat person. My cousins, who are, would love it even more!

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

amsunshine - glad to be of help! Only reason I say cover that TV is because its a wall mounted one - which can be funny/finicky(sp) about that kind of thing because they don't have alot of air circulation as well as the older larger TV's do/did. - thats why I suggest covering that one - any TV that at the fan area gets really hot to the touch after 30-60 mins of use is a good indicator in my experience of something that dust,dander, ect can be detrimental (sp) too its 'health' lol. My friend has rescued birds - 6 large parrots and 3 are in one room (one is a cockatoo - horrible dander shedders) and she keeps her new TV covered when she's not using that TV in the "grand family room" where those 3 are - because she 'lost' a TV to the dander

her avian vet is the one who told her - lol. She now uses an air purifier in there as well to help filter out the cockatoo's excessive dander. You think a duck or chicken is bad? Visit someone with a cockatoo - lol. She was sick and didn't clean up/dust for a few days and had a thick layer of dander dust that you'd have thought was 2 months of dust in that room and the connecting dining room!

Anyway - take care enjoy the girls and I hope they can move outdoors and be safe sometime soon!

Oh do you let them out to forage at all? If not yet, I would suggest you make a cheap little tractor run outside maybe 6X3 ft w/ just chicken wire and let them forage for a bit while you can watch them and pull the run around to fresh grass every day when you let them out.

I'm sure they'd really love and appreciate it.

 

[amsunshine]

SOS, yes, I do let them out 1 by 1 when I think the one set of troublesome neighbors aren't home or are inside. I have lots of trees on my lot so I'm taking a gamble that they can't see me...at least now while the trees are leafed out. My EE isn't a smart bird and so she just looks vacantly around and hasn't figured out that she can forage outside, too. My Australorp forages but is more interested in looking around and making commentary on everything she sees. My Buff forages all the time outside, follows me everywhere, basks in the sun, and is really the best to have outside so far.

 

[clothdiaperingmom]

I think its cool!
And whatever works for your situation! You are obviously taking care of them and thats all that matter, despite what others may say. I currently have some teenagers in the house. Mostly because, until later today when the dual purpose birds are harvested, I have no where outside to put them. Than that leaves just some babies in side till I feel comfortable putting them out.
Good luck and hope you find somewhere without bothersome neighbors....we too are looking for another place preferable outside of town with more land but minus some of our rude neighbors 5 houses down (long story but 8 yrs of harassment from 1 specific neighbor over various things. This time, I called city hall before I got chickens and I know the ordinance and
there is nothing they can do in regards to me having chickens=-)

Good luck!!

 

[Chickenaddict]

Very clever...... I too keep seramas in the house over winter, they have their own aviary room in my basement. Despite the negative responses some have to having indoor chickens, well they haven't tried it yet or it's just not for them. I think in moderation it can and will work. For me I built a 5 ft long by 3 ft deep by 5 ft tall enclosure that can easily have a sheet thrown over the top to keep most of the dust in. Also a humidifier works well to keep the dander to a managable level. I bet the chickens LOVE watching tv with you

 

[Rozzie]

x

 

[clothdiaperingmom]

CPS could be called about chickens in the home???? (Would they be called if it was parrots?)
And yet some parents smoke in the home and car around their kids.
(No judgment meant by that as both dh and I smoke....we just dont smoke in the car or house, ever.)

 

[gramakoko]

It looks like you really thought things out....I like your egg basket. I've been looking for one of those. Where did you find it?

 

[amsunshine]

CPS...that would be a hoot as I have no human children! Health Services...well good luck to them because I had no problems with having a duck for 6 years in my house. LOL

I got the egg basket from my aunt. I have no idea where she got it. She has had it for years and when I told her I had chickens, she gave it to me so I could have something to put the eggs in.