Best cage for indoor chicken?

[morrowtom63]

I have raised chicks for others over the years, at times have had to raise a single hatch. All turn out well adjusted but have learned keeping them in the house can be "work". The latest single hatch I was to raise & since acquired is a Serama. She's had issues which were thought to be URI which I've been treating since hatch. Recently suggested it maybe an eye infection which I'm treating for and it seems to be working.

Anyways, due to her condition and having becoming attached plus her personality ... Keeping her in the house & I needed a set up ... Came up with this & it's working just great. I got a small air purifier which I don't use every day & when I do, I put it on at night.

Anyways, I have a brooder in my patio which she spends the afternoons (warmer), leaving the door open, she has access to the yard but chooses to stay in unless I go with her ... Hoping she'll eventually go with the dogs. She's fine alone & the only complaint I get is she wants the MHP on at night.

I had rescued a rusted wire cage that I cleaned up, purchased off Amazon the netting skirt, using potty pads as the shaving dust may be affecting her eyes. I do have 6" cardboard sides for the cage but the netting works. I ferment my feed & use a HWN (horizontal water nipples) on my water container. Works for me

Yes, chickens are social animals but it can work. I may get a buddy for Poquito when my friend's Serama hatches out the eggs she's sitting on now but if I don't, she seems to be adjusted to our lifestyle and my schedule.

What breed do you have? A bedroom may not be the healthiest for YOU, I keep mine in the living room and she is a bantam sized plus she does spend afternoons outside.

Thank you for the positive and encouraging advice! Unlike the anti-indoor pet chicken people here, I appreciate hearing something that is open-minded.

Hopefully, I get better advice from other people that keep inside a Buff Orpington or possibly a rescued turkey.

 

[Callender Girl]

Yes, chickens are flock animals that should live with others outdoors. But, my house chicken lives in a large wire crate indoors. She was traumatized by bigger birds when she was a chick and literally RUNS from them when she's outdoors. They do not, in any way, make her feel happy or safe. I have tried many times in different set-ups with different coop mates to get her to become part of a flock. Had I known that Dottie would always live indoors, I would have refused to take her when she was given to me. But, I didn't and now I give her a safe home, good food, plenty of water, attention and a nest box where she lays lovely blue eggs. She is quite fine hanging out on the couch with me and my other house critters.

BTW, dogs are naturally pack animals, but a great many folks have only ONE dog and I rarely see folks insisting that they MUST have other dogs to keep their pet happy.
And, as far as my dad was concerned, NO animal should live in the house with people. As someone with indoor dogs and cats too, I sometimes think he was right.

 

[morrowtom63]

Yes, chickens are flock animals that should live with others outdoors. But, my house chicken lives in a large wire crate indoors. She was traumatized by bigger birds when she was a chick and literally RUNS from them when she's outdoors. They do not, in any way, make her feel happy or safe. I have tried many times in different set-ups with different coop mates to get her to become part of a flock. Had I known that Dottie would always live indoors, I would have refused to take her when she was given to me. But, I didn't and now I give her a safe home, good food, plenty of water, attention and a nest box where she lays lovely blue eggs. She is quite fine hanging out on the couch with me and my other house critters.

BTW, dogs are naturally pack animals, but a great many folks have only ONE dog and I rarely see folks insisting that they MUST have other dogs to keep their pet happy.
And, as far as my dad was concerned, NO animal should live in the house with people. As someone with indoor dogs and cats too, I sometimes think he was right.

Can you please post photos of your indoor chicken cage setup?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Disagree on the parakeet, I had one which was smaller than Poquito ... There was more dust & dander ... It affected my breathing. I'm just saying birds should be outside due to the dust & dander but it's possible depending on alot of factors & how much you will do to make it work.

I really must agree with the rest, keeping a BO or Turkey in a cage & in a bedroom/house is NOT advisable. It is recommended: 4sq ft for a coop with a run of 10sq ft per chicken. Keeping a large chicken/animal in small confines will cause emotional issues for the animal.

 

[morrowtom63]

Disagree on the parakeet, I had one which was smaller than Poquito ... There was more dust & dander ... It affected me more. I'm just saying birds should be outside due to the dust & dander but it's possible, depending on alot of factors & how much you will do to make it work.

I really must agree with the rest, keeping a BO or Turkey in the bedroom/house is NOT advisable. Keeping that size of any animal in a cage is not "humane". It would be best to outside in an area it can move around.

Let me point out that I plan to have the chicken wear a diaper from a company called "Avian Fashions". They have revolutionized the pet bird industry by inventing a diaper to catch bird droppings. By the way, a chicken is a bird!

 

[morrowtom63]

Can somebody here post pictures of their pet indoor hen please?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Let me point out that I plan to have the chicken wear a diaper from a company called "Avian Fashions". They have revolutionized the pet bird industry by inventing a diaper to catch bird droppings. By the way, a chicken is a bird!

Yes, and the diaper will also hold the waste against feathers, which means she'll have a messy bottom constantly and smell worse than chickens normally do.

And like the poster above you said, birds do best outside

 

[ChickNanny13]

Yes, a chicken is a "bird" but more a "poultry" ... You have to experience what we're trying to understand why we're trying to get across. Best of wishes

 

[morrowtom63]

Yes, and the diaper will also hold the waste against feathers, which means she'll have a messy bottom constantly and smell worse than chickens normally do.

And like the poster above you said, birds do best outside

First of all, the bird diaper called a FlightSuit invented by Avian Fashions, is more like a pouch sitting below the birds cloaca. There is no contact with the poop and the feathers. Do your research first!

 

[3KillerBs]

First of all, the bird diaper called a FlightSuit invented by Avian Fashions, is more like a pouch sitting below the birds cloaca. There is no contact with the poop and the feathers. Do your research first!

There is no truly sanitary means of putting a diaper on a bird long-term.

It is not a healthy, natural situation for a chicken.

It's one thing to keep a rescue bird who is incapable of living a normal life indoors as a service to the bird, who would otherwise be culled. It's quite a different thing to deliberately subject a normal, healthy chicken to a lonely and unnatural life.