chickens as house pets? Opinions and views

[RNK Farms]

Lots of people who have purchased my Seramas keep them indoors. Since they are the smallest chicken in the world you can keep them inside like you would a pet bird in a cage and let them out to interact with you. They can be trained however that is NOT potty training. I personally do not keep them inside. They do very well in an apartment setting or any other indoor environment. I do bath my chickens regularly and dust them and I never had a problem with bugs and mites.

 

[silkiemother]

I want a silkie serama mix now and I would name her princess tiny fluffball

 

[silkiemother]

well I know what I am going to do this weekend! I am going to build princess baby her royal indoor/outdoor run.it is going to connect to my window so she will be close by in case of predator

 

[PirateGirl]

As with any bird, chickens do not have control over their bowels and defecate approximately once every 15-20 minutes and they cannot be littered trained like a cat. Due to this, the only way I'd consider keeping a chicken in the house would be in a cage like a parrot or other "house bird."

 

[MROO]

Hi there! Can you tell me what you do to prevent disease in your house chicken?

KEEP IT CLEAN!!!

 

[JaeG]

Many pet birds can be potty trained but it's more a case of you recognising the signs and making sure they go in the right place or regularly encouraging them to go where they should using a command you've taught them. I've seen a video of a dove trained to poop on command before she was allowed to come out of her cage. Birds are a lot cleverer than you think.

In NZ we have one of the world's cleverest birds, the Kea. Cheeky, fearless and incredibly clever they have recently been found to be creating tools out of sticks and investing a lot of time using them to set off stoat traps just for the fun of making them go SNAP. All birds are clever and training them enriches their lives when they are kept as pets.

My cats are strictly indoor cats. Am I being cruel? They are protected from disease, parasites, cat fights, passing cars, roaming dogs, and cannot hunt the native wildlife that is in desperate need of protection. I also know they are not defecating in other people's gardens (like the neighbours cats do in my vege garden - I no longer grow veges because of this). One of our cats is deaf and half blind (in her excitement to see me yesterday she plowed right into my leg and it hurt)! She'd get lost outside (she gets lost inside). Our other two are rescue Ragdolls and in their previous home one was bitten by a feral cat because they were allowed to roam. They now want for nothing and have never been ill or injured while in our care. Is that cruelty?

 

[MROO]

Look, I mean no disrespect to any animal lover out there, but many times people try to do best by their pets from our (human) perspective and not the animals. Every single animal out there does better without us than with us. They are all born with the innate knowledge of how to survive, and surviving, mating, and surviving some more is what makes animals happy. The rest is us projecting our needs and desires on to them.
We keep them because we want them not the other way around.
A chicken will not be happier in a house than outside of it. You will be made happier with this arrangement but not the chickens.
And I apologize if anything on this thread has changed since the first few pages...

Is it "normal" - aka mainstream? Not really.
Is it a major issue we should use to judge others on? Oh heck no!

People do it with other pets all the time. I'm sure we all know someone whose dog has a dresser full of outfits and an out-of-this-world bed. Personally, I have a friend whose ferrets had an entire wardrobe of clothing and leashes for all occasions - all monogrammed!

So, back to the questions;
Were they weird? Yup!
Did I love 'em anyway? Absolutely!

As long as the critters and the people are healthy and cared for - and they don't expect me to do the same - then, hey, whatever floats your boat!

 

[MROO]

My cats are strictly indoor cats. ... They now want for nothing and have never been ill or injured while in our care. Is that cruelty?

My children lost a beloved cat because they were told that it was "cruel" to keep him locked up. Our kitties are totally indoors, now. Keeping them safe and healthy is a lot less cruel than letting them get hit by a car.

 

[Col1948]

You could always go and live in the coop and let the chickens in the house.

 

[silkiemother]

well one of my beloved birds is going to have to live in the house now,she does not havee long to live she has a reproductive problem and has probly only a few months left unless I get enough money to pay my dad to take her to the vet