Chickens as house pets?

[UrbanFarmerGreg]

I am just wondering about keeping chickens as house pets. My sister lives in a town that states she can cannot keep livestock on her property... well I was wondering if she could get around it if she keeps them in a cage inside her house... she really likes silkies and she has a large cage that she kept a parrot in, she no longer has a parrot but still has the cage... would she be able to keep 2 silkies inside of the cage (about 60x40x40inches) or would that be cruel or still against the law? I think she could get around the law as silkies are ornamental and serve no purpose other then enjoying having them.

 

[Peachesbabychick]

I think that would be kind of cruel. Chickens are outside animals and need fresh air and space. Having them "cooped" up like that is very unhealthy for them. They require taking dustbaths, scratching and running around, flying space, etc. Another thing is that, if they have nothing better to do, they pick on eachother.

I'm sorry for your sisters sake!

 

[hmmcc123]

I don't know about silkies in the house but she should look into Serama chickens. They are very small, beautiful chickens that make great pets! If you do a search here on BYC for the "American Serama" thread there are plenty of photos and information. Also, one of my favorite Serama sites is a fellow BYCer "Castle Delight Seramas". She has a wonderful website and great photos.

Good luck!

 

[Nicole01]

Sure you can! Many people do it. They also buy or make chicken diapers, so they can walk around the house. They can go in the cage at night or when it's time to lay.

I personally don't think anything is wrong with it. It's no different then keeping a canary or cockatiel as an indoor pet. Make sure there is enough room to sleep. I would use wire xl dog kennel.

Since I do not free range currently, the kids and I are sprouting our own greens for the chickens. I'm sprouting sunflower and alfalfa seeds for their greens. They have plenty of room in their cool and run not to free range.

 

[P-Funk]

Wow. Interesting. I feel bad when the girls are confined to their stall and run when guests come over. The cage is for the parrot.

 

[CMV]

There is a fundamental difference between chickens and parrots/cockatiels/parakeets. One is a ground dweller which derives it's greatest pleasure on the ground scratching, pecking, and playing in the dirt. The others are tree dwellers who can found hopping from branch to branch, flitting around treetops, and who can be amused by intricate bird jungle gyms. Chickens are not meant to be indoors. They wreak havoc with the air quality no matter how clean you keep them- constantly scratching stuff into the air, dander and feathers everywhere, ammonia fumes constantly being generated. The work involved in keeping a chicken indoors is phenomenal. I know. I have had reasons to have chickens inside on occasion, and each time I swear it will be the last. I now flatly refuse to keep them in the house. Period. The mess they generate is too great, and it is not a healthy situation for anyone involved.

Although I know there are people who keep house chickens I would strongly urge you not to do it. It is not in the best interests of the bird being kept in such an unnatural environment.

Good luck.

 

[Carrie Lynn]

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I so want a Serama, but after having a chicken in the house during recuperation, I realize it's not fair to the chicken. IMHO.

 

[UrbanFarmerGreg]

Ok so no one seemed to mention the law so everyone (so far) must think its within the law... but I was unsure as well and thought outside would be better, If she were to keep them outside would she be able to get around the law or not? If the law does not clearly state chicken then does she have a case?

 

[kari_dawn]

...ultimately it is your decission. I personally do not like keeping chickens indoors for all of the above mentioned reasons. But one more thing I would like you to consider is the fact that you plan on keeping them in a parrot cage. Parrot cages tend to b taller than they are wide (I will not get in to how I feel about average housing and diet that most people provide to their parrots, just let me say it is akin to keeping a small child in a closet...short of providing an aviary, I will not keep a parrot) to accomodate the length of a parrot's tail, and it's upright body structure. Basically, a parrot cage is a very poor attempt at mimicing living for an avian (flighted) creature, not a ground dwelling one.

If you (or rather, your sister) choose to go the indoor chicken route after doing your research, please reconsider keeping them in a parrot cage. As ground dwellers (and in my opinion flighted birds), they should be kept in an inclsure that is longer than it is tall to give them maximum floor space, which is where they will be spending a lot of time. Also to consider, is your sister willing to put them in chicken diapers and let them walk around the house? If they are going to be staying in an enclosure with a floor space of 40x40 at all times, I would reconsider keeping them indoors.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think chickens belong outdoors but Silkies would work.
I know someone that has a single silkie indoors with dogs and cats and it thinks it's a cat.