enrichment/enclosure for indoor setup (plants,toys, etc)

[bantam_crazy]

ever since I made this account I'm obsessed with the wisdom everyone has here haha, today's question!!

for a little bit of background, I'm thinking of keeping indoor bantam (specifically serama) chickens. BUT. I need ideas for

1. house/indoor plants safe for chickens
2. toys/enrichment opportunities
3. what should my setup look like ? does the placement of the stuff matter ?
4. flooring/surface for the “ chicken room”

so far these are the ideas I have (more suggestions or anything else welcome )

1. roosting areas
2. foraging trays
3. dust baths
4. hay
5. balls with treats in them
6. hiding places (im thinking of using cat/dog houses)
7. some extra stuff to add clutter
8. parrot toys ?? mainly those ones about destroying, perching on and foraging.

but I need to find roosting perches suitable for bantams/seramas, would pigeon ones be suitable ? plus what type of roosting areas would they most like (I saw some different type designs like just sticks. ones that have weird shapes. etc)


the room for them (see photos) ,, ignore the furniture they will be out!

im overall looking for advice on anything. thanks y'all for any help

 

[NatJ]

[*] house/indoor plants safe for chickens
[*]toys/enrichment opportunities

You could try growing plants with edible leaves, then putting the pots in the chicken room for them to eat and enjoy.
Possible plants include:
lettuce
spinach
kale
cabbage
turnips
broccoli
peas
beans

In general, if people eat the leaves, they tend to be safe for chickens too. And certain garden plants are safe for people to eat even if we usually don't (like the leaves of pea plants and bean plants and broccoli plants), so they would also be good for chickens.

Flowering plants that are edible for people are often edible for chickens too. That includes pansies (violets, viola, some other names.) Lists of edible flowers might be helpful here. Again, edible for people will usually mean edible for chickens as well.

I tend to think of plants that grow in the northern half of the USA, because that's where I live. Depending on where you live, the most common plants might be different, but I'm sure there will be some that are safe for both people and chickens to eat. You can even grow something for a while, eat the best bits yourself, then let the chickens enjoy the rest of the plant

 

[iwltfum]

ever since I made this account I'm obsessed with the wisdom everyone has here haha, today's question!!

for a little bit of background, I'm thinking of keeping indoor bantam (specifically serama) chickens. BUT. I need ideas for

1. house/indoor plants safe for chickens
2. toys/enrichment opportunities
3. what should my setup look like ? does the placement of the stuff matter ?
4. flooring/surface for the “ chicken room”

so far these are the ideas I have (more suggestions or anything else welcome )

1. roosting areas
2. foraging trays
3. dust baths
4. hay
5. balls with treats in them
6. hiding places (im thinking of using cat/dog houses)
7. some extra stuff to add clutter
8. parrot toys ?? mainly those ones about destroying, perching on and foraging.

but I need to find roosting perches suitable for bantams/seramas, would pigeon ones be suitable ? plus what type of roosting areas would they most like (I saw some different type designs like just sticks. ones that have weird shapes. etc)


the room for them (see photos) ,, ignore the furniture they will be out!

im overall looking for advice on anything. thanks y'all for any help
View attachment 4141970View attachment 4141971View attachment 4141969

I can't recommend strongly enough against raising chickens inside your home. There are so many reasons.

 

[KyCoop]

Having pet chickens inside your apartment will be fun for about a week. Ask anyone who has ever brooded chicks inside their house.
Very quickly the smell and the dust will get out of control and you will soon learn why indoor pet chickens are not a thing.

No amount of "enrichment " is going to keep them happy for long. 1 hour of fresh air and sun will not be sufficient to keep them healthy. Oh if they do manage to lay an egg in those conditions do you know how LOUD hens can be?
You are setting yourself and the chicken up for a terrible life.
If you want a pet bird get a parakeet.

 

[NatJ]

No amount of "enrichment " is going to keep them happy for long.

That room looks bigger than the coops some people build, even bigger than the runs that some people use for small numbers of bantam chickens.

And it is common for chickens in some climates to live inside their coop for months at a time during the winter.

I don't see how space in an apartment would be much different than a coop or a coop-and-run setup outdoors. The chickens care how much space they are in, not how much space is outside of it.

(I mostly agree with your other points. Outside is the best place for most chickens in most situations.]

 

[bantam_crazy]

not to be rude or anything, but, I don't see the difference between keeping a parrot vs chicken indoors health wise. with ventilation. air purifers etc it should be okay ?? a lot of people keep birds inside. and they're ok. /genunienely /light hearted

also I would simply opt for a parakeet too but the thing is they don't fit other criteria I'm looking for + chickens are even more AWESOME

 

[KyCoop]

Chickens are awesome. They are smart, they are funny and they also have personalies. But they also have other requirements that other indoor pet birds don't have.
Yes, you have the space requirements but you don't have the outdoor opportunity they need.
They are way dirtier then pet birds. You will be cleaning non stop and your going to realize your mistake.
You do you but you will be hard pressed to find EXPERIENCED chicken people that will support this.
Good luck on your journey.

 

[NatJ]

not to be rude or anything, but, I don't see the difference between keeping a parrot vs chicken indoors health wise. with ventilation. air purifers etc it should be okay ?? a lot of people keep birds inside. and they're ok. /genunienely /light hearted

also I would simply opt for a parakeet too but the thing is they don't fit other criteria I'm looking for + chickens are even more AWESOME

A big difference I can see between chickens and some other birds that people keep inside: size and quantity.

Chickens are bigger than most birds that people keep as indoor pets (obvious exception for some of the largest parrots and some of the smallest bantam chickens.)

Many kinds of pet birds are kept individually or in very small numbers. Chickens are often kept in larger groups, which is good because they naturally want to live as part of a flock. (For all I know, some of those other birds might also be happier in groups.)

More birds and bigger birds mean more droppings, more shed feathers, more dander, more dust, etc.

Chickens spend large amounts of time scratching around on the ground, as compared with many kinds of common "pet" birds that do not scratch as much. The extra scratching will tend to make a lot of mess (throwing bedding around, tossing dust into the air to settle on every available surface, and so forth.)


I know that some people do keep chickens indoors. I see it most often when they have just one or two chickens that cannot live with a flock anyway (for example, chickens with some kind of physical handicap, so for them it really is the best choice).

Overall, I think you do have a good point. I can't say whether chickens are really a good choice for your situation or not, but it's good that you are thinking about their needs and your needs before you actually try getting some.

Personally, I tend to swing the other way: I don't want any birds inside my house, chickens or parrots or canaries or any others. But if other birds are tolerable, I expect chickens would be too, for at least some situations.

 

[bantam_crazy]

i found experienced people who support me actually. thank you for the insight though

i feel like there is no harm in trying, worst case scenario, chickens will go to a loving outdoor home. but again. your thinking the best for any animal is so kind , have w good day

 

[WildNectarine]

ever since I made this account I'm obsessed with the wisdom everyone has here haha, today's question!!

for a little bit of background, I'm thinking of keeping indoor bantam (specifically serama) chickens. BUT. I need ideas for

1. house/indoor plants safe for chickens
2. toys/enrichment opportunities
3. what should my setup look like ? does the placement of the stuff matter ?
4. flooring/surface for the “ chicken room”

so far these are the ideas I have (more suggestions or anything else welcome )

1. roosting areas
2. foraging trays
3. dust baths
4. hay
5. balls with treats in them
6. hiding places (im thinking of using cat/dog houses)
7. some extra stuff to add clutter
8. parrot toys ?? mainly those ones about destroying, perching on and foraging.

but I need to find roosting perches suitable for bantams/seramas, would pigeon ones be suitable ? plus what type of roosting areas would they most like (I saw some different type designs like just sticks. ones that have weird shapes. etc)


the room for them (see photos) ,, ignore the furniture they will be out!

im overall looking for advice on anything. thanks y'all for any help
View attachment 4141970View attachment 4141971View attachment 4141969

The website “Make Your Own Bird Toys” is a beautiful land of wallet destruction, have a look around there and you’ll definitely get some new ideas.