House chicken with Diaper running around the house..do and don't?

[gritsar]

Quote:
I don't have house chickens, other than bringing one in for a specific reason, but I know people that do and that's great if you want to do it. I've said it before and I'll say it again, what's the difference between having a chicken in the house or a pet parrot? Only about $2000.
I wouldn't worry about him eating the rug. Start giving grit/gravel when you are feeding foods other than his starter or grower feed. Roosting comes instinctively. Be sure you are offering him appropriate sized (about an inch and a half in diameter, I believe) and stable roosts.

 

[lavandula girl]

Aren't you afraid you'll squish the chicken in your sleep if it's in bed with you?

 

[chickiebaby]

I can't say I feel great about raising a chicken in a cage. So many of us raise chickens, in part, because we don't like farm/industrial methods that include caging birds.

I sure hope you are able to give this chicken some time outside to scratch and fluff and bathe and be a chicken?

 

[the simple life]

Is the roost you bought too high?
I have babies that will roost right in the brooder. In fact there is one pretty little girl that roosts on the waterer or feeder every day.
I would worry less about him eating your rug and more about him getting into something in the house that could hurt him, such as household cleaners and things like that.
Believe me, I am not knocking you but I just want you to be aware of your options and such.
The other consideration is that if for some reason some day you were unable to keep him, how would he cope in the chicken world.
Surely anyone else that would take him off your hands will not let him sleep in the house while wearing a diaper no less.
They will wish him luck and toss him into the coop with the rest of the chickens.

Good luck with whatever you end up doing.

 

[chickorama]

I agree with chickiebabie!! The chicken needs time in it's natural habitat... outside. Is there really any reason for it to live inside? If it's more than you can do to have a house for it at night, at least let it out for the day to scratch and eat bugs and worms and greenery!! Maybe you could take it in at dark if it's predators you're concerned about. Otherwise it's completely unnecessary to keep it inside. I don't know about you, but I, like chickiebabie got chickens partly in support of organic, fresh eggs, and partly in support of putting factory farms out of business.