House Chicken?

[WallyBirdie]

Greys are exceptionally smart! She sees me getting ready, and says, "Go to work" and "Let's Go!" when I get her carrier. She will get in it and wait impatiently when she sees that we are packing for a trip.

That is absolutely delightful! Thank you for sharing! I've been around different birds (cockatoos and quakers) but never an African Grey. I absolutely love hearing about animal's that are smart and/or quirky. What is your bird's name?

 

[Parront]

That is absolutely delightful! Thank you for sharing! I've been around different birds (cockatoos and quakers) but never an African Grey. I absolutely love hearing about animal's that are smart and/or quirky. What is your bird's name?

Dylan. She likes chickens, and their eggs.

 

[WallyBirdie]

@WallyBirdie i have 4 house chickens (was planning for 2)!!
How exciting!! Is yours a large chicken or bantam (or do you know?) I have 4 bantams, which i am calculating to equal a 1.3 regular size chicken (dont mess w my math).
So far it has been much easier than i thought it might be.. i did have to experiment to get things right, but it is definitely doable. I wouldn't plan on 4

Thank you! Not sure if it is a bantam or standard. I've reared both, but I always had others to compare size. She looks small (like most babies) and came from a small egg. Mom is bantam and dad is standard.
How does it work when they leave the brooder? What preparations are needed?

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Here are pics of my setup. Id say its one instance when the cheap prefab coop/houses are perfect. If you notice, mine has trays on each section. But the height is just fine for bantams, but would be too low for a full size. But if you got one w just a bit more height, you could easily build out a bottom edge to hold in a couple trays (since the coop portion usually already has a tray on all the designs).

I also bought a very thick vinyl shower curtain and cut it to create a skirt on the interior of the "run" so they wouldn't kick out their food or bedding. That has made a world of difference, house stays very clean.

As for bedding, i tried so many things and they were an utter failure. Finally, i used pine horse pellets (giant bag costs $8 at tractor supply) that are watered down (til water covers dry pellets), let them expand, and it turns into a very nice smelling, soft, not dusty, absorbent material.

Food and water cannot be going everywhere like when they are outside, so i splurged and am so happy w my Royal Rooster waterer and feeder. No mess, clean for the birds, and no waste either.

I let them out to play and sunbathe in the morning and the late afternoon. They do like their little house though, so they only stay out about 20 mins and then put themselves back in. If its just that long, i dont worry about diapers. If its longer, then i did get diapers for 2, need to order 2 more (the chicks are still growing, so the diapers are just slightly big for now).

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Thank you! Not sure if it is a bantam or standard. I've reared both, but I always had others to compare size. She looks small (like most babies) and came from a small egg. Mom is bantam and dad is standard.
How does it work when they leave the brooder? What preparations are needed?

I put them right into the coop as soon as i had it setup, maybe when they were 3 weeks or so old. I did add the heat lamp above the end for another couple weeks, until they were ok with 75 degrees (house is at that constant temp).

 

[WallyBirdie]

Here are pics of my setup. Id say its one instance when the cheap prefab coop/houses are perfect. If you notice, mine has trays on each section. But the height is just fine for bantams, but would be too low for a full size. But if you got one w just a bit more height, you could easily build out a bottom edge to hold in a couple trays (since the coop portion usually already has a tray on all the designs).

I also bought a very thick vinyl shower curtain and cut it to create a skirt on the interior of the "run" so they wouldn't kick out their food or bedding. That has made a world of difference, house stays very clean.

As for bedding, i tried so many things and they were an utter failure. Finally, i used horse pellets that are watered down (til water covers dry pellets), let them expand, and it turns into a very nice smelling, soft, not dusty, absorbent material.

Food and water cannot be going everywhere like outside, so i splurged and am so happy w my Royal Rooster waterer and feeder. No mess, clean for the birds, and no waste either.

I let them out to play and sunbathe in the morning and the late afternoon. They do like their little house though, so they only stay out about 20 mins and then put themselves back in. If its just that long, i dont worry about diapers. If its longer, then i did get diapers for 2, need to order 2 more (the chicks are still growing, so the diapers are just slightly big for now).

Thank you for the information and pictures! Very helpful! You have a wonderful setup and beautiful birds!

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Thank you for the information and pictures! Very helpful! You have a wonderful setup and beautiful birds!

No problem! Also, i clean my house once a week, and dust isn't anymore than without the chickens (im in dusty Arizona). But i did just start to give them a quick water bath. Plan is to do that once a month, since they are indoors. I figure it can't be bad, people do it for shows and when they are living inside anyhow. I do dry them w the hair dryer, but they love to sunbathe afterwards.

 

[Parront]

No problem! Also, i clean my house once a week, and dust isn't anymore than without the chickens (im in dusty Arizona). But i did just start to give them a quick water bath. Plan is to do that once a month, since they are indoors. I figure it can't be bad, people do it for shows and when they are living inside anyhow. I do dry them w the hair dryer, but they love to sunbathe afterwards.

Your chicks are way cleaner than Dylan! Dylan throws things, especially if she gets food that she did not order. If she wanted a treat, and I just give her pellets, she will fling the pellet back at me.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Your chicks are way cleaner than Dylan! Dylan throws things, especially if she gets food that she did not order. If she wanted a treat, and I just give her pellets, she will fling the pellet back at me.

Oh yes, since i got the chicks and was so paranoid about messes and smells, i realized its my TEENIE TINY CONURE that stinks she wants to dump everything in her water, and food.. omg its always everywhere. The dogs eat it up, thankfully. Only another 25 years with her!

 

[Parront]

Oh yes, since i got the chicks and was so paranoid about messes and smells, i realized its my TEENIE TINY CONURE that stinks she wants to dump everything in her water, and food.. omg its always everywhere. The dogs eat it up, thankfully. Only another 25 years with her!

Oh yeah, parrot soup!