House chickens?

[ILoveDaffy]

I don’t believe for one second that a chicken just goes outside when it has to poop. If they want to have the risk, then that’s up to them! This house chicken thing is nonsense.

I have an out door chicken that lives outside, and when she has to come inside, if she's sick, or has had a bath and needs dried, she doesn't poop inside. She waits until outside, then goes. You are wrong.

 

[ILoveDaffy]

Yes. Agreed.
But the definitely can‘t control it for hours on end. (Well....broodies are an exception.)

They most certainly can, and mine have when brought inside. I had a sick pullet who had to come inside when it was raining, and she held it for literal hours. She only went when she could not hold it anymore.

 

[ILoveDaffy]

Of course I brought her out every 2-3 hours, except at night and she was fine.

 

[BunnyEberhart]

House chickens are fine. I have them. Just give him lots of enrichment. Lots of toys. And fun stuff to do. He will be fine. Outside play time is always good. Here are 2 of my newest ones. You can buy chicken diapers.

 

[BunnyEberhart]

I never said all. But they all carry bacteria in their poop and since they poop every 15 minutes... well, I can just imagine what someone’s house must smell like if they keep a house chicken.

My house smells fine. But i clean up after them and use chicken diapers. We are not all nasty people who leave the poop laying all over the house ya know. That is just ridiculous and assuming we do is rather rude.

 

[Aapomp831]

That is different, and therefore irrelevant.

Exactly. That’s a broody... not every hen. And chicken diapers are unhealthy for the chicken... having poop smeared across their vent all day just can’t be good. Unless you change the diapers every 15 minutes... then it’s just a huge waste of money.
Cant even believe this is a thing.

 

[Docdetective]

I know you are getting a lot of negotiable feedback from people, house chickens are a highly debatable topic.
Honestly, I think it depends on the chicken. If he seems happy inside, let him be inside!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-my-tv-remote-😱.1429561/page-54#post-23593327

This is a good thread on the subject. There are 60+ pages, but here is the story in condensed version:

This lady hatched a rooster and raised him. He started wanting to mate with her tv remote as an adult. She wondered if he was unhappy. Everyone said he was and he should be outside with hens. She finds him a home and leaves him there for a week.She goes to visit him and finds himself bullied, sick, and almost dead. She brings him back home, where he recovers, and buys him a fake hen to “mate” with.
If your roo seems happy and likes human attention, than I’d say keep him. If you give him away and he doesn’t do well he might get sick or be culled. If you have a backyard you could make him a run for some outside time, and if your space is big enough get him a few girlfriends.
But remember you know him best! Don’t let people tell you he is unhappy if you know he isn’t.

 

[Painted Calls]

One thing I've learned from this site is that the subject of house chickens, is like the subject of horse slaughter on a horse forum.

My goodness.

 

[BunnyEberhart]

Exactly. That’s a broody... not every hen. And chicken diapers are unhealthy for the chicken... having poop smeared across their vent all day just can’t be good. Unless you change the diapers every 15 minutes... then it’s just a huge waste of money.
Cant even believe this is a thing.

Ok. So a healthy chicken poops 12 to 15 times in a 24 hour period. So i have no idea what you are feeding your poor birds to make them poop every 15 minutes. Lol

 

[Docdetective]

Exactly. That’s a broody... not every hen. And chicken diapers are unhealthy for the chicken... having poop smeared across their vent all day just can’t be good. Unless you change the diapers every 15 minutes... then it’s just a huge waste of money.
Cant even believe this is a thing.

They do make diapers that are a pouch design. The poop falls into the pouch instead of clinging to the vent. That's the type most house chickens have.