I'm thinking about bringing one of my bantam hens inside, the flock is kind of rejecting her, she spends a LOT of time by herself. And unfortunately one of our big RIR roo's just ripped a tooth off her comb. She loves to be with people, when you go near the run she comes running over and squawks until you let her out. She then usually perches on your lap or her favorite spot my head! I was wondering two things 1. How is it going to affect bringing her in? At least when I'm busy around the house. Is the flock going to become hostile to her? and 2. How much noise do indoor chickens make? She's a pretty vocal little girl now. But she usually settles down nicely when you handle her. Thanks so much!!
I've got them, and they are not very noisy at all. Especially a bantam. You shouldn't have any problem.
I had my crevecoeur living inside for about 6 months, when the flock wouldn't accept her after an injury separation. She was an absolute doll. She rarely made any noise, except first thing in the morning when she wanted to be let out of her cage. (We had to lock her up at night so the cat wouldn't get too rough with her if she got up before we did. I never completely trusted the cat - he thought it was great fun to stalk her and attack - then release.) Her cage was directly below my daughter's bedroom, and the morning noise was loud enough to wake her up and force her to go downstairs and let her out to roam. Then she'd settle down. She would also make some noise when she wanted to go outside - in which case she'd waddle over to the front door and make an urgent little call until someone let her out for a little free-ranging. I loved having that chicken living indoors, and she was much more like a house pet than a chicken. She was so cute, shadowing us all over the house, hopping up on our laps to snuggle and watch TV. It was a bit of a hassle when she'd plant herself by my feet while I was getting all the chickens' breakfast treats ready. I was constantly tripping over her or the cat, or stepping over her. The only thing that forced her back outside was that she left a LOT of deposits in her wake, and some were pretty messy. When she crapped on the back of my husband's favorite leather chair - while he was sitting in it - he flipped out. That was that. So I had to get a bunch of new chickens to mix her back in with the others. (We still snuck her back indoors whenever we could, but I feared that would confuse her.) But we still miss her desperately. She still gets more free-range time than the other birds, because she really wants to follow us around the yard. She has no friends in the flock, and is usually alone, so I let her out to hang with us when we're doing yard work. I haven't noticed any more hostility than usual towards her when she goes back inside with the the others.
If you bring her into the house, that will be her lot in life. If the flock is already picking on her, that will intensify if you try to reintroduce her. A local florist had an indoor bantam rooster who crowed constantly (for the 10 years that they were in business.) An indoor hen would probably be more quiet. You will have to decide if she is to be caged or allowed "free range" of the house. If you cage her sometimes and let her out others, she will probably complain while caged.
Aww! Swordgeek! That sounds so cute! I would really like to have her inside, I'm contemplating chicken diapers to deal with the mess? The only real issue I can forsee is when I go back to college I really considered sneaking her in? Because we only have on RA for the whole avenue, and they could care less if we have pets. But I don't think she'd be real happy, cause she wouldn't be allowed to freerange unless I took her on a leash to the local park. She does however LOVE walks on her leash, but I really don't know. I also thought about "reintroducing" her to the flock with some new chicks we have. But unfortunately she DESPISES the little things, so I don't think that's going to work. I just hate that she spends so much time alone or in the company of humans, I feel like it's making her less of a chicken? Hahaha, that might be a little silly, but Idk.
my in house chicken is a bantam roo.he doesnt start to crow til we uncover his cage around 7am.crows some during the day but it doesnt bother me.we keep his cage in the living room.i let him out everyday to run around the house.hes very well behaved.i love having him in the house.
Keeping a single or pair of small bantams in an indoor cage would really not be any noisier than cockatiels, parakeets or other "parrot" type birds that people have. In fact, some of the larger, noisier birds like African Greys are worse. I think Sourland is right though, if you decide to bring her in she is probably a permanent cage pet if the rest of the flock already will not accept her.
My house banty did fine hanging with the outside girls when she cared to. They are all LF but Taco Belle was the head chicken whenever she graced them with her presence. Taco passed this past Spring and it's not the same without her and her antics in the house still bring a smile to my face. She'd head to the door when she needed to, well ya know . . . go
