Indoor chickens?

[Judy]

I won't even brood in the house. It's not about avian flu, it's about who's designed to live indoors and who's not. I have two dogs and a cat who mostly live indoors. That will also not happen again when they are gone.

 

[Beed]

I have my two in the Florida room/porch. I put them in their tractor outside supervised during the day. I occasionally let them in our great room (kitchen-dining-living area) which is all tile. I agree that it is coo-coo crazy to do this. It involves lots of clean up everyday all day. I keep things spotless. We just have way to many predators around. These chickens are my beloved pets...I guess I am a little bit looney but I love em, poop, dust, feathers and all-LOL!

 

[WisconsinGardenChick]

Quote:
Here are the exact words from the University of Wisconsin Poultry extension specialist Ron Keane http://www.madcitychickens.com/faq.html:

Currently, most of the people who have been diagnosed with this influenza (in Asia) have had direct contact with poultry. In many cases, the people were either sleeping in the same building as the birds, or living in very close proximity. The virus doesn't seem to be easily transmitted from one human to another, if at all. A big problem with the avian influenza virus, however, is that it can mutate very easily. The concern is that it will mutate into a contagious virus in humans. If that happens, then it can, and most likely will, spread throughout the world very quickly.

Edited to say: I added the bolding; it's not in the original.

I don't pretend to be an expert; just quoting one. One parrot is different from 10 chickens, I think you will agree. Even three chickens.

Quote:
I wouldn't keep a rodent in the house, either, but that's just me.

Katherine​

 

[WisconsinGardenChick]

Quote:
I am in complete agreement; was just too "chicken" to say it here!

Katherine

 

[DianeB]

Quote:
You're not looney. You just love your pets and are a good owner. I never agreed with leaving animals outdoors at night (cats, dogs, chickens, parrots, etc.) It leaves them open to diesease, predators and other dangers and drastically shortens their lives. I am pretty sure they will live a long and happy life.

DB

 

[Beed]

Thanks Diane B!

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

No Way....nothing with fur or feathers is coming inside my house.

 

[Dar]

Quote:
HEY!!!!!! I resemble that comment ....LOL but I hardly think of myself as clueless...

I have 8 chickens in my dining room right now... I always have at least one chicken in my house either cause it is undergoing some sort of treatment or cause its a newbie

 

[Jonathanq1]

Only in the winter months do I keep all my chickens indoor. In the summer all the hens are kept outside and the roo's inside to prevent crowing complaints. They are let out for a couple of hours in the evening. They are kept in cages that are cleaned daily.

 

[elmo]

To each his or her own. Personally, the deep litter method has always seemed really yucky to me, yet I know many people swear by it and they and their birds do just fine.

Somehow, I wonder whether this person will decide keeping a flock of chickens indoors is really such a great idea once they're full grown and she has to confront the realities of their dust and poo. She's going to be doing a lot of cleaning up, I imagine.