Indoor coop recommendations

[Mellowmalt]

Too many opinions on what to do. I think mountanboomer has given the best approach although I still have to get used to killing 90% of newcomers as standard chicken keeping procedure.
They need to establish their pecking order, ideally in the coop, get it over with, then they should be fine. Messing with the pecking order over several weeks is something I would not do, that is just a headache approach

 

[Birdpants]

So one of my hens, tiny little Japanese bantam named Jafar, got attacked by what we'd been guessing was a hawk or crow a few weeks ago when the weather was nice, and we brought her indoors temporarily til she was healed. (She's fine, her eye was bruised and she had a small puncture wound on her neck, but she's fully healed now.)

Anyway, she'd been staying in a dog crate with an added perch since it was temporary, til today when I went to put her back in. The other chickens went after her the second I turned my back, and she's now got a couple spots on her face and neck that are bright red/bleeding. She didn't let me pick her up, so i went to leave, planning to keep an eye on them from the house, but when I closed the door and turned to leave she flew and latched onto the cage door and ended up flying out and landing on my arm when I opened it, so I cant leave her in there, especially with bright red blood on her. (If it weren't for the rooster screeching and hiding id have wondered if it wasn't one of the other hens who gave her the initial injuries with how she was acting around the flock). So now she's back in the dog crate.

So im looking into making her a house chicken, as we definitely can't afford another coop (especially in the winter, for one tiny little hen). Litterbox, leash train her, possibly chicken diapers (dont know the first thing about this one but I assume its to help litter train), the whole deal.
We have other birds, two parrots, and plenty of parrot supplies, but parrot cages won't work, as those rely on verticality and the floor grates are not designed for chicken poop.

I was considering a rabbit hutch, as you can get pretty large ones for 100-200$, and covering the sides with a sheet to prevent dust buildup in the house and help insulate, but really I don't know the first thing about rabbit hutches. Something relatively easy to clean, multiple level would probably be fine (never had one but it gives her more space) and fairly inexpensive (I saw a few nice ones for less than $200, we're tight on money).
I think I was told 2 square feet per bird. So most off the ground rabbit hutches should be large enough for her.

Are there any specific things I should look out for in an indoor coop? Or any recommendations in the meantime? Any recommendations for housing an indoor chicken that might be different than other indoor birds?
Id like her to be as comfortable as possible within our budget, she seems to like the dog crate but thats not very easy to clean.

It is only going to house Jafar (unless something else happens to another bantam) and she can fit in one hand. She's about the size of a very rotund sun conure lol.

Thank you for any help!

I’m working on an indoor coop now and am thinking of having a box bottom with scoopable litter (sand or hardwood pellets), and a kind of half-A-frame above it with curtains. Just for sleeping though. Curious what path you took and how your little banty is doing, I hope she healed okay. It’s neat to hear of someone keeping so many different kinds of birds, and your poop-training story is inspiring!

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I would try to integrate her back into the flock, lots of threads on here about that. Look but no touch, fence off an area in the coop for awhile.

 

[CheepPeepers]

I’m working on an indoor coop now and am thinking of having a box bottom with scoopable litter (sand or hardwood pellets), and a kind of half-A-frame above it with curtains. Just for sleeping though. Curious what path you took and how your little banty is doing, I hope she healed okay. It’s neat to hear of someone keeping so many different kinds of birds, and your poop-training story is inspiring!

She healed really well! Ive got some ideas for an indoor coop but currently she's been moved to another room to muffle her off-key attempts at crowing and give her some more room; ive been prioritizing trying to get her back outside with the other chickens, as the pandemic/stress is taking a serious toll on us, though reintegration hasn't worked too well.

Progress has been slow, as most of the issue is on her end or the roosters. She's more or less fine with the hens at this point, they try to reestablish pecking order a lot kinder now and she's not coming back to me bloody from them, but she really doesn't seem to want anything to do with any of the other chickens, even the ones who want to be around her. Ive had them eating together peacefully for maybe 5 minutes at a time before she bolts to be on her own in the middle of the yard.
The big problem comes with that the roosters, either one, chase her away (or pull the flock away from her) no matter what I do, even if she stays away from the flock they'll find her and chase her off. If the roosters bother her enough she flies up to one of the house windows and sits there waiting for us to let her in.

If I put her in the coop while its open, she immediately flies out and finds me instead. If I lock her in with the other chickens, separated or not; she screams and gets everyone else riled up and panicking to the point im afraid they're gonna hurt themselves (so ive now been trying to just have her roam the yard with them but the roosters walk back any progress by chasing her away). She's fine in the coop alone now though, instead of immediately trying to find a way out, which is progress.

The other problem is the more I have her in the coop trying to reintegrate her into the flock, the more agressive the big rooster has gotten towards me, which is making feeding, cleaning and watering, or even just letting them out, a stressful hassle. Even on days I dont bring her out he attacks me now, which is an issue I've never had with chickens before and I honestly am not sure what to do at this point. The other rooster and the rest of the hens are perfectly fine with me, though the silkie rooster also chases Jafar away, he doesn't attack me.

So its worst case scenario she gets an indoor coop, as there's a lot on my plate I didnt expect at this point, but reintegration isn't working too well.
Ive got some ideas drawn out to make it collapsible, easy to clean, good ventilation without the bedding flying out and easy to take apart; its the funds and time for it im concerned about due to the pandemic and everything thats gone wrong since. Thats why she didn't end up in the garage as another user had suggested, as funds had to go for food and other necessities, rather than the pvc and temporary materials.

Is there a way to edit the first post at all?

 

[CheepPeepers]

Huh. Actually nevermind. I had Jafar locked in the coop alone while the hens and smaller rooster roamed, with the big aggressive rooster separated. The flock wanted to go in, and now they're all in together minus the aggressive rooster. They're wary of each other and want to come back out now but no squabbles so far, so it seems the reintegration more or less worked! Even the rooster seems to be leaving her alone while theyre in the coop!

So its just the aggressive rooster ive got to deal with now I guess.


Edit: celebrated too soon, just as soon as I posted this hes going after her now. So it is still both roosters that are the problem.

 

[NatJ]

Huh. Actually nevermind. I had Jafar locked in the coop alone while the hens and smaller rooster roamed, with the big aggressive rooster separated. The flock wanted to go in, and now they're all in together minus the aggressive rooster. They're wary of each other and want to come back out now but no squabbles so far, so it seems the reintegration more or less worked! Even the rooster seems to be leaving her alone while theyre in the coop!

So its just the aggressive rooster ive got to deal with now I guess.


Edit: celebrated too soon, just as soon as I posted this hes going after her now. So it is still both roosters that are the problem.

I wonder if you could separate both roosters, like in wire dog crates or something, and let Jafar live with the other hens for a while. Then, when the roosters have had plenty of time to see Jafar with the other hens (maybe a week or so), try letting one rooster out and see if it goes better.

 

[Birdpants]

She healed really well! Ive got some ideas for an indoor coop but currently she's been moved to another room to muffle her off-key attempts at crowing and give her some more room; ive been prioritizing trying to get her back outside with the other chickens, as the pandemic/stress is taking a serious toll on us, though reintegration hasn't worked too well.

Progress has been slow, as most of the issue is on her end or the roosters. She's more or less fine with the hens at this point, they try to reestablish pecking order a lot kinder now and she's not coming back to me bloody from them, but she really doesn't seem to want anything to do with any of the other chickens, even the ones who want to be around her. Ive had them eating together peacefully for maybe 5 minutes at a time before she bolts to be on her own in the middle of the yard.
The big problem comes with that the roosters, either one, chase her away (or pull the flock away from her) no matter what I do, even if she stays away from the flock they'll find her and chase her off. If the roosters bother her enough she flies up to one of the house windows and sits there waiting for us to let her in.

If I put her in the coop while its open, she immediately flies out and finds me instead. If I lock her in with the other chickens, separated or not; she screams and gets everyone else riled up and panicking to the point im afraid they're gonna hurt themselves (so ive now been trying to just have her roam the yard with them but the roosters walk back any progress by chasing her away). She's fine in the coop alone now though, instead of immediately trying to find a way out, which is progress.

The other problem is the more I have her in the coop trying to reintegrate her into the flock, the more agressive the big rooster has gotten towards me, which is making feeding, cleaning and watering, or even just letting them out, a stressful hassle. Even on days I dont bring her out he attacks me now, which is an issue I've never had with chickens before and I honestly am not sure what to do at this point. The other rooster and the rest of the hens are perfectly fine with me, though the silkie rooster also chases Jafar away, he doesn't attack me.

So its worst case scenario she gets an indoor coop, as there's a lot on my plate I didnt expect at this point, but reintegration isn't working too well.
Ive got some ideas drawn out to make it collapsible, easy to clean, good ventilation without the bedding flying out and easy to take apart; its the funds and time for it im concerned about due to the pandemic and everything thats gone wrong since. Thats why she didn't end up in the garage as another user had suggested, as funds had to go for food and other necessities, rather than the pvc and temporary materials.

Is there a way to edit the first post at all?

I’m so glad she’s healing well! But sorry about rooster drama, that sounds incredibly stressful. Maybe she really will just be your indoor pet? I met a woman recently who has an indoor/outdoor bantam—she sleeps on top of a folding ladder (uses the steps to hop up) and the fold-out tray catches her poop. Not planned, the ladder was just in there and she took to it. And there’s another lady here with a pet rescue chicken who lives with her in her house. Both of these people report they and their birds are happy and healthy. I guess since you’ve had parrots, the concept of indoor birds generally isn’t totally foreign. Keep us posted! I really hope you can find a rooster solution. Enough of that nonsense, rooster dude.

 

[CheepPeepers]

Okay so update! I corralled the rooster in the coop while the rest of them free roamed, and used the lawnmower (blades off of course), to gently herd Jafar in with the rest of the flock, or the flock towards Jafar when they strayed too far or the other rooster tried to chase her off.

It worked! She is officially back in the flock, and the roaming has lessened by the day!
We do still have the insanely aggressive rooster, he has not calmed down, and has two distinct moods: attack and flee. There is no in-between, and holding him just makes him scared for like half a day because he doesn't want to get picked up.

But she's out of the house!

 

[CheepPeepers]

I’m so glad she’s healing well! But sorry about rooster drama, that sounds incredibly stressful. Maybe she really will just be your indoor pet? I met a woman recently who has an indoor/outdoor bantam—she sleeps on top of a folding ladder (uses the steps to hop up) and the fold-out tray catches her poop. Not planned, the ladder was just in there and she took to it. And there’s another lady here with a pet rescue chicken who lives with her in her house. Both of these people report they and their birds are happy and healthy. I guess since you’ve had parrots, the concept of indoor birds generally isn’t totally foreign. Keep us posted! I really hope you can find a rooster solution. Enough of that nonsense, rooster dude.

Yeah I've honestly no idea what to do about him. He's more an extreme nuisance than anything, and you can see the little chicken gears in his head working when I bring out the food, but he seems to think attacking me is of more importance than clean food or water, or even the safety of his hens who he will bowl over without a second thought :/

Honestly I'd love to have an indoor chicken for real at some point in the future, but nows just not a good time for it. If or when I do so, Id like to actually think things through and save up to manage the best possible enclosure, rather than a half-baked one out of necessity. The ladder is a really clever perch idea! I'll have to keep that in mind!

It was nice having her indoors while we did, but im for sure not going to miss her (very bad) attempts at crowing!
We got her out in the coop with everyone else, but she's free to fly or come in if she wants, same with anyone else, really. So far she hasn't tried.

 

[CheepPeepers]

I wonder if you could separate both roosters, like in wire dog crates or something, and let Jafar live with the other hens for a while. Then, when the roosters have had plenty of time to see Jafar with the other hens (maybe a week or so), try letting one rooster out and see if it goes better.

I actually got her out with the whole flock! The more aggressive rooster I left in the coop, and used the lawnmower (blades off) to gently herd everyone else in the direction of each other, and distract the 2nd rooster from chasing her away; it took a couple days of herding but it worked! She walked into the coop with everyone else without a second thought! Neither rooster was too happy at first, but they were more accepting this time and they're all inseparable now!

Also doubled as getting everyone used to the big mower which was a lovely plus lol