Indoor housing?

[NoVA Chicks]

Not sure if this is the right section, but I was wondering if anyone has permanent indoor housing for their birds. We're really enjoying having our brooder in the kitchen over the winter and I was considering the possibility of keeping one or two birds as indoor "pets" when the rest go out to the coop. Has anyone done that? I'm wondering how the bird did and if it was a hen if she still laid. I know in commercial situations they're in very cramped cages and still lay, so I'm thinking they would probably do fine in something like this:

 

[NoVA Chicks]

I just wanted to add that, yes, I realize that the chicken wouldn't then be free ranging--which was our whole purpose in getting chickens.

 

[patandchickens]

Er, have you had the brooder chicks long enough to discover how incredibly much DUST they pump out? This does not cease when they are adults, although it gets a bit better after the last juvenile molt (several months of age). And in a *kitchen*... um...

Yes, there are people on BYC who have chickens indoors, search "house chickens" for threads about it. I do not know of any who keep them in their *kitchen* however

And those who do it, it's mostly because they don't have a good OPTION of keeping chickens outdoors (because of a handicapped chicken who can't live with th flock, or b/c of local laws banning chickens) - I don't think many would argue that chickens aren't *better* off outdoors.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

There is a WHOLE 'house chicken' movement, including chicken diapers. I dont understand it, but maybe you could google it. I'm pretty sure there is multiple threads on BYC as well.

 

[gsim]

I would not do it. You may find that the dust, odors, and maintenance are more than it is worth to do. And you will be out the money for that fancy cage to boot. They are happier as part of a flock too. It is their nature as flock animals.

My pastor's wife says she has two that she put diapers on as chicks to let them run around her house. First thing that came to mind when she told me was periodic diaper-changing and pasty-butt

to be contending with.

 

[NoVA Chicks]

Well, our "kitchen" is huge with a vaulted ceiling. It was a sunroom addition and I tore the wall down between it and the old kitchen. So far I haven't noticed a problem with dust--but it's only been 3 weeks and we only have 4 chicks, so maybe it will get worse. We have five dogs and three cats, though, so I think I may just have a high "dirt" tolerance.

 

[elmo]

After seeing how happy my flock looks running around in the sunshine and scratching in the dirt, I would personally hesitate to deprive them of that ...ehr...lifestyle.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

I have a handicapped one that spends some time in the garage when I can't keep an eye on her or when i'm collecting eggs for hatching and I don't want her eggs getting mixed in. She is sweet but stinky, even with daily cleanings. She is a tiny bantam d'Uccle about the size of a large pigeon. If I were planning on a chicken pet I would pick a tiny bantam.

 

[lleighmay]

Personally I wouldn't do it- kept cockatiels in the house for over 25 yrs until they died of old age and (despite their companionship) they were the messiest pets I have ever had in spite of rigorous cleaning. I do keep my brooder chicks in the house (usually in the guest room- no guests for spring!) until they're old enough to go out but would not consider having a bird in the house anymore unless it was an emergency. I do spend time outside with my girls every day. That being said if you do decide to do it I would think you would want a cage that was more horizontal than vertical as chickens are generally terrestrial rather than arborial. Good luck with whatever you decide

 

[SportTees]

I had a Serma that i kept in a bird cage in my kitchen last year without any problems. What type chickens do you have?