Indoor Serama flock?

[riftnreef]

OK, we have 4 serama chicks in the brooder, and I'm not sure of my next step. I would love to keep these birds in small numbers, and I'm considering an indoor set up in the basement for them. It's my understanding that they don't do well in temps below 40 degrees, so keeping them in a normal coop in this area is out of the question. I was just wondering if any one else had experience keeping them indoors, and some tips and suggestions on how to do it without turning my house into the Clampets homestead would be appreciated! I can't help but think that keeping them in the house woldn't be much different than keeping a handful of larger breed parrots, but my lack of experience could prove me wrong on that.

 

[SilverPhoenix]

I have a small semi-indoor serama set-up! It's in the garage, but if I could control the shavings more (and if I could get my mom to consent), I would rather keep them in the house. These aren't the best pictures, but I keep my trio in a 4.5' x 3' x 1' cage made out of the shelf cube sets. Go to http://www.guineapigcages.com/ for more info on building those cages. They're quite happy in this cage and so far I haven't had any problems with them at all! I keep a heat lamp on one side of the cage to keep them warm, as it sometimes gets below forty here.

Excuse the mess, my garage is not exactly the cleanest:

 

[Attack Chicken]

I keep my LF leghorn pair in the basement in a wire dog kennel/cage. I let them out during the days and they do fine. Any shavings they kick out I can just sweep up. not to mention 2 more bantams in the living room LOL

 

[CATRAY44]

Seramas are much hardier than you might think. I and several others I know keep theirs outside all winter. Mine are thriving in Michigan's cold. I have hay bales around the coop and tarps on the north and west sides of the run. I have an electric water heater (more for my benefit than theirs) and they are doing beautifully. Remember, little chickadees and other small birds do fine in winter....

 

[TK Poultry]

i would like to do a semi indoor things with my bantams too cut down on the amount of pens and upkeep i have to do outside

 

[TK Poultry]

i would like to do a semi indoor things with my bantams too cut down on the amount of pens and upkeep i have to do outside

 

[Chicky Tocks]

I have a pair out on my glassed in porch. Right now they are still bunking in a very large rubbermaid tub, but I have a mesh framed cover for it and they sit on top with some wood, other goodies and favorite perches (pewp falls through nicely). It's almost like a parrot set up. My serama are strictly pets that love to be snuggled and fussed over though. They literally fly into my arms when I walk into their room. We're getting in the 20s at night so until spring, they'll stay out there...I'm collecting building materials in the off season for a pretty little serama sized coop and run where they'll spend the warmer months. The crowing can get a little crazy at times, but they're my sweetie birds and well worth it.

 

[Akane]

Mine are outside in negative temps and fine. I have kept some and japanese bantams inside though. I had them in a similar cage to the one pictured except after doing several coroplast bottomed cages I decided to make a more permanent one with a wood base coated in polyurethane like they use on boats to waterproof it. It survived several years of guinea pigs before this and I added 2 more levels of height on it with some shelves for the chickens. I had a trio of japanese bantams in there before the seramas. I did have it in the spare bedroom one wall over and hardly heard the roos. I did finally black the windows out though so they wouldn't wake up before I let the light in. Then put a compact fluorescent light strip with daylight spectrum bulbs from my marine tank over them for extra light in the evening to make up for it.

 

[riftnreef]

I think what I have in mind is somewhat of an indoor aviary for Serama's in my basement. We have a little area off to the side of the basement that we have dubbed the "stable" becuase of its size and half door. At any rate, the flourescent lighting is already in place, though I would have to change the bulbs, and the enclosure would be 6' x 14', and just over 7' high...that would be a nice little set up for some small birds I think? I have a floor drain near by that I can run a chanel to for super easy cleaning and there is a perfectly placed window just above where I want to put the birds that I can install and exhust fan in should the odor become too much. I think I'm going to start building this weekend!...