Keeping chickens inside?

[SewingMom]

I'm new so I hope I chose the right category to put this under.
I am going to be getting some chickens. My original plan was to lease some property near our home and keep them there and drive there once a day to take care of them (not more than 5 or 10 minutes away). The more I'm reading and learning about chickens the more I find out that they have really neat personalities and can be pets (even inside your home!) as well as providing eggs. So now I'm thinking it would great to keep them at our house. The thing is that I don't think it's legal here. We do live out in the country but inside a subdivision that has HOA rules. So if I kept them as pets inside our home or garage is a really bad idea? The benefits are that my chickens would be pretty pampered (is this bad or good lol) and be more like members of our family and I wouldn't have to pay to lease land. I've read that they are pretty quiet unless I had a rooster (which I won't). What are your thoughts on this?

 

[Buugette]

There are lots of people who have inside chickens... mine are a little of both. Outside in the nice weather... in my sunroom when it is nasty winter. They also visit in the evenings before bed.

It can be done... but you have to be dedicated. There are several threads on here about "House Chickens". Read them, contact those that keep them inside and get information before you get your chickens. They are great pets and I love mine dearly, but they are not for everyone.

I have bantams... so mine are smaller and more the fancy type than the production hens, but I get lots of eggs and they are absolutely wonderful.

Best of luck.

D

 

[Terri O]

I really miss my house rooster! I have to use an alarm clock now...they are easy to keep in the house but like most birds they can be dusty. If you had a separate room for them to stay in most of the time that would be ideal. Terri O

 

[NHchicks]

Gee, I don't know. Chickens live to peck. They need grass, sunshine, bugs... I don't know if living totally indoors would be a great quality of life for a chicken. Maybe there are others here who do it, tho.

 

[chick4chix]

For the chickens health as well as that of your family- they need to be outside. Poultry create a lot of "dust" that can be bad on the human respiratory system (read about Farmer's lung). I don't think there is anything wrong with rearing them inside until they get feathered out and ready to move out- but even at that young age- they create so much dust it's amazing.
Chickens also as NHchicks noted, need to scratch, peck, and dustbathe, and they need sunshine too just like we do. I suppose if you had a special place for them in your garage to go to roost at night, then allowed them outside access during the day- they/you would be okay- but just be sure and read up on the dust they create because it is no small matter.

On a side note- I have my chickens in an HOA where they are "not allowed" and no one knows they are there but my next door neighbors who love them and whom I give eggs to. If you only have a few, and have no roosters- you might go undetected as I have- also research the "quieter" breeds.

Good luck with your chickens- they are a lot of fun!

 

[SewingMom]

Thanks for the info!

We do have two parrots in our home and they aren't as big as a chicken and they create enough dust just with the two of them.
I'll have to talk to my husband and see if he can figure out something where they can get out the back of the garage into a sort of private area we have behind our garage during the day and then we could bring them in to the garage at night.

Chick4Chix - I'm encouraged to know that you have yours in an HOA. I've read that chickens are pretty quiet, is this generally true? Actually, I'm surprised that keeping a few chickens in everyone's backyard isn't ok. I mean, it's not like a barking/biting dog or even like my parrots who can be SUPER loud lol, or like my kids who really could annoy the neighbors if I let them!

I tried to do a search for "house chickens" but I'm not coming up with anything. I must be doing something wrong in the search. Any suggestions?

 

[Zuesdude]

A chicken poo's what 100 times a day and dipering a chicken will get old quick! I'm sure that in the old west when a chicken run into the house you would hear a shotgun go off and then see a smile on the face of the cook.

 

[Zuesdude]

A chicken poo's what 100 times a day and dipering a chichen will get old quick! I'm sure that in the old west when a chicken run into the house you would hear a shotgun go off and then see a smile on the face of the cook and head of the house.

 

[flewdacoop]

 

[cafarmgirl]

Also keep in mind that when hens lay an egg they announce it to the world, as loud as they can! It's not uncommon for her friends to join in and help her, heck my rooster even joins in. My one bantam is not as noisy as my standards but if your outside there's no question about what's in my barn! They do shut off after a few repititions but it is loud while they are doing it. Any neighbor out in their yard when somebody pops out an egg is likely going to know you have chickens.

I can't honestly say as I'd recommend chickens in the house. I know people do it but in my mind there's just to many natural chicken activites that they love and just cannot do in a house.

Honestly I hesitate to suggest that people who are in a restrictive HOA get chickens on the down low. So many times they end up getting discovered and being forced to find homes for their pets. And by the way, I totally, 200% agree with you that anyone who wants to keep a few chickens should be able to. If an HOA allows dogs then they should allow a couple of chickens. I'd take a chicken owning neighbor over one with a yappy, bark all night dog any day!