My friend keeps her chicken inside and it poos everywhere!

[lovemylockegirls]

I’ve stepped in it under my chair. My husband picked up what he thought was cardboard… nope, chicken poop. She lets it roam the house, no diaper, and although she tries to clean it up immediately, she often doesn’t. I had to ask her to pick up a big old dried up chicken poop on her carpet where I was sitting.

I love this chicken. She’s hilarious. Her eggs are lovely, her clucks are lovely. But her vent feathers are always covered in poop. She climbs on the coffee table and eats out of dishes if she gets the opportunity.

She won’t diaper, she won’t confine the chicken. I’m grossed out, worried about disease, and upset that her husband hates having the chicken indoors and she just doesn’t seem to care.

My friend is so lovely, but I think I’m not going to go over to her house as long as the chicken is inside. I just can’t get over the grossness of chicken poop being left on the floor, or being on the floor ever.

What am I missing here?

 

[ChknMama50]

Since I'm on a roll insulting people........................ who among us has never smelled chicken poop or got it on their hands or feet?

How timely that I came back and saw this...

YES, just yesterday I got POO all over my shirt and jacket and yes, the hand that I didn't have a glove on!!! YEAKS... luckily I'm not neurotic but def. prepared and did the best I could with hand sanitizer, paper towels, etc. until I could get back up to the house! Funny thing was it wasn't from the poopy but I was avoiding carefully while trying to 'nurse' one of my fav little gals who wasn't "quite right", and then I realized it was from her freaking FOOT!!! They step in it like it ain't nothing but a thing.... UGH!! Butt was DRIED on- and now get to try my hand at soaking chicken's arses today!! Beautiful warm day- waited for it..... yet procrastinating!!

Btw, we're working on getting "river sand" into our new run.... I done lots of research and sounds like for our location etc. it might be ideal- and keep those feet much cleaner!! haha Oye....

 

[ChknMama50]

I've spent most of my life around other creatures, on farms, in houses, in the wild and the creature responsible for all the illnesses I've fallen prey to is the human. Guess I shouldn't go and visit them anymore.
In the age range of those humans the most harmfull I've found is the child. When I was in the unfortunate positon of dragging these child creatures into the wider world I got much of everything they got including the food they vomited up, the waste produce from the other end, the lice they caught at school, every strain of cough and cold imaginable. They've even been responsible for a few broken bones.

There is some merit in the idea that low level exposure to the bugs that are trying to cause "even death!" is the best way to build up some immunity. At 68 years old I guess I'm pretty much bullet proof now but if some disease or other takes me down it will be something humans passed on to me.

I myself don't let my chickens inside- we even have our "sick bay" in a separate barn stall... alas, to each his own!!
BUT had to laugh at this post- I too agree that humans seem to pass on the worst of it- ahem, don't GET me going on those germs that they PURPOSEFULLY spread...that put many of us in the hospital or worse but... YES natural immunity and building up a good healthy resistance to "bugs" in general is GOOD... That's why our mama's let us play in the yard- and with dirt!
BUT your post made me think of "dookey fights" when I was a young teen working on a ranch... ?! What can I say- gets a bit nutso working SO many hours for free child slave labor in hindsight but we did anything to get to be around the horses and get to ride- even if rarely on our own!! Not bad- unless someone threw something fresh!! Now THAT got a little trip to the 'bunkhouse' to clean up! The dry stuff waited until we were done!! haha
C'est la vie...have made it to 51....

 

[ptrusselle]

I’ve stepped in it under my chair. My husband picked up what he thought was cardboard… nope, chicken poop. She lets it roam the house, no diaper, and although she tries to clean it up immediately, she often doesn’t. I had to ask her to pick up a big old dried up chicken poop on her carpet where I was sitting.

I love this chicken. She’s hilarious. Her eggs are lovely, her clucks are lovely. But her vent feathers are always covered in poop. She climbs on the coffee table and eats out of dishes if she gets the opportunity.

She won’t diaper, she won’t confine the chicken. I’m grossed out, worried about disease, and upset that her husband hates having the chicken indoors and she just doesn’t seem to care.

My friend is so lovely, but I think I’m not going to go over to her house as long as the chicken is inside. I just can’t get over the grossness of chicken poop being left on the floor, or being on the floor ever.

What am I missing here?

Buy her some chicken diapers anyway for the bird and let her know you wont visit anymore due to your health concerns and messes all over but you love her chicken and her and really dont want to not come and visit.

 

[Terri Walker]

I danced around the issue a lot. She’s an animal lover, and a very gentle soul. She adores this chicken. I’ve asked her to clean up after it poops, but she usually doesn’t do it right away. But the more I look into it, the more I realize how sick chicken poop can make you just leaving it in the house, the more I realize that I can’t spend time over there, at least, until the weather warms up and the chicken is outside. But even when it’s warm, she lets the chickens come inside and wander around in and out.

I love that she loves animals so much. But I’m to the point where I think I don’t really want to go over there. I want to send her some of the articles I found, but I also don’t want to be that friend who gives advice where it’s not wanted.

stay home

 

[MamaFox78]

People that keep a cat inside are always the last to realize their house reeks of urine.

Wow, I have a cat and people literally never know it until they see him... even when they're in the sunroom with his litter box. But as clean as he is, we never let him put his litter box peets on the table or kitchen counters, that's gross.

That being said, I've been in some NASTY houses that reek of cat urine. And those same people let their cat eat at the table with them... like literally made her a plate. It all depends on the cat and the owner's version of hygiene.

But chickens in the house?! Oh h3ll naw!! I love my chickens, but there is no chance I would ever let them in the house even with diapers. Just like I'd never let my horses in the house, or a calf, a goat, or even the barn cats. Certain animals just aren't house pets. There's only so much you can do to house break an animal, and it all comes down to what's sanitary or not.

She has a 16 year old, who doesn’t want the chicken inside, and a husband who is immune compromised who doesn’t want the chicken indoors. I’m actually really mad that she’s chosen the chicken over the health of her husband, and everyone else.

OP, I agree with you completely! That is NOT ok. I think she needs to be told as compassionately as possible that chickens simply aren't indoor pets, and I certainly wouldn't go over there again until she agrees to leave the chook outside - and disinfect her freaking house top to bottom.

 

[kellybarnard]

I’ve stepped in it under my chair. My husband picked up what he thought was cardboard… nope, chicken poop. She lets it roam the house, no diaper, and although she tries to clean it up immediately, she often doesn’t. I had to ask her to pick up a big old dried up chicken poop on her carpet where I was sitting.

I love this chicken. She’s hilarious. Her eggs are lovely, her clucks are lovely. But her vent feathers are always covered in poop. She climbs on the coffee table and eats out of dishes if she gets the opportunity.

She won’t diaper, she won’t confine the chicken. I’m grossed out, worried about disease, and upset that her husband hates having the chicken indoors and she just doesn’t seem to care.

My friend is so lovely, but I think I’m not going to go over to her house as long as the chicken is inside. I just can’t get over the grossness of chicken poop being left on the floor, or being on the floor ever.

What am I missing here?

That is disgusting...

 

[Mr Spot]

I have a Cockatiel in the house and he keeps me busy, I sure wouldn't want a chicken in the house unless it was cooked.

 

[CKfarm22]

People that keep a cat inside are always the last to realize their house reeks of urine.

I’m going to have to disagree with you on that. If you PROPERLY take care of your cats, and scoop their box at least once a day, you literally can’t tell.

It’s the people that let the litter box fill up and scoop it once a week you have to worry about.

 

[CKfarm22]

I personally don’t really see anything missing. It’s one thing to have a house chicken that is either house broken or wears a diaper. But to have a house chicken that poops where ever they want to, without the owner cleaning it up is a whole new ball game.

As for her husband & daughter, I feel bad for them. It almost seems like she’s choosing this chicken over them, considering his health problems…. not even just his health problems but everyone in the house too.

I can feel your worries, but like many people have said, I just wouldn’t go over there. It’s something that is out of your control. You could *try* to educate her on why this is unsanitary but considering she’s not taking anyone’s health into consideration, I very much doubt she would care about anything you would have to say.

And i believe you said your daughter is friends with their daughter? I would educate your daughter on why this is unsanitary, but try not to take control of her, and tell her she can’t go other there. As for the daughter, it’s out of her control whAt her mother does. Tell your daughter she needs to not sit on carpet/ where she might see poop, wash her hands before she eats, no fingers in mouth or near her face.

If it’s really that much of a concern you *could* get the health department involved.. But i would try to do a more friendlier way first..

Best of luck!