My friend keeps her chicken inside and it poos everywhere!

[ElleEmie]

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?

Everyone has their own standards of cleanliness

 

[Jenna10]

In my opinion, this has more to do with mental health issues than being an animal lover. We have four cats, and four chickens. We are huge animal lovers and animal supporters both financially and with donating our time to various rescues and organizations, however, chickens seem to go the bathroom quite a lot, way more than a house trained dog or litter trained cat. We have had rabbits, other birds, fish, goats and even geese over the years; some animals are meant to be outside and hens/chickens are one of those animals. Food borne illness is a very real and risky thing and chickens are dirty animals, they just are. It seems like your fiend may have some mental health concerns that limit her ability to think rationally when it comes to her chicken keeping behaviors. Hens love to be outside and yes, you going over there could put your health in jeopardy.

 

[dirkandlorie]

I'm assuming this is just an acquaintance of yours, since true friends would never bash their friend on a public forum. So easy answer, just don't go over there anymore. Acquaintances are a dime a dozen, true friends are priceless and worth putting up with any idiosyncrasies.

 

[ChknMama50]

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.

yikes- a WEEK!?!? No wonder it reeks... I was home at least half their lives so I scooped ANY time I saw them use it. (also think personally litter choice matters but I digress ;-) lol)
I lost my last kitty at almost 22yo a couple year ago and am dying to get some kittens again now that we've moved to our "forever home" but I got chickens and have been so damn busy I haven't been able to do so yet!!
Love them dearly but damn... my cats were easy compared to these guys- BUT I think that's cause if they got sick at all, you simply whisked them to a professional!! I don't think we have any vets nearby who care for chickens but even if we did, we agreed when we started that "Vet care" was most likely out- never say never- but really?? My DH eats chicken ALL the time- which I give him crap about, but I was mostly vegetarian long before having them as beloved pets!
Anyhow, point is that trying to figure this out as you go- guessing and second guessing yourself and doing all the research and care yourself- well these darlings are a lot of work!! (weren't for over 2yrs but all of a sudden it seems... wow!!)

Also agreed with someone who said they don't let even their pampered housecats on their COUNTERS and tables....YUCK! No way- not since they were kittens- it's a choice- I don't buy the "can't keep 'em off" BS... you let your kids do what they want too?? haha
The inmates running the yard...

 

[katetatom]

Well even if she doesn't want this advice it might be good for her she could get really sick from this your concerned about her and I get that maybe you can encourage her to have more sanitation or at least potty train or give this chicken a diaper good luck!

How sick can it make you?

 

[katetatom]

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.

I’d love to read those articles, I too know someone who needs the facts.

 

[Jenna10]

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.

I agree with you! My husband cleans the boxes daily, and on occasion, twice daily. Plus, we hang charcoal filters above the boxes; many people have commented that they are shocked they smell nothing b/c we do have four crazy felines running around!

 

[Jenna10]

There's no way I would consider having a chicken in the house.

But, to play the devils advocate here, what is the difference in having a chicken in your house versus going into the chicken's house every day to scrape poop? If there is really some horrible disease lurking in the your chickens then you are being exposed on a regular basis in both instances.

I guess all of you who put on your full suit of PPE and then spray yourself with disinfectant before returning to the house are excluded here.

I would say that the difference is the residue! If you have a chicken in the home then they leave feces residue all over the place; allergens etc. If you keep them in their coop and only go in to clean their coop you then come into your own home, take your work boots/shoes off and not track all that muck into your home, carpets, floors etc. You can contain the germs outside where they belong. I love the PPE comment though---very funny! Im one of those people who wear "coop clothes" that are then not worn while I sit on my couch or dining room chairs!

 

[CKfarm22]

I agree with you! My husband cleans the boxes daily, and on occasion, twice daily. Plus, we hang charcoal filters above the boxes; many people have commented that they are shocked they smell nothing b/c we do have four crazy felines running around!

Same here. 2 “hidden” litter boxes, one in the laundry room and one upstairs. No one has ever said anything about a smell because we’re clean people and the cats know where to go

 

[CKfarm22]

yikes- a WEEK!?!? No wonder it reeks... I was home at least half their lives so I scooped ANY time I saw them use it. (also think personally litter choice matters but I digress ;-) lol)
I lost my last kitty at almost 22yo a couple year ago and am dying to get some kittens again now that we've moved to our "forever home" but I got chickens and have been so damn busy I haven't been able to do so yet!!
Love them dearly but damn... my cats were easy compared to these guys- BUT I think that's cause if they got sick at all, you simply whisked them to a professional!! I don't think we have any vets nearby who care for chickens but even if we did, we agreed when we started that "Vet care" was most likely out- never say never- but really?? My DH eats chicken ALL the time- which I give him crap about, but I was mostly vegetarian long before having them as beloved pets!
Anyhow, point is that trying to figure this out as you go- guessing and second guessing yourself and doing all the research and care yourself- well these darlings are a lot of work!! (weren't for over 2yrs but all of a sudden it seems... wow!!)

Also agreed with someone who said they don't let even their pampered housecats on their COUNTERS and tables....YUCK! No way- not since they were kittens- it's a choice- I don't buy the "can't keep 'em off" BS... you let your kids do what they want too?? haha
The inmates running the yard...

Yep, been in a home that lets the litter box fill up for a week and then they’ll scoop it… disgusting. Litter also plays an important role too. Cats aren’t allowed on counters, tables, anywhere food goes. If they lay on the couch, we vacuum.