people with house chickens

[Sylvester017]

We have a batch of easter eggers, but it will be 2 silkies who will be inside! So hopefully we avoid the diaper drama!

Silkies like to bicycle mid-air as you put on their diaper and with 5 toenails on each foot they succeed in pushing the diaper out of the way. It will take several tries the first time. After a couple weeks of putting on and taking off the diaper and having their messy tush shampoo'd and dried between changes Silkies get used to it. It took two of us the first week to get a diaper on a bicycling Silkie and after that each of us was able to put it on by ourselves. We handled one Silkie so much with diaper changes and tush shampoo's she's very easy to handle 4 years later!

 

[kajira]

Silkies like to bicycle mid-air as you put on their diaper and with 5 toenails on each foot they succeed in pushing the diaper out of the way. It will take several tries the first time. After a couple weeks of putting on and taking off the diaper and having their messy tush shampoo'd and dried between changes Silkies get used to it. It took two of us the first week to get a diaper on a bicycling Silkie and after that each of us was able to put it on by ourselves. We handled one Silkie so much with diaper changes and tush shampoo's she's very easy to handle 4 years later!

Any tricks to teaching a young bird how to tolerate it? she wanted to practice with preemie diapers on them until they got used it.. I wasn't sure if regular diapers would work... LOL

 

[Reinsaway]

I apologize in advance, but I just feel the need to gush about my Rad baby right now, and how much she has both saved and enriched my life the two years I have had the pleasure caring for her.

I got a rough diagnosis of lupus two years ago just after I turned 18, I was terrified and angry, and haven't been back to a doctor since. It's a terrible disease, and I just couldn't wrap my head around why my body goes through phases of intense joint pain and exhaustion, and I was barely considered an adult.. Now Radagast, she's a superhero. I haven't been able to provide for her to nearly the level she deserves, but she has been utterly forgiving in being tired around to the unfortunate situations I've been in, before where I am now. It's like she knows when I'm in a bad spot, when I really can't do any better for her, and she doesn't complain. Granted, she's all sass when I'm in a position to get back spoiling her again, but her ability to gauge when it's appropriate, it still astounds me.

Right now I'm smack dab in the middle of one of my "flare ups". I'm only twenty yet I can barely muster the energy to go up and down stairs, and getting up from a sitting position often requires assistance. So alot of day is spent lying around and reading, but not without my trusty sidekick. Mind you, Rad is not in any way cuddly. She is a free spirit who wants her way, all day. But if she comes into a room im in, and sees me struggling, she starts softly cooing, slowly walks to me, and starts kinda gently prodding at my shoulder, before snuggling down next to my head. My sweet little bird not only tolerates moving her everywhere, and in the past continuously being unable do give her the best care, but she takes care of me when I'm sick... This was an animal given to me as a gift, that I intended to kill and eat, yet she's worked her way into my heart and home, always there for me when I need her.. I wish I could tell her just how big that is <3

 

[DarleneE]

Reinsaway,

That is one of the most touching stories I've heard in a long time!!
What an amazing bird!! I'm sooooooo glad you have each other!!

I'm very sorry to hear of your terrible illness at such a very young age!! That has to be very hard on you, who is at an age where you should be doing all kinds of fun things. However, God will never give us more than we can handle, so the Bible tells us. So you keep your chin up and just keep loving your most special little bird!!

Prayers and well wishes coming at you!!

 

[JaeG]

Now I'm even more grateful for what you are doing for me, Reinsaway. And there's no rush, I'm just really grateful that you are doing this for me. Rad looks like she's got a mind of her own, and she looks smart enough to be a very special character. I can imagine her personality brightens your day when you need it most. I hope you are feeling more like your old self soon.

 

[Sylvester017]

Any tricks to teaching a young bird how to tolerate it? she wanted to practice with preemie diapers on them until they got used it.. I wasn't sure if regular diapers would work... LOL

Keep making each diaper a bit larger than the previous size until the chick is full grown. Until chicks get a tail it's a bit difficult to keep any diaper style in place. A tail helps to keep diapers from slipping off. That's why I recommend waiting until at least a month old before putting on diapers unless someone has come up with a style that doesn't slip off a younger chick?

 

[Reinsaway]

Keep making each diaper a bit larger than the previous size until the chick is full grown.  Until chicks get a tail it's a bit difficult to keep any diaper style in place.  A tail helps to keep diapers from slipping off.  That's why I recommend waiting until at least a month old before putting on diapers unless someone has come up with a style that doesn't slip off a younger chick?

The ones I made didn't slip of the week old chick, but I could have been lucky? I think the tail straps were thick enough they stayed pretty well, I'm getting more chicks in October so Ill try troubleshooting it see if it works

 

[Sylvester017]

The ones I made didn't slip of the week old chick, but I could have been lucky? I think the tail straps were thick enough they stayed pretty well, I'm getting more chicks in October so Ill try troubleshooting it see if it works

I hope it works for you. I personally wouldn't want chicks under 4 weeks running around the house for fear of stepping on one -- they move so fast. I had a lone chick that we let have run of the house and she constantly peeped and kept under foot that we couldn't trust leaving her on the floor any more. She wanted to be anywhere our feet walked. Even at 3 weeks old she was still too unpredictable to trust on the floor. My personal take is that chicks really need to be confined to a brooder setup or let out only if everyone is sitting absolutely still and not moving their feet. Even on the bed she would run dangerously to the edge and would've fallen off if we didn't catch her quick - chicks move so so fast and don't have a momma hen to show them what's safe. Confining her with a brooder wall didn't work since she was very adept at hopping to the top of the wall and threatened jumping off. We were scared to death she'd hurt herself jumping to the hard floor. Our chick cried until she was up on the computer desk and took naps on the warm keyboard or near the mouse, or cuddled on our sweet Ameraucana hen, or slept in our hand, but she hated to be alone on the floor and tried to climb our pant legs. We had a heatwave when we got the chick and a heat lamp was out of the question. She couldn't take the warmth of the keyboard for very long because of how warm the days were. Chicks are fun but boy are they a LOT of work -- it's like watching a human baby 24/7 !!! I don't get chicks any more -- it's much easier to deal with and train juvenile chickens between 2 and 5 months old. I wouldn't trade my experience with a chick but won't do it again -- too demanding.

 

[Reinsaway]

I hope it works for you. I personally wouldn't want chicks under 4 weeks running around the house for fear of stepping on one -- they move so fast. I had a lone chick that we let have run of the house and she constantly peeped and kept under foot that we couldn't trust leaving her on the floor any more. She wanted to be anywhere our feet walked. Even at 3 weeks old she was still too unpredictable to trust on the floor. My personal take is that chicks really need to be confined to a brooder setup or let out only if everyone is sitting absolutely still and not moving their feet. Even on the bed she would run dangerously to the edge and would've fallen off if we didn't catch her quick - chicks move so so fast and don't have a momma hen to show them what's safe. Confining her with a brooder wall didn't work since she was very adept at hopping to the top of the wall and threatened jumping off. We were scared to death she'd hurt herself jumping to the hard floor. Our chick cried until she was up on the computer desk and took naps on the warm keyboard or near the mouse, or cuddled on our sweet Ameraucana hen, or slept in our hand, but she hated to be alone on the floor and tried to climb our pant legs. We had a heatwave when we got the chick and a heat lamp was out of the question. She couldn't take the warmth of the keyboard for very long because of how warm the days were. Chicks are fun but boy are they a LOT of work -- it's like watching a human baby 24/7 !!! I don't get chicks any more -- it's much easier to deal with and train juvenile chickens between 2 and 5 months old. I wouldn't trade my experience with a chick but won't do it again -- too demanding.

Oh this was just for daily cuddle time, no way I would have a baby chick loose in the house

I could just see them meeting many an untimely end..

 

[kajira]

I hope it works for you. I personally wouldn't want chicks under 4 weeks running around the house for fear of stepping on one -- they move so fast. I had a lone chick that we let have run of the house and she constantly peeped and kept under foot that we couldn't trust leaving her on the floor any more. She wanted to be anywhere our feet walked. Even at 3 weeks old she was still too unpredictable to trust on the floor. My personal take is that chicks really need to be confined to a brooder setup or let out only if everyone is sitting absolutely still and not moving their feet. Even on the bed she would run dangerously to the edge and would've fallen off if we didn't catch her quick - chicks move so so fast and don't have a momma hen to show them what's safe. Confining her with a brooder wall didn't work since she was very adept at hopping to the top of the wall and threatened jumping off. We were scared to death she'd hurt herself jumping to the hard floor. Our chick cried until she was up on the computer desk and took naps on the warm keyboard or near the mouse, or cuddled on our sweet Ameraucana hen, or slept in our hand, but she hated to be alone on the floor and tried to climb our pant legs. We had a heatwave when we got the chick and a heat lamp was out of the question. She couldn't take the warmth of the keyboard for very long because of how warm the days were. Chicks are fun but boy are they a LOT of work -- it's like watching a human baby 24/7 !!! I don't get chicks any more -- it's much easier to deal with and train juvenile chickens between 2 and 5 months old. I wouldn't trade my experience with a chick but won't do it again -- too demanding.

chicks are SO much easier then kids....