people with house chickens

[bantyhen]

I have some baby chicks living in my house.

 

[Amykins]

Our third juvenile was a 3-month old Ameraucana (my avatar) and she absolutely refused to move or eat as long as the diaper was on her. She moped sitting down all day - wouldn't eat, drink, walk, or stand in her diaper. After a week we gave up and just kept her in the 4x4 pen inhouse. She loved interacting with us but NOT with the diaper on.

Just like with individual children you have to adjust and figure what's best for you and them.

I hope mine ends up tolerating it! She's only 2 weeks, I wanted to start her off early. It's amazing, you research and plan and prepare but when you finally get your house duck the learning curve is as steep as Half Dome!

My DH and I don't have kids and have no plans to have any, yet here we are with a feathered infant who can't possibly learn english.

 

[calichicken]

I hope mine ends up tolerating it! She's only 2 weeks, I wanted to start her off early. It's amazing, you research and plan and prepare but when you finally get your house duck the learning curve is as steep as Half Dome!

My DH and I don't have kids and have no plans to have any, yet here we are with a feathered infant who can't possibly learn english.

LOl...and just like with children..you research, plan and then end up throwing it all out the window..LOL

Good luck with diaper training!!!!

 

[Sylvester017]

Oh nevermind! They are back!! I haven't heard or seen them in days but this morning the rooster and 3 hens were here!!

Hardy little buggers! They sound too feral for domestication unless the chicks are caught and raised. The parent stock is just too smart for capture.

 

[Tacampbell1973]

I NEED DIAPER HELP! Tried to put Wobs in her training diaper for the first time today - and it was a total disaster! She positively freaked out. I know the first time is always hard, and I used many peas to help assuage the situation, but I don't want her to hate me. She already flips out when I go to pick her up.

Any fellow house chicken/duck owners that have already gone through "potty training" that can offer me any advice? I already posted this in the duck forum but no one replied. ><;;

Hi Amy,
Sorry just catching up here. This used to be my home forum...but so many new chicks in last two months am going nuts...or beaks....anyway, I didn't catch what Wobs is but am surmising he/she is a duckling? probably coulda figured it out if I read back a few posts...sorry for that. Ducks and chickens are both the same brainwave I believe....my beloved chicken hen Faith didn't like her diaper a bit....I made a washcloth diaper for her as husband was FREAKING about poo on carpet...You know the washcloth diapers like moms teach kids to put on baby dolls? same diff. just trying to protect carpet,, Faithy Rae did like three real big steps and then stopped dead in her tracks....my point is yes they will give you thelook (you gotta be kidding me) that look, but they will move on eventually. some are more stubborn some less, but they will.....good luck to you and Wobs....and above all have fun... our feathered friends are not on earth nearlyl long enough....I don't know why....take care...
Theresa

 

[Amykins]

Hi Theresa!

Well, I've just been persistent, ordered away for a "Grow with me" juvenile diaper harness and I hope it arrives in time. Today went slightly better ...Slightly. Wobbles freaked out for about thirty seconds, shrieking, flipping over, etc. but then she saw the peas and it was all over. Then she spent the next 20 minutes attacking the strap that goes along the back! It's just a simple cloth thingy with a safety pin, so I'm hoping once we upgrade to the velcro or snap models she won't have as much to get her bill latched onto.

And even after all that she managed to shake all the poop out. XD

 

[backyardflock1]

I'm hoping to make one or two house chickens out of our next batch of chicks

 

[Sylvester017]

I'm hoping to make one or two house chickens out of our next batch of chicks

It's quite a responsibility making fowl into house chickens. We found that as much as we had fun with a couple of our house chickens we ultimately let them be outdoor free-range flock girls. They will still come into the house on their own but given the choice they much prefer to stay outdoors where they can scratch and peck and dust-bathe and chase bugs!! About the only way we have a house chicken is if we have a recuperating invalid and then she can't wait to go outside again. Being cooped is not their cup of tea and being in a house is just another type of "coop." There are instances where chickens have health issues or permanent injuries in which case it is much better to keep them indoors. Be prepared for your chickens to look wistfully out a sliding door or window at the rest of the flock having fun outside.

 

[calichicken]

I'm hoping to make one or two house chickens out of our next batch of chicks

It's quite a responsibility making fowl into house chickens. We found that as much as we had fun with a couple of our house chickens we ultimately let them be outdoor free-range flock girls. They will still come into the house on their own but given the choice they much prefer to stay outdoors where they can scratch and peck and dust-bathe and chase bugs!! About the only way we have a house chicken is if we have a recuperating invalid and then she can't wait to go outside again. Being cooped is not their cup of tea and being in a house is just another type of "coop." There are instances where chickens have health issues or permanent injuries in which case it is much better to keep them indoors. Be prepared for your chickens to look wistfully out a sliding door or window at the rest of the flock having fun outside.

Very true @Sylvester017 I have one house chicken and she is a Bantam Cochin

She is an indoor girl a lot by choice, but has a good area in front and back that she can still forage, dust-bathe and scratch around. She will peck at the door when she wants out and peck on the door when she wants in...LOL!!! And night though, she is an indoor girl and has her favorite little hangout area or will sit on our lap!

But we also had a little silkie that was the opposite! The minute she had a taste of the great outdoors, she wanted to be out all the time..even when our other girl was inside!

I really think I depends on the personality and disposition of the bird whether they will enjoy being a house chicken or not. Just watch your chicken and make sure it is a happy little bird

 

[Sylvester017]

Very true @Sylvester017 I have one house chicken and she is a Bantam Cochin

She is an indoor girl a lot by choice, but has a good area in front and back that she can still forage, dust-bathe and scratch around. She will peck at the door when she wants out and peck on the door when she wants in...LOL!!! And night though, she is an indoor girl and has her favorite little hangout area or will sit on our lap!

But we also had a little silkie that was the opposite! The minute she had a taste of the great outdoors, she wanted to be out all the time..even when our other girl was inside!

I really think I depends on the personality and disposition of the bird whether they will enjoy being a house chicken or not. Just watch your chicken and make sure it is a happy little bird

So true! Every circumstance and chicken is different. On youtube chickenmom had to keep her bantam roo indoors because he had a lot of health issues and had to always wear special bootiers. We only kept house chickens for quarantine purposes before introducing into the main flock or if one was injured or ill and needed tending 24/7. But I was glad by the time everyone was ready to go outdoors again. They visit us but don't stay long. Outdoors is more fun. One Silkie decided she wanted to come indoors to lay her egg every day. My DH let her come in to lay her egg in the nestbox and then she was ready to go outside again. He's such a softie! When she went broody I put my foot down and said, no, she can sit it out in an coop nestbox and she did. We aren't home constantly to monitor an indoor chicken so it's best they're outside where they can do all their fun chickeny activities. Another reason I don't like to keep chickens indoors too much is because the diapers can really irritate little Silkie butts especially if there are runny poops. After 3 months of diaper-wearing my little Silkie pullet had a lot of missing feathers on her backside even though we bathed her every evening. We felt it healthier to let a house chicken join the outdoors as soon as they were old enough and acquainted enough to integrate into the main flock.