people with house chickens

[missfahr]

Single hen? She herself won't smell at all! The poop- it does smell, anyone who says otherwise is lying  There are two main kinds of poop, one that isn't so bad, and one that is stinky enough that you won't want to be around it- though honestly, it is definitely no worse than any other kind of pet poop I've ever had to deal with. I've not had diapered chickens but the way I dealt with my three indoors before they were too young to go outside was just to clean up ASAP whenever one of the really bad deposits got... deposited. That being said I find my babies do tend to prefer to go away from places they like to sit, so I never got pooped on once they were old enough to work out when they needed to go, and chicken poop is pretty easy to clean up. 

Cuddling chickens is the best thing, they are absolutely wonderful. 

Thank you for the advice! I'm excited to get my first hen! Do you have any breed suggestions?

 

[kurui]

I don't have a lot of experience with different breeds- I have three brown ISA hens (very similar to the production red hens you can pick up at the tractor supply over there) and three sussex mixes, including a very handsome cockerel who was my lapchicken when he was a baby. He's in my avatar there.
Because mine are half pet, half egg-producing livestock, I chose breed based on that rather than any aesthetic consideration, but I find them all to be very sweet and curious things, they all have their own personalities. I think I'd say the Sussex birds are a little more easily startled than the ISAs, who are so laid back it's a bit ridiculous, but with enough handling I don't think you could really tell much of a difference in terms of how tame they are. Other people in this thread probably have a better idea about which breeds take best to being fullblown pets, but honestly I think it's mostly a case of individual personality and how much time you put into raising them and spoiling them rotten

 

[Reinsaway]

I would say the top three are modern game, silkies, and Seramas. There size itself just makes them so much easier to deal with let alone there great docility. I guess if you wanted a standard, the best I could think of would be Orpingtons or dominiques, really great birds.

 

[Sylvester017]

I would say the top three are modern game, silkies, and Seramas. There size itself just makes them so much easier to deal with let alone there great docility. I guess if you wanted a standard, the best I could think of would be Orpingtons or dominiques, really great birds.

We've had Silkies for 4 yrs and they are tame to keep in-house and get rather particular where they want to snooze, roost, sit, etc. We had a pullet we kept in-house in diapers for 3 months until she was old enough to incorporate outside and her vent area got a bit sparse in feathers from diapers. We washed and blow-dried her butt every night and kept the diaper off during the night to "air" out the area. I wouldn't want to keep a chicken in diapers 24/7 and recommend removing them nightly.

We just got a 4 m/o Blue Ameraucana and a 4 m/o Blue Breda 2 weeks ago and the Breda was tame the first time we held her in our arms. A breeder once said he could pluck any Breda out of his flock and a new owner will have it tame and eating out of the hand by the 2nd day. Ours was tame and eating out of our hand the day after we got her. The fact that Breda are rather delicate as chicks and juveniles would make this tame breed excellent to keep in-house as a youngster since they get a rocky start health-wise as chicks and juvies but are rather hardy by adulthood. We plan to put the Breda and Ameraucana outside at around 5-6 m/o so they'll be big enough to blend with the outside group.

Like any chicken a Breda can startle herself or spook at a shadow but around us she is calm, curious, friendly, unafraid, walks up to us, and has no qualms about resting close to us. I will miss having these juvies in-house but also want to see them have fun outside dust-bathing, scratching for seeds, chasing bugs, flapping around the yard, and all the chickeny things they like to do.

 

[Ponyfeather]

Hello all! I'm new to the site and I'm currently looking into getting a house chicken. I've been reading a lot of good information to get started, but I need experience and advice from others! Please help me out! My greatest concerns right now are how smelly a single hen would be, and potty training.

I had an Orpington, and they're right the hen won't smell but the poo will I used sweet pdz in my hens indoor house to keep the smell down. Really as long as you are cleaning up after them everyday the smell isn't any worse then a large dog hanging around inside. Sadly I lost mine but I am planing on getting a bantam Orpington. Any chicken can be a pet, my first experience was with a Leghorn who was 100% my baby she had to be separated out from a larger flock because she was going to get killed the other hens where picking on her so much. She loved being fussed and loved on and was fine living alone, she was never indoor but would have been fine with it.

I used baby wipes/tissue to clean but after my indoor hen. We have hardwood floors, tile threw out our house. She hated wearing her diaper. Some are 100% okay with wearing one others throw a huge fit about wearing them. Like all living things chickens all have their own personalities.

I have to say Reinsaway breed recommendations are good ones. Smaller + docile are good options. Cochin bantams would be good choice too.

 

[Reinsaway]

I had an Orpington, and they're right the hen won't smell but the poo will I used sweet pdz in my hens indoor house to keep the smell down. Really as long as you are cleaning up after them everyday the smell isn't any worse then a large dog hanging around inside. Sadly I lost mine but I am planing on getting a bantam Orpington. Any chicken can be a pet, my first experience was with a Leghorn who was 100% my baby she had to be separated out from a larger flock because she was going to get killed the other hens where picking on her so much. She loved being fussed and loved on and was fine living alone, she was never indoor but would have been fine with it. 

I used baby wipes/tissue to clean but after my indoor hen. We have hardwood floors, tile threw out our house. She hated wearing her diaper. Some are 100% okay with wearing one others throw a huge fit about wearing them. Like all living things chickens all have their own personalities.

I have to say Reinsaway breed recommendations are good ones. Smaller + docile are good options. Cochin bantams would be good choice too. 

And though I LOVE my little Radbird, I would not recommend an American game cross for the faint of heart. Though she shows intelligence and problem-solving ability that rivals the dog.. She also is EXTREMELY high energy and more vocal and fussy than other chickens. She is bossy towards the cats and actually play-fights with the dog regularly. SHE EVEN CROWS!!

 

[kendradillon]

cant wait! ordering more diapers from spot's corner!!! $30 for 2 custom to fit our bird! I have tons and I love them all! attached her link! she has lots of materials to choose from
https://www.facebook.com/spotscorner?fref=ts

 

[MsChickenMomma]

cant wait! ordering more diapers from spot's corner!!! $30 for 2 custom to fit our bird! I have tons and I love them all! attached her link! she has lots of materials to choose from
https://www.facebook.com/spotscorner?fref=ts

Oh, those are so cute!! Do they stay on good? I'm thinking of getting Sunni some new diapers soon. Do these diapers cause any feather breakage, or sore spots at all? Sunni wears diapers from Hen saver. I love them, and they fit her well. But the problem is that they break her feathers along her legs and under her wings for some reason, and if she wears them for too long they give her sore spots under her wings and legs. She just molted as well, so she hasnt worn her diapers in several weeks, because I didn't want her diapers to cause her any discomfort. And now I am worried that her diapers are going to break her new feathers. /: I also don't like how big the diaper pouch is on the Hen saver diapers. It just seems to make more of a mess. So how do the diapers you have do? They are so so cute.

 

[kendradillon]

I have never had a problem with these diaps! they stay on because you send her measurements to make it fit your bird. its custom to their body type. as for fether breakage I havnt had any but I also give naked time daily and that helps. I havnt had these break any feathers though. and I put a tissue at the bottom of the pouch and change the diaper every 2-4 hours that helps too. also I trim the butt fluff down lol

 

[MsChickenMomma]

I have never had a problem with these diaps! they stay on because you send her measurements to make it fit your bird. its custom to their body type. as for fether breakage I havnt had any but I also give naked time daily and that helps. I havnt had these break any feathers though. and I put a tissue at the bottom of the pouch and change the diaper every 2-4 hours that helps too. also I trim the butt fluff down lol

Okay, thanks!