people with house chickens

[Sylvester017]

Sadly yesterday Topaz left the world. He had to be put down because he feel and hit his poor little vaulted skull. He had seizures because of the head hit. The vet said it was a freak accident, and was very nice and let me be there with him.

So very sorry. I was looking forward to more stories and pics of Topaz! Vaulted skulls are so delicate. One owner told me her vaulted Silkies rarely get past chickhood and if they do they rarely get past 2 yrs old suffering injuries, shaking heads, wry neck, or death. It scared me so much I only get flat-skulled Silkies. Apparently Polish vaulteds were bred to Silkies to get the fuller crests but it is also a dangerous open-holed skull with only skin and feathers over the brain. I am so sorry about Topaz but your vet sounds very very nice - our vet didn't even offer us to stay with a sick pullet we had to put down a couple months ago.

 

[bugawk]

Awwwww, I'm so sorry too, poor sweet little boy chicken. People that have never been close to chickens don't realize how very wonderful they are. I wish there was a way to comfort you.

 

[SesameChicken10]

I am very sorry for your loss of a sweet little friend. I agree with bugawk that it is hard for others to relate to how you feel for a pet chicken.

 

[Naliez]

Im so sorry for your loss. A lot of people really don't understand. Pet chickens aren't that different than having a pet dog or cat and people refer to them as their "kids". Forming a bond with any animal is a wonderful thing. For me, chickens are a little extra special because unlike a dog, or cat, you have to "earn" the bond and trust you have with chickens with a little extra time and a whole lot of patience. Their reactions and/or displays of affections/attachment are subtle and can sometimes only be recognized by the people who have put in the time and energy to form that bond. Losing them can be very painful, but what a darn lucky chicken to have had the love of a human like you! <3

 

[foxandthehen]

Is it safe to leave my hen loose in the house at night?

 

[Naliez]

Is it safe to leave my hen loose in the house at night?

That totally depends on your house. If you have other pets, or things they can get into.
She probably won't go anywhere if you have a safe, dark place for her to roost. We have a bench seat in the basement for when the weather gets bad and I lay a garbage bag under where they hang their butts off so clean up in the morning is easy. They don't move from that spot until the sun comes up. Make sure you know/trust your other pets, if you have any. I don't let little ones out of their brooder, but the full grown hens are twice the size of my cats, who keep their distance. A couple times I slept in past the chickens while they were inside and they did make a mess. They ate my indoor herb garden and threw my Kerug pods all over the place. Then there's the random poops.
Here they are on their perch for the night with my sister and her boyfriend who aren't too sure about chickens. Lol

 

[Skink]

Agreed, depends on other pets and how much stuff you have around. When I turn the lights out, everyone goes to sleep right where they are.. chickens aren't too fond of trying to navigate darkness. So I perch them and hit the lights, and they will stay there until sunrise! As soon as the sun starts coming up, though, they're eager to get up and look for food and water. They will get in to anything you leave around, and if they aren't diapered they will leave you at least one cecal in a very inconvenient place! Make sure the toilet lid is down, and baby proof it like you're going to have a toddler free ranging in that room.

If you have other pets that will have access to Proximity of Chicken at all, it isn't safe. No matter how much you trust your cat or dog. I know that is an unpopular opinion here, but it isn't a problem until it's a problem, and then it is too late. All it takes is one bite or scratch and it becomes an emergency situation... and that is beyond how chickens often delight at trying to poke shiny things like eyeballs. Your animals will be the ones to pay the price of any negligence, so avoid it. Keeping them to separate parts of the house is an easy solution.

 

[MsChickenMomma]

I just found out recently that in a little less than a year, I will have two more house chickens living in my house. My boyfriend and I are currently long distance, but we have made plans to close the gap early next summer. He has two house chickens, a Silkie mix named Frizz, and a Buff Silkie named Pepper. Frizz will be two in May, and Pepper is about 3 and a half months old. My house can already get a little crazy with Sunni and Stephen around. It'll be interesting to add two more to the bunch!

 

[MsChickenMomma]

Agreed, depends on other pets and how much stuff you have around. When I turn the lights out, everyone goes to sleep right where they are.. chickens aren't too fond of trying to navigate darkness. So I perch them and hit the lights, and they will stay there until sunrise! As soon as the sun starts coming up, though, they're eager to get up and look for food and water. They will get in to anything you leave around, and if they aren't diapered they will leave you at least one cecal in a very inconvenient place! Make sure the toilet lid is down, and baby proof it like you're going to have a toddler free ranging in that room.

If you have other pets that will have access to Proximity of Chicken at all, it isn't safe. No matter how much you trust your cat or dog. I know that is an unpopular opinion here, but it isn't a problem until it's a problem, and then it is too late. All it takes is one bite or scratch and it becomes an emergency situation... and that is beyond how chickens often delight at trying to poke shiny things like eyeballs. Your animals will be the ones to pay the price of any negligence, so avoid it. Keeping them to separate parts of the house is an easy solution.

Very very VERY true. When Sunni first came to live in the house two years ago, I thought I could trust my dog with her. Sunni would chase him around the house and he loved it. It was a fun game for both of them. But one day all it took was for Sunni to peck our dog because she wanted the food he was given from the table, and he snapped. He bit her head and we almost lost her that night. It took several months for her to fully recover. I was feeding her with a tube and everything. I always tell everyone I know with chickens.... No matter how well your dog does with them, you just never know when something could happen. My chickens now stay in a room with a closed door at all times, unless I have the dogs and cats closed up.

 

[Naliez]

Very very VERY true. When Sunni first came to live in the house two years ago, I thought I could trust my dog with her. Sunni would chase him around the house and he loved it. It was a fun game for both of them. But one day all it took was for Sunni to peck our dog because she wanted the food he was given from the table, and he snapped. He bit her head and we almost lost her that night. It took several months for her to fully recover. I was feeding her with a tube and everything. I always tell everyone I know with chickens.... No matter how well your dog does with them, you just never know when something could happen. My chickens now stay in a room with a closed door at all times, unless I have the dogs and cats closed up.

My dogs are not allowed to even look at the chickens. If our dog shows interest of any kind, perked ears, wagging tail, she gets scolded. She will not look them in the eye or walk past them if they are in a doorway. They are completely "off limits" especially as a "friend" or playmate. We've trained the dogs to be the same way with the cats. And it's BECAUSE when we first got the chickens, our dog loved them. Mothered them, brought them her favorite toys, food, herded them around and protected them from cats. We thought it was cute, and it really was, but one day, one of the chickens got "played" with. The dog is sweet, but doesn't know her size, and although it was unintentional, we lost the chicken. We researched on how to handle this and the best thing we came up with was that you have to "claim" the chickens. They are YOURS, not the the dogs. We were VERY strict with this training and spent a lot of time with her. I really wanted to see my dog hanging out with her chicken "friends", but that just wasn't a possibility if I wanted my chickens kept alive.