people with house chickens

[spazy67]

​I've got a 7 month old indoor cochin bantam who still isn't laying.  Her sister is but she's not.  They will go and live at my Mums once she's got their outdoor cage modified but they are happy indoors for now.  Our property is ankle deep in mud at the moment (we are having a very wet spring) so with their heavily feathered feet I'd rather they were indoors. 

Well that makes me feel better thank you also I am embarrassed about this but my girl has to be covered up at night with a night gown tentws over her think it reminds her of being under feathers or have i simply messed her up that bad lol

She is under there from 630pm till

 

[kajira]

Well that makes me feel better thank you also I am embarrassed about this but my girl has to be covered up at night with a night gown tentws over her think it reminds her of being under feathers or have i simply messed her up that bad lol
She is under there from 630pm till am

That is awesome LOL

 

[JaeG]

Well that makes me feel better thank you also I am embarrassed about this but my girl has to be covered up at night with a night gown tentws over her think it reminds her of being under feathers or have i simply messed her up that bad lol
She is under there from 630pm till

Whatever makes her happy I say! Indoor pets should be spoilt!

I suppose I should confess to having 8 other chickens currently residing indoors. One is a Booted bantam who is raising 4 Silkie babies (they are 6 weeks old now), and 3 other bantams we hatched that would go out on day trips until they all got sick with a respiratory illness (thanks to the wild birds) so had to be medicated, and they've been inside all winter. There was 4 but one got very sick and didn't make it (she was only 20 weeks old - our daughter was utterly devastated) which is how we ended up with Silkie babies, plus our Booted bantam had been broody for 10 weeks and wasn't giving up until something started cheeping!!! We are just lucky we have very high ceilings, a very open living space, and wooden floors. Most of the time they want to be in their own pens but will come out for a bit of a play and to snack on the seed the (extremely messy) finches have spread (everywhere)! Honestly I want to get the finches outside in the aviary (that we need to put in place) way more than I want the chickens out.

 

[spazy67]

​Whatever makes her happy I say!  Indoor pets should be spoilt! 

I suppose I should confess to having 8 other chickens currently residing indoors.  One is a Booted bantam who is raising 4 Silkie babies (they are 6 weeks old now), and 3 other bantams we hatched that would go out on day trips until they all got sick with a respiratory illness (thanks to the wild birds) so had to be medicated, and they've been inside all winter.  There was 4 but one got very sick and didn't make it (she was only 20 weeks old - our daughter was utterly devastated) which is how we ended up with Silkie babies, plus our Booted bantam had been broody for 10 weeks and wasn't giving up until something started cheeping!!!  We are just lucky we have very high ceilings, a very open living space, and wooden floors.  Most of the time they want to be in their own pens but will come out for a bit of a play and to snack on the seed the (extremely messy) finches have spread (everywhere)!  Honestly I want to get the finches outside in the aviary (that we need to put in place) way more than I want the chickens out. 

Ohhhhhhh thank you I feel much better i don't want to do wrong by her. You have a ton in your house probably a good thing my house is the size it is then lol.
What do you feed yours I am having the worst time with food when she went off her chick food went to like a pellet did not like it and if I had not spoiled her with treats she would have starved I think. I now have her on show bird crumble but she not just diving into that either.she is addicted to roasted sunflower seeds and will eat some fruit bread crumbs scratch but not sure she getting all the nutrient she needs tho. So what do you feed your indoor chickens?

 

[JaeG]

Ohhhhhhh thank you I feel much better i don't want to do wrong by her. You have a ton in your house probably a good thing my house is the size it is then lol.
What do you feed yours I am having the worst time with food when she went off her chick food went to like a pellet did not like it and if I had not spoiled her with treats she would have starved I think. I now have her on show bird crumble but she not just diving into that either.she is addicted to roasted sunflower seeds and will eat some fruit bread crumbs scratch but not sure she getting all the nutrient she needs tho. So what do you feed your indoor chickens?

Mine seem to love their wet mash but I used to turn their chick crumble into mash as they were so tiny as chicks and the crumbles were so huge. My chickens don't like pellets or layers crumbles that much. I get them a crushed grain layers feed which they seem to enjoy, but I am in a different country to you so you could try something similar if you can find it. And they love their greens. Plus, being inside they do get treats, especially leftovers. Every time they see us with food they expect us to share!

You could try fermenting her feed to see if that makes it more palatable. You just put the food in a glass jar or food safe plastic container, cover well with luke warm water, cover with a lid or plastic wrap and leave it in a warm place but out of direct sunlight. You may need to add more water as the crumbles absorb it and keep the water level well above the top of the food, about an inch. After two or three days it will start to bubble (sometimes sooner if it's really warm) and smell sour, but not unpleasant. It should never smell of yeast or alcohol. I strain it through a fine sieve and feed it out wet. Keep some of the liquid and just add more food and luke warm water to it and it will be ready for the next day. You won't need much for one little bantam. It's something else to try anyway. I'd give her some in the morning (provided she will eat it) and give her treats later in the day.

 

[spazy67]

Mine seem to love their wet mash but I used to turn their chick crumble into mash as they were so tiny as chicks and the crumbles were so huge. My chickens don't like pellets or layers crumbles that much. I get them a crushed grain layers feed which they seem to enjoy, but I am in a different country to you so you could try something similar if you can find it. And they love their greens. Plus, being inside they do get treats, especially leftovers. Every time they see us with food they expect us to share!

You could try fermenting her feed to see if that makes it more palatable. You just put the food in a glass jar or food safe plastic container, cover well with luke warm water, cover with a lid or plastic wrap and leave it in a warm place but out of direct sunlight. You may need to add more water as the crumbles absorb it and keep the water level well above the top of the food, about an inch. After two or three days it will start to bubble (sometimes sooner if it's really warm) and smell sour, but not unpleasant. It should never smell of yeast or alcohol. I strain it through a fine sieve and feed it out wet. Keep some of the liquid and just add more food and luke warm water to it and it will be ready for the next day. You won't need much for one little bantam. It's something else to try anyway. I'd give her some in the morning (provided she will eat it) and give her treats later in the day.

Thank you I will try that now she putting in water I bet she will like that.
They need to come up with a house blend for us maybe with some extra vitamins for lack of sun and bugs . I do offer boiled eggs she eats a little bit and loves mango And other fruit but can't afford those all the time.
But THAN YOU so so much

 

[Leihamarie]

Well, I'm writing this with a heavy heart and a tear streaked face. I lost my EE today in my arms and another of my girls can't walk. It looks like a case of Marek's disease. I started with 3 girls and at 14 weeks old, I have 2 left, one of which isn't long for this world. Until I know what I'm dealing with (I sent my EE off for a necropsy) I've brought my 2 remaining girls in to the house. I have a 550 square foot 1 bd duplex with a 70lb dog, a cat and now 2 chickens, lol! It's probable that the one who can't walk won't make it very much longer and then my little barred rock will be an only chicken until I know how to proceed. I'm hoping that I'll be able to integrate everyone to live stress-free. I'm glad other people have house chickens.

 

[spazy67]

Well, I'm writing this with a heavy heart and a tear streaked face. I lost my EE today in my arms and another of my girls can't walk. It looks like a case of Marek's disease. I started with 3 girls and at 14 weeks old, I have 2 left, one of which isn't long for this world. Until I know what I'm dealing with (I sent my EE off for a necropsy) I've brought my 2 remaining girls in to the house. I have a 550 square foot 1 bd duplex with a 70lb dog, a cat and now 2 chickens, lol! It's probable that the one who can't walk won't make it very much longer and then my little barred rock will be an only chicken until I know how to proceed. I'm hoping that I'll be able to integrate everyone to live stress-free. I'm glad other people have house chickens.

Oh man so sad I just have no clue what I would do if mine were to get sick or worse. Oh man hang in there I wish I had a magic wand and make it all ok.

 

[JaeG]

Well, I'm writing this with a heavy heart and a tear streaked face. I lost my EE today in my arms and another of my girls can't walk. It looks like a case of Marek's disease. I started with 3 girls and at 14 weeks old, I have 2 left, one of which isn't long for this world. Until I know what I'm dealing with (I sent my EE off for a necropsy) I've brought my 2 remaining girls in to the house. I have a 550 square foot 1 bd duplex with a 70lb dog, a cat and now 2 chickens, lol! It's probable that the one who can't walk won't make it very much longer and then my little barred rock will be an only chicken until I know how to proceed. I'm hoping that I'll be able to integrate everyone to live stress-free. I'm glad other people have house chickens.

I'm so sorry you are going through this. We lost a 20 week old pullet 6 weeks ago. Her 3 hatch mates are fine, though I quarantined them just in case, so I don't know what it was. Our daughter was utterly devastated, as was I, as our little Calypso was the sweetest, friendliest little thing.
Do ask if you need any ideas on indoor chicken living.

 

[Sylvester017]

Well that makes me feel better thank you also I am embarrassed about this but my girl has to be covered up at night with a night gown tentws over her think it reminds her of being under feathers or have i simply messed her up that bad lol
She is under there from 630pm till am

I had a baby Dom chick pullet that liked to sleep under her towel blankie at night but I made sure it was propped in a way that she had a clear air passageway. She would stay under that towel through the whole night and wouldn't come out from under it until she heard my voice in the morning.