Pet Chicken

[INKChamp]

I have decided that I want to have a mainly indoor chicken. It will be Americana mix. I have tried to keep chickens indoors before but the smell is hard to control. What can I do to keep the smell away? I was thinking maybe kitty litter to keep the droppings dry, and kitty litter is supposed to smell good, right? The cage that I have is mesh on the bottom so the droppings fall through it onto a tray. Would kitty litter in the tray keep the smell away? I am currently incubating some eggs so I have at least a month before I have to worry about little chicks that smell...

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, INKChamp, and

! Pleased you joined our community! There are lot of folks on BYC that have house chickens. Here is a link that might give you some tips: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-raise-a-chicken-as-a-family-pet
In terms of kitty litter...I think that is great as far as it goes....but unless the entire area into which the bird has access has littler down, you may have a hard time getting it to go where the littler is. I know some folks actually use chicken diapers (no joke - it's a thing). Type that into the BYC search box. Also, chickens are pretty social critters and often don't do well singly. Can you swing two chickens?
Good luck and I wish you well with your pet chicken(s)!!

 

[CuzChickens]

Hello, and welcome to the forum! I am fixing to celebrate my first year on here, and I have loved it so much, I hope you will too! There is tons of great info and friendly folks, so pull up a chair and make yourself at home!

~Cuz

 

[INKChamp]

Greetings from Kansas, INKChamp, and  !  Pleased you joined our community!  There are lot of folks on BYC that have house chickens.  Here is a link that might give you some tips:  https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-raise-a-chicken-as-a-family-pet
In terms of kitty litter...I think that is great as far as it goes....but unless the entire area into which the bird has access has littler down, you may have a hard time getting it to go where the littler is.  I know some folks actually use chicken diapers (no joke - it's a thing).  Type that into the BYC search box.   Also, chickens are pretty social critters and often don't do well singly.  Can you swing two chickens?  
Good luck and I wish you well with your pet chicken(s)!!    

I was thinking about training the chicken to go where I want it to (For when it is out and about). I read an article on that. So I'll cross that bridge when I get there. Thanks for the quick reply! I'll check out the link.

 

[N F C]

I would think the wire mesh of a cage would be hard on a chicken's feet. And if you take the chicken out of the cage, the chicken will either mess on the floor or you'll have to put a diaper on it. And cecal poops are nasty no matter what. Maybe the members over on the House Chickens thread can give you more info, here's a link to it: post #1

Best of luck to you!

 

[INKChamp]

I would think the wire mesh of a cage would be hard on a chicken's feet. And if you take the chicken out of the cage, the chicken will either mess on the floor or you'll have to put a diaper on it. And cecal poops are nasty no matter what. Maybe the members over on the House Chickens thread can give you more info, here's a link to it: post #1

Best of luck to you!

I raise chickens outside, I live on a ranch, and we always used wire mesh for the bottoms of the cages. We do this for the outside cages so the chickens don't stand in their own muck. We never had problems with their feet, they do get somewhat hard and callused. I just don't want the chicken to stand in its own poop until I clean it.

 

[drumstick diva]

Please check out "People with house chickens." My friend has had house chickens over 25 years, a various assortment but usually silkies. She currently has 2 matronly serama hens and a silkie hen. They are not diapered but, she is ever at the ready with her spray bottle and towel paper to clean up after them. Quite honestly her house does NOT smell.
When strangers come over they hide behind the couch and keep peeking out to see if they have left. It's hilarious.

I think serama & silkie bantams are good for house pets because they accept confinement and are very small - less poo to pick up.

 

[Teila]

G’Day from down under INKChamp

Welcome!

As you have already received links to some good starting points, I will just wish you all the best.

You might want to also pop in and say hello on your local thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/26/where-am-i-where-are-you ‘Find your State’s thread.

I hope you enjoy being a BYC member. There are lots of friendly and very helpful folks here so not only is it overflowing with useful information it is also a great place to make friends and have some fun.

If you would like to share pictures and stories of your flock, you have come to the right place. BYC’ers never tire of these and do not back away slowly or commence eye rolling when the photo album or home videos come out

 

[INKChamp]

G’Day from down under INKChamp   Welcome!

As you have already received links to some good starting points, I will just wish you all the best.

You might want to also pop in and say hello on your local thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/26/where-am-i-where-are-you ‘Find your State’s thread.

I hope you enjoy being a BYC member.  There are lots of friendly and very helpful folks here so not only is it overflowing with useful information it is also a great place to make friends and have some fun. 

If you would like to share pictures and stories of your flock, you have come to the right place.  BYC’ers never tire of these and do not back away slowly or commence eye rolling when the photo album or home videos come out 

Thanks for the reply! I may put some pictures up in a month, when my chicks might hatch hopefully, or two, when they can be taken out of the brooder.

I have been drawing up plans for a nice home , chicken house, for my soon to be chicken. It will most likely look like a small barn about 29X20, enough room to sleep in, the silo will be a feeder, and a hay bale on the outside will be the water container. (I am trying to give the chicken as much space as possible without large containers for water or feed on the inside)

I am really trying to spend my waiting period making a cozy home for my chicken. I even plan on making a "air conditioner" for it incase it gets hot. I am really quite exited. The door will be a whole wall that opens in the middle. I am also going to put a led light bulb on the top so it has light while I am at school. ( led is because they do not get hot)

I have heard that chickens, birds in general, sleep better when there is minimal light so I was thinking about shutters for the windows when it is bed time.

I don't know if that was a good explanation or too much of one. But I am vey enthusiastic about it. And yes, i do plan on taking my chicken out for walks. But I will also try to litter box train it so it can have free range of my room, while I am with it of course.

 

[INKChamp]

Does anyone know of "chicken vitamins" that would be good for a chicken. I want to make sure that mine stays healthy as it will be mainly indoors. I know that it sounds weird but it was just a thought