Potty Training Chickens, How-to!

[Ms~Silkie~Girl]

i bring my silkie in the house and she has never gone to the bathroom in the house. I bring her outside for a bathroom 'brake' and she goes only outside

 

[jojo54]

very interesting

 

[M To The Maxx]

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[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

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That is so COOL! Good job!

 

[prov31gal]

cant you get sick from having chickens indoors. this sounds weird.

 

[red-hen]

This is a wonderful topic. It was very brave and kind of Hackles to give us this information in such good detail. I found this page by visiting a page that talks all about Chickens as House Pets - they link directly to Hackle's topic here. (You're famous now Hackles) To those who think it is "inappropriate" in some way - maybe you will see more clearly if you read the further details here: http://www.squidoo.com/housechickens They address the issue of cleanliness etc there very well. It appears that a well kept house chicken is no greater a danger than any other more well known house pet, and possibly a lesser vector for transmittable human disease than our fellow humans.

I love this topic. Thanks for making it. I don't have any in the house - but I think it is fine to do so.

I hope Hackles ignores the less kind statements that were made here - and that they didn't make him feel bad. Sometimes we don't think before we post - some of us don't realize how hurtful comments can be.

 

[kla37]

I learned in avian biology that birds do not have the ability to store and control the passage of excrement. This is one of many biological adaptations to remain as light as possible, such as the combination of liquid and solid waste. They simply do not have any built in muscular control or nerves to accomplish this. They are designed to always be at their lightest, and whenever a small amount of waste builds up, it is involuntarily released.

 

[Tala]

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I think chickens can, to a point.

I've had several juvie chickens inside with me, or taken them on a car trip, and they didn't poop at all - then instantly when I set them back down in their coop - they pooped! As much as I'm around chicks and such, I've only been pooped on once or twice and it was after I'd been holding the chick for a while. I think they just couldn't hold it any longer, being babies afterall.

 

[chauqg]

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Additionally, all this is in print is not factual! Even when it is in a text book. I have observed that birds don't poop on you when they are sitting on your lap or shoulders. Pigeons, parrots, chickens all of which I have had loads of experience with, and they have never pooped on me, but they poop on the floor, in the car when they get the urge. I believe they refrain from pooping on us because they are mesmerized with how stupid we are about handling them. I once heard a parrot that barked like a dog! WHO DA THUNK IT! A chicken baying at the moon!

Have fun!

 

[chuckzoo]

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Hackles, I need your help in training my one hen not to cackle in the morning when her friend goes into the coop to lay. Please help! I only have two hens and she gets very nervous when she is by herself.