Raising chickens indoors

[TerryQui]

oK After all my research for having chickens in the city, I can see that the city isn't interested in people having them in the city. They put too many restrictions on the whole thing.
I have considered getting a couple smaller chickens and keeping them inside a bird aviary.
I would love feedback. Is it unhealthy for chickens not to be out doors? I can use UV lights as my birds get those.
How much space would a couple small chickens need?
What are the smallest chickens that give the best size egg for eating?
Eggs are the bonus. I just want chickens to enjoy.
I had button quail one year that lived in the bottom of my aviary, under my free flighted canaries and finches. When I just cut back to parrots, I gave the quails up too. They were fun.
Not so fun when one got out, lol, as it would find the first thing to get under and hide out. Not the easiest little things to catch. They were quite territorial also.
I am just about ready to decide no chickens until we move into the country, which will be a few years yet. Kids still in school here.
I know keeping one chicken isn't ok, as it will get lonely.
Has anyone here done the indoors thing? I would love to hear more about it. Thanks.

 

[Country Heart]

I've only raised young chicks indoors, but move them outside at about 6 weeks.

I am thinking maybe bantams would be the way to go, but don't have any direct experience with them. Hopefully someone with a bit more insight will speak up.

 

[TerryQui]

Thanks I will research that bread.

 

[dsqard]

Bantams are not a breed, but a "size". Bantams come in all different kinds of breeds. I have kept chicks in the house until they are big enough to go outside since we seem to have so many months of cold weather here (Utah). I know that some people keep house chickens but I honestly look forwards to them getting out of the house. Of course it has always been more than a couple of chicks at a time, so maybe only one or two would be fine. Hopefully, someone with a house chicken or two will chime in for you.

 

[ruthless]

Do a search on " house chickens" and you will find that several people choose to keep a few in the house. I think Serama are nice for that because they don't mind confinement as some other breeds might. They can also be very tame and like to be handled if you choose.

How big is your aviary? They don't need so much height as floor space. Chickens spend most time on the floor/ground except when roosting. With a few roosts and nest box or two, 2-3 pullets could do very nicely inside. If you keep their "night poops" scooped every morning, their pens stay pretty clean with a nice layer of Aspen bedding.

They do produce a lot of dust but if you are used to birds, then you know that. Larger size Serama will be better layers, maybe an egg every other day.

I personally have a lovely little bantam Araucana/Serama mix that is the calmest bird I have ever seen. She has been living inside for many months now with a Serama pair and seems quite content. She lays a lovely bluish egg almost every day.

Edited to add: Where are you located? Someone nearby may be able to help you find some nice small pullets/hens. Lots of chicks hatching out the past few months around here on BYC.

 

[hannakat]

Here's a link to a couple who keep them in their house. She has a very nice blog about it.

http://clandestinechickens.blogspot.com/

 

[TerryQui]

Good info, thank you.
My aviary is 2 x 4 x 6 feet tall. I am thinking floor space on the bottom and build nests that they clime up to and a roost accross the back of the bottom. Enough for two? It is all enclosed with plexi glass and I use aspen shavings with my birds in their boxes. I also use shredded paper.
Another concern that I have is diseases in chickens. I don't want to make my birds sick, but just read an article on mycoplasma. It seems rampant. I don't want to bring that into my bird aviary.
My birds have their own room. It is a good sized room too.