Small coop

[xxizzer421xx]

Well i am knew just saw the chickens at the local fair and now i want one! Only one and i want a pet but i dont know what to do? for winter? at night? i kinda wanted to keep it inside at night and put it outside in a pen and at night let it in a pen in my room i just need pointers and tips any kind


sorry not sure if i posted in the rite area

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

ok lets start with basics.

MY chickens live in the house. Buy chicken diapers online if you want them to roam around. I use a rabbit hutch as a day coop with chicken wire around it. buy bird netting to stop hawks and eagles from getting in. No citrus food, No ilk or carbonated drinks. No avocado no raw potatos or raw kidney beans.


EDITED TO ADD MORE INFO: watch out for predators... rats, hawks, possums, eagles, bears, coyotes, fox's, dogs, cats, raccoons... ETC

for winter if your leaving them in the house its fine. If its outside you will have to make sure the hatch has pvc sheeting or whatever its called. A heating lamp and ventilation.

 

[xxizzer421xx]

well i just planned on feeding it like bird feed like you would get for chickens and i dont want them roaming ALL the time you know? just when i take em out or let em out side i was wondering if i let em out side they would wonder away or not? i want a small cage for in my room so at night it coudl be inside not outside and during the day let em out run around w.e but if i were to leave in the day put it in its cage out side that way it had dirt ground

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

You would have to be careful about leaving the cage unattended outside. Rabid raccons will be able to get the poor bird. Make sure you get some fruits.. Bananas or strawberrys as a treat. They wont wonder away but I would keep an eye on them.

 

[lurky]

correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it mean to just keep one chicken? I have only heard it a million times that they are very unhappy if they are alone. I know misfit was sad for his first 24 hours til the new bantams arrived. He didn't know what to do with himself and seemed sad and lonely.
Well??????

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

lurky I bet you $5 that down the road she will be like the rest of us. When we got the 4 barred rocks thats all that we wanted. I said ok thats fine no more. I ended up with 16 silkies after the barred rocks "within a 3 week period".


EDITED: Due to my misspelling of words lol

 

[xxizzer421xx]

you really think it would be unhappy? and i wont leave the bird alone it would be ok to keep one inside in a pen?

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

It will be ok as long as you give it social interaction. 2 or more is always best but as long as your around you will be like a second chicken to her.

 

[xxizzer421xx]

ok i will be around i meen i go to school but i will be home alot still and i was wondering what i should do for the winter keep her inside all the time???


also if there keept in a pen inside how messy will that be?

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

well since its a pen put down a thin layer of pine NOT cedar shavings. it will get messy so make sure to be cleaning up messes. We had our chickens in the house for the winter and everthing was fine. with the waterer make sure you have it 5 inches off the ground or a little higher that way they dont get the shavings in it.