So oppinions and advice on a young hen who WANTS to be a house chicken

[ChickensAreSweet]

I think she will make a chicken friend if you encourage her to sleep in the coop (put her on a roost). I think if you are consistent and do this for a couple of weeks she will get the idea.

 

[azygous]

What do YOU want? If you want to make a house-hen out of her, then commit to it. She sounds cooperative.

Here's my contribution to make it an efficient project: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=392545&p=1 It's a tutorial on how to potty-train a chicken. Seriously.

 

[Rozzie]

I'd let her in. Then again, I've had chickens in the house before. Had a rooster in for about six months once while he learned to cope with being blind. Had a hen in once who...well, who knows what went wrong with her. She had issues. Major issues. Anyway, she healed and eventually went back outside. I think I had three rabbit cages with chickens at once...not at this house, though. It would be EASIER in this house...

 

[joebryant]

This thread is leaving me more and more in awe... literally. I am astounded at the number of people who would let a chicken move into their house.

 

[theoldchick]

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Really? After seeing how people keep pet snakes, pet rats, pet spiders in the house?

 

[7L Farm]

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Shhh, My chickens already have a house .Its called Hoop's Coop .

 

[caralynnp]

seal up your coop, I wouldn't want to go in there at night either if I had watched my buddies get their heads ripped off. I think it is only a matter of time before the remaining chickens in the coop get eaten too.

 

[joebryant]

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Really? After seeing how people keep pet snakes, pet rats, pet spiders in the house?

Okay, good points, and I understand what you're saying, but pet snakes, pet rats, and pet spiders are kept in cages. They do not have the run of the house.
Under some emergency circumstance I might keep a chicken in my house in a cage too, but never with free run of the house.

 

[Rozzie]

Quote:
Really? After seeing how people keep pet snakes, pet rats, pet spiders in the house?

Okay, good points, and I understand what you're saying, but pet snakes, pet rats, and pet spiders are kept in cages. They do not have the run of the house.
Under some emergency circumstance I might keep a chicken in my house in a cage too, but never with free run of the house.

Ah, there's the rub. Mine never had free run of the house when they were inside. They were ALWAYS caged unless I was actively handling them or cleaning their cage. Nope, I will not have any birds running/flying loose in my house. Then again, I won't have a ferret or rat or rabbit or pot bellied pig running loose in my house, either. I "do" have cats and a dog, though.

As for having chickens or other poultry in the house in a cage, it is not any different from having a pet parrot, a cage full of finches, parakeets, canaries, etc. People have kept pet birds inside for a long time. Parrots are BIGGER than most of the chickens I've had. It's not any harder to clean up after a chicken than a parrot. It's no harder than changing a litter pan for a cat, either.

(Tip: If you are going to keep a bird inside, line the cage with paper towels or something else disposable, or put them on wire and have a tray that you can hose off. Another option, if they need bedding, is the pine stuff that is sold for horse bedding. It's identical to the stuff sold as cat litter under brands like Feline Pine. Scoop it daily...)

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

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Disclaimer:

The only time I have chickens in the house is when they are in the Sportsman or a brooder. I MUCH prefer them to live outside.

Now that that is said I would like to point out this:

The only difference between a pet parrot in the house and a pet chicken in the house is about $3000