Tell me about house chickens.

[mandelyn]

Ok, so I think I have one boy out of my 5 chicks. I hatched them myself, so it's not a hatchery error. I was expecting boys, at least some, and I planned to sell them for like $5 or something. But if there really is only one... what's the harm in keeping him? I don't want him outside crowing at 4am to tick off the neighbors. I'm not an illegal chicken owner, just... courteous to the nearness of the other houses.

But he could certainly over night in the house in a covered cage like a parrot, right? And bring his favorite hen in too for company? The closest I ever got to house chickens was a row of dog crates during freak crazy cold weather one year. I put them in a basement room so I could control the lights and the crowing.

I'm a firm believer that a happy chicken is a safe, outside chicken. Big house, big yard, treats, free range time, everything they could want besides 100% free range for their own protection.

But... he would be happy with all those girls, he would only be inside from dark until 9am when everyone goes to work/school. No one in the nearest houses work nights. So not a full-time house bird. He wouldn't have any competition, no fights, nothing but keeping his hens in order. He'll have a hard time with the New Hampshire.

Here's a question though, would he and any hen I put with him have to reestablish their pecking order on a daily basis after the overnight absence? Or would it be the same as if they simply rooster elsewhere as in a bigger coop where the birds split up over night?

 

[Jessiewoodard57]

better you than me, I would never consider bringing a healthy roo in the house. I live in the city and have 4 pens with 4 roos all the caged roo would need is to hear is a sound (or another roo crowing) and he would start crowing.
BTW mine start to crow at 4 am when its still very dark out side.

 

[cobrien]

If your neighbors aren't that close I'd lock him in the coop at night to muffle the sound, and keep any light from getting into the coop. I think he'd be fine if you decide to take him in at night but you might tire of the dust, stinky poop and noise inside the house.

 

[drumstick diva]

I think it would be a bad idea just in terms of acclimation to weather (winter). He's used to cold outside, then you let him sleep in a warm house, and then put him out in the cold again. Seems like a recipe for a dead rooster and his girlfriend if you bring her also.

 

[caspernc]

GOOD point diva!

 

[donrae]

I don't know, my roos sometimes start crowing well before dawn. Why wouldn't one do the same inside?

I don't think the pecking order would be a problem, I think the chickens would realize it's the same roo and hen day after day.

I know you didn't ask, but I'd never do it. Not sure why, exactly, like you said, parrots live inside. But maybe that's why I don't have a parrot

 

[midget_farms]

I have an automatic door on my coop. That way I can keep the goofball locked up & muffled until 7:30 am. It doesn't stop 100% of the sound - but it dampens it enough that it wont bother anyone.

My favorite is when we try to sleep in on Saturday & he marches back & forth under the bedroom window yelling to the world.

In any case - a rooster will start crowing when he darn well pleases & will often crow when disturbed in his sleep. So say someone flushes the toilet at 2am & bingo - he's going to crow every 30 seconds for the next hour.

remember - these are not inside birds - just like blue jays & cardinals they prefer to be outside. dragging the poor thing in each night is only going to confuse him.

 

[Sjisty]

I have a house chicken, Frack. She comes and goes as she pleases. We haven't had problems with her getting cold because she sleeps inside at night. She is a very happy and healthy chicken, maybe a little overweight since she is in so much and getting all the best treats. There is no problem with pecking order, she's the queen and everybody knows it!

That being said, I don't think I would want a rooster in the house. Mine sometimes start crowing at 4:00 a.m. I could see myself getting up and kicking him out the door in the morning - then he would be outside all by himself because I'm not going to get dressed and take him to the coop at 4 or 5 a.m., so he's outside, a fox/raccoon/possum/dog/etc. comes, eats him, and no more roo!

 

[bburn]

Have had four crowing since 4am this morning.....and it was pitch black outside when they started. Just sayin'.....

 

[mandelyn]

Well from what I know of having roosters before, is that they crow either when they hear wild birds, when car headlights shine through, when the kitchen light pops on and they can see it, even if it's midnight. There aren't any roosters around for him to respond to, so that's a start. But with street lights, back porch lights, security lights... this place never gets actually dark, so outside he would be free to crow all night long with how many windows I have in the coop.

But not every rooster I had did that, some didn't crow much at all even if they were high in the pecking order. Some would never shut up. My last rooster, started at about 6am a couple times in response to the neighbors roosters, but not again until I let them out. He had a wimpy Bantam crow though. This guy will be standard sized.

I think I'll let him grow out and see how he acts and decide later if he's moving to the country or not. See if he's talkative or not so bad. He's only 5 weeks old right now.