Winter solved! **Updated**

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....good one Ellie!
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All I can say is, heat lamp in the coop. Problem solved.
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'fort cluck' I like that.
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Cool pics, thanks for sharing. Well, most likely I would isolate it in the large(heck I could fit in there) kennel I have. That's what I used to introduce my new RIR to the ones I already had. They were able to see each other without fighting that way. Seemed to work out pretty well. I just lined the floor thick with bedding and provided water, food, and grit. Mostly using what I had left over from their Chick days.

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I had thought about one of those to solve dust/dander issue that would apparently be far worse then I imagined. Thanks for the tip, I would have been lost for a while looking for air filters, not purifiers.

Hymm, just under $200 seems to be the going rate for them, and looks like $12 for a filter. While it would be nice to have really clean air, probably cleaner than it is even right now, I doubt the heated water bowl and nest box heater would cost that much to run all winter.

Outside is starting to look good again...

How often do you need to change the filters? Or is vacuuming it weekly enough so that replacement is unnecessary?

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I can't wait to, I was just thinking it would be more fun doing so in the winter without getting all bundled up. Just getting my sandals on and have a quick trip to the basement.


spook and LilBizzy, thanks for helping me overcome my ignorance of Chickens v.s. typical/normal house birds.

I doubt they would be bothered by our human noises, these are City Chickens currently their hutch is right outside our living room window(mostly so I can always monitor the noises while the pecking order is re-established, and know if I need to step in.) so they already listen to the radio and t.v. noises throughout the day, besides all of the barking dogs, sirens and such. But that is a good point to consider.

As far as the chicken noises, does it change when they are old enough to lay? I was expecting that when it was dark they would be roosted and silent, just like they are now. I was going to time the supplemental lighting with when I have to get up anyway, I'd rather wake up to clucking and such than a wavering loud beeping noise.
 
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Cool pics, thanks for sharing. Well, most likely I would isolate it in the large(heck I could fit in there) kennel I have. That's what I used to introduce my new RIR to the ones I already had. They were able to see each other without fighting that way. Seemed to work out pretty well. I just lined the floor thick with bedding and provided water, food, and grit. Mostly using what I had left over from their Chick days.

As far as the chicken noises, does it change when they are old enough to lay? I was expecting that when it was dark they would be roosted and silent, just like they are now. I was going to time the supplemental lighting with when I have to get up anyway, I'd rather wake up to clucking and such than a wavering loud beeping noise.

Sounds like you have a plan for isolation, if needed. As far as chicken noises, 2 or 3 CAN be loud when they announce they've laid an egg, if they hear or see something that they feel may be a danger to them. They can start cackling loudly whenever they are upset, no matter the time of day. Our flock always gets rattled when the wild geese fly overhead, even though I have promised them the geese won't get into the hen house or barn.
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If you're going to have to go to the effort of building a coop area in the basement, I'd put the same effort into doing a coop outside. A few times of carrying the bedding up and outside and you'll be wishing you didn't have to do it. Just doing bedding from my brooders when I've got them in the basement is bad enough.
 
About 25 yrs ago, I had a friend who was really into birds. Her parents basement was only half finished. They built a huge aviary in the other half for her. They were wealthy and had a really nice house. You would never have known down in the basement family room that there were 100+ birds on the other side of the door.

Once you went through the door however, it was rather loud. It was a long hallway with 2 huge glassed in rooms on either side and a kitchen/feed storage area at the end.

So I would say 3 chickens would be doable, but to get to the unnoticeable, easily livable state that they had, you're talking lots of $$$.

Now that I'm older, I know there had to have been sound proofing, separate ventilation/heat and air, etc. And to sell that house to anyone else but a bird lover, well they surely never recouped the expense.

So I think it's doable. You could probably scale down from what she had and save some, but it may be more than you want to spend. I say if you don't mind the expense and want to, go for it.
 
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Yeah, 3, as in only 3. If I had more than 4 I would not even consider it.

No kids, your hopes have come true.

I can't speak for others but I do not feel like its a crisis, just seems like a good place to keep them.

They have a nice coop and run outside, it's even mobile so I can move them around to fresh grass and bugs weekly. I called them Hens not chicks, though really they are only pullets, but do you seriously think I don't have coop/run for them? Wow.

I agree with your decision to keep them in the basement. I house 4 seramas in my office in the basement it does get a bit dusty but there are plenty of ways to contain it. I also scoop poops out everyday and the stink isnt bad at all. I wouldn't do any more then 4 myself. The rest of my flock spends winters outside in their coop and run. I love my "house chickens"!
 
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Extra roosters: I posted a free ad in a local flyer one time. I had 45+ phone calls for them - some at 5:00am! So I'd say that could be an option.
 

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