Can you make a silkie an indoor pet?

[Annalyse]

My silkie always wants to come with me out of the coop because she gets picked on. (Never serious just because shes small) and I know people have indoor chickens as pets. What do u guys do?

 

[Aapomp831]

If you want to constantly expose yourself to salmonella and a plethora of other diseases.... chickens are meant to be outside, plain and simple. Inside the house is a health hazard no matter what anyone says. You can’t house train a chicken.

 

[NatJ]

My silkie always wants to come with me out of the coop because she gets picked on. (Never serious just because shes small) and I know people have indoor chickens as pets. What do u guys do?

I have never had a house chicken, but I have considered it, so I've been paying some attention to what other people do.

I have seen photos of chickens in houses--some were wearing diapers, some were sitting on towels on the laps of people who were watching television, some were baby chicks in a brooder. I have also seen photos/descriptions where people just had hard-surface floors and cleaned them frequently. (I am NOT willing to have chicken poop on MY floor!)

I have also seen one "house chicken" that just had a large cage in the house--the cage might have been 2x3 feet or so, and had plenty of straw for bedding. I do not know how often they changed it, but the one time I saw it in person there was no noticeable smell.

Many people keep other kinds of pet birds, and some keep various kinds of reptiles, and those can also spread dust and carry salmonella. I would not expect a chicken to be any worse, once you allow for the fact that chickens like to scratch and dustbathe, and those activities throw bedding around.

If you want the chicken inside only some of the time, I suggest looking into chicken diapers.

If you want the chicken to live inside all the time, I suggest you read about keeping quail inside. Coturnix quail are smaller than chickens, button quail are smaller yet, and it's common to keep either kind indoors. They are birds that like to live on the ground, so in that respect they are much like chickens, and different than things like canaries or parrots.

 

[Birdpants]

My silkie always wants to come with me out of the coop because she gets picked on. (Never serious just because shes small) and I know people have indoor chickens as pets. What do u guys do?

I’m just now seeing this and am wondering if you did it and how it went! I used to work at a children’s bookstore that had indoor bantams; they were wonderful and I’m looking forward to soon having my own indoor/outdoor chickens. Also: that bookstore, Wild Rumpus in Minneapolis, has had indoor chickens for literally decades (with a license to do so) and no one ever has gotten sick from them or called the health department. Not once. Just saying.

 

[Annalyse]

I’m just now seeing this and am wondering if you did it and how it went! I used to work at a children’s bookstore that had indoor bantams; they were wonderful and I’m looking forward to soon having my own indoor/outdoor chickens. Also: that bookstore, Wild Rumpus in Minneapolis, has had indoor chickens for literally decades (with a license to do so) and no one ever has gotten sick from them or called the health department. Not once. Just saying.

Thank you. I honestly forgot about this thread. I did not make her an indoor pet because our dog would have killed her but she still loves being around me. The chickens place is getting bigger everyday so soon they'll be able to have a bigger sleeping area and I wont have to worry about her getting pick on because there cramped. She has been in the house a couple times for baths and when she got broody.