Top 6 Tips for Indoor Pet Chickens!

In this video, I share my top tips for having indoor chickens as companion animals. From dust busters to chicken diapers, this will make your life easier and your chicken's life safer. I'll reply to EVERY comment, so leave us one! :)
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Items mentioned in video (affiliate):
Chicken diapers: • Chicken Diapers
Waterproof blanket: amzn.to/3s4cWZu
Disposable puppy pads: amzn.to/3F9z8aa
Dust Buster: amzn.to/3s45ayG
Air purifier with HEPA filter: amzn.to/3F6lN2h
Boot tray 1: amzn.to/3s1Iz6c
Boot tray 2: amzn.to/3vuJgHc
Food bowl 1 (We use these right now but they’re sold out): amzn.to/3y6Ov1h
Food bowl 2 (here’s something similar): amzn.to/38FJhyS
Food bowl 3 (here’s what I’ve used in the past): amzn.to/373MqrU

[@brujitadewestlake994]

Thank you so much for this video. I recently lost my beautiful outdoor hen to a predator and I was devastated, I never want to experience that again, so I have two new chicks that I'm trying to get used to indoors, and this channel is such a lifesaver. Thank you for all your tips and reviews!!!

[@renthehousehen]

How devastating! I'm sorry for your loss💔

[@brujitadewestlake994]

@AK Floperator LOL I ain't even judging, I know people get all defensive about the predators and stuff about the circle of life, but I'm still waiting for the coyote that got my hen to show up so I can make it a door mat and I can step on it everyday 🙃

[@RK-xm9oq]

Last night I forgot to close the door of my chickens coop (rooster and hen), my rooster kept fighting with a wild cat for hours until i remembered that i had left their door open, when I got to them in hurry i saw my hen was safe in the coop but my rooster had got a couple of bruises and he lost a bunch of feathers, but we saved him and took him to the vet, he's recovering now for that frightening episode, I'm proud of him that he bravely fought with the predator & saved both his hen & himself!

[@EliHeffernan-jv1jp]

𝔻𝕠𝕟'𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕠𝕠𝕣 𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕔𝕜𝕖𝕟𝕤, 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕦𝕥𝕕𝕠𝕠𝕣𝕤, 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕒𝕔𝕔𝕖𝕡𝕥𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕠𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕝𝕖𝕖𝕡 𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕠𝕠𝕣𝕤 𝕒𝕥 𝕟𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕝𝕖𝕥 𝕠𝕦𝕥𝕤𝕚𝕕𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕒𝕟'𝕥 𝕜𝕖𝕖𝕡 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 𝕚𝕟𝕤𝕚𝕕𝕖.

[@MsRoss-xv3nx]

This was awesome to watch 🎉❤

[@xoiuw]

I am SO thankful for the videos you make and your Instagram! It has helped me IMMENSELY with navigating the care for my one-legged chicken!

[@renthehousehen]

I'm so glad it's helpful and that you get to have super close bond with your chickie!

[@RealVedicAstrology]

Maybe you should get some sort of dog kennel or rabbit hutch to keep the hens in briefly when you’re not able to clean up after them, or there are 5 or 6 foot long chicken runs/cages that you could use. Don’t worry they don’t mind it if it’s temporary they’ll probably just nest on the bottom and rest while they’re in it and it gives you a little time to not have to worry about what they might be doing around the house.

[@renthehousehen]

They generally hang out in only a few spots so I lay out blankets or puppy pads in those locations. Works for us!

[@RealVedicAstrology]

@@renthehousehen ok glad to hear it works for you I just thought you were trying to say you felt a little stressed out about the whole care routine for them, I’m sure they’re very happy!

[@janejones5362]

Logan, that's what I do. I also have a large outside cage my indoor girl goes into during the day.

[@gretascraftsandthings4062]

I'll probably build a temporary cage for when I'm not home, then put a diaper on her take the chicken out and let her Rome about when I'm home. And we'll also go for walks outside together. I really want to keep her safe from predators that lurk outside

[@RK-xm9oq]

Last night I forgot to close the door of my chickens coop (rooster and hen), my rooster kept fighting with a wild cat for hours until i remembered that i had left their door open, when I got to them in hurry i saw my hen was safe in the coop but my rooster had got a couple of bruises and he lost a bunch of feathers, but we saved him and took him to the vet, he's recovering now for that frightening episode, I'm proud of him that he bravely fought with the predator & saved both his hen & himself!

[@renthehousehen]

How scary! I hope that he's making a smooth recovery

[@alc222]

we love Ashley and the chicks!

[@renthehousehen]

Ashley and the chicks love Amber.

[@ChilkieCrew]

So informative 👏. You’re the best chicken mama ever 🐥❤️

[@renthehousehen]

🥰🥰🥰

[@brookthemudwing2720]

Thanks a lot for this! I've been interested in getting an emotional support chicken to help cope with my depression and ocd, so this is really helpful! Rip Peach, we never knew you but you'll be missed💗🐤

[@renthehousehen]

They will bring a lot of value to your life 💗💗

[@pearlthehousehen22]

Thank you! We have 4 bantams that are indoor pets. We've had a house hen 1 other time, a few years ago. She was just absolutely my bff. 🐥 Our new babies are only 11 days old. I just made this channel to document it all. Lots of love! 💚

[@Slizarus]

Air! Air is absolutely the most important part for both of your health, I'm glad you touched on poultry dust and how you take care of it. It's a big part to get the stuff that has settled with the dust buster and vacuum, but Air Filtration in your living spaces is equally important. Ideally you should have a high quality HEPA Filtered Air Purifier that is rated for a greater size than the room you're in. For research I encourage you to check out videos on air purifier reviews by people who keep parrots, pigeons, etc especially in large numbers. I won't reiterate their thoughts on the machines, but I will just stress that it's important for this reason: **Your lungs are not replaceable, and the effect of bird dust is cumulative over time. ** It can cause a devastating and sometimes deadly disease called "Pigeonlung", "Bird Fancier's disease", "Parrot keeper disease" and the like. With chickens, the disease usually comes from people working in the industry or cleaning coops on the farm, but it happens in backyard chicken instances too, with doctors warning patients to get rid of their chickens before it's too late. When we bring them indoors, specifically out of an enclosure/free range of a room, you are *living in the coop* with them. Even pushing past the lack of environmental dust from straw/shavings/dirt, you are still getting poultry dust from their feathers, what doesn't settle can find it's way to your lungs, and over time, it is damaging. So for your own health, it's important that you invest in good air purifiers. And wear a mask when you deep clean their areas, or if you have outdoor birds, when you clean your coop. I've been on an indoor chicken adventure since last August when I bought my first batch of Ebay'd Serama eggs and put them under a silkie hen that we brought inside for the incubation. Now I keep two indoor roosters, and a few indoor/outdoor serama teenagers who will likely become indoor birds once their enclosure is ready. I love my bantam chickens and having them indoors makes me smile, I hope anyone reading this gives it some thought, it's better to consider sooner than later.

[@renthehousehen]

Thanks for sharing more information about bird fancier's lung disease-my air purifier are generously sized with HEPA filters. I'm so glad you enjoy a fun life with indoor chickies too!

[@asmrtaz]

They are literally like children, I think people should do more research before getting animals like this ! Thank you for posting information that some people will try and avoid!

[@EliHeffernan-jv1jp]

Clearly you need to do more research about animals like this. Chickens can't be kept indoors!

[@lilshotsfiredaroundtheworld]

U know u can potty train a chicken with a puppy pad or kitty litter. Its a little harder than potty training a dog because chickens have more subtle tells when theyre about to poop, but if ur super dedicated to potty training it for 2 weeks to a month, it'll know to go only on the puppy pad or kitty litter.

[@serebart]

Very informative and very endearing attitude towards chicken. Bravo! 👏 All animals are worthy of love and respect, if only people took the time to get to know also “edible” animals they would realize that meat truly is murder. Thanks 🙏

[@javip4460]

I wanna chicken, A sweet little chicken, A hen by my side, They were laughing at my wishes, But I found the perfect chick, I know she’ll be the hen I need, She’ll leave me eggs and we’ll live free, A match made in heaven, Yes the hen that god gave to me, I wanna chicken, A sweet little chicken, I’ll potty train if I have to, I’ll wipe up stains if I have to, And be the man she needs me to, A peaceful house with roosts and my chicken 🐓 ❤

[@UsmanFaraz854]

Thanx for sharing your experience

[@SunshineDoman]

I've got so many outside chickens... But found Stella without a mom at a day old... She's 6 weeks now... I put her under a broody hen at from 7 pm till 5:30 am... Stella lives with 4 indoor Pitbulls that she bosses around... Lol... She thinks she's a dog... She goes everywhere with me, including shopping... She rides in the car in my lap or just in the back seat and goes into her dog carrier for going into stores... I live completely off grid on Maui where chickens are everywhere you go... When I need a 🐥 break... She's contained in my green house to run around and be a chicken... I love all my birds... And I love that there are people out there who have pet chickens! You're awesome!

[@Firestar-TV]

😮‍💨 for some Reason this wakes Memories about when I was in a Internship at a Poultry Farm. One of the Turkeys was just lying there. They brutally threw it into the Trash Can while it was still breathing. I regret that I didn't protect the Bird. I assume it wouldn'tve made it, no matter what happened, but it didn't deserve to be treated like that while it was still alive😮‍💨😔

[@ZXyml4]

Glad I found your channel. Watch all your video so far I am amazed how Ren is so quiet.

[@renthehousehen]

Thanks for being here! Ren is such a good chicken 💗💗

[@Travelingwithmypeeps]

Thanks for so much useful information! I feel there’s not much GOOD information about ANY animals anymore ! I enjoy your animals so much! I know how you feel with a lack of motivation following the circumstances! It happens to the best of us ❤️. you’re doing great keep it up!

[@renthehousehen]

Thank you so much! If there are any topics you are interested in seeing me cover, let me know 😊

[@Travelingwithmypeeps]

@@renthehousehen will do !!! Thank you ☺️

[@cryder106]

Sorry for your loss 🥺

[@renthehousehen]

Thank you ❤❤

[@microwavedmetal]

I just have a regular chicken 😂

[@Minaearth]

Step 1: Waste Management… alright I’m good off this 😂 nevermind

[@deedisano6919]

How fabulous! I am thankful for my insomnia because I found you and your videos!♥️ I'll keep watching more before I hit you and your more educated subscribers with thousands of questions. Thank you SOoo much for taking the time to make your videos. Simply amazing. With your knowledge, maybe I can make one of my live long dreams come true. ♥️

[@OHIOspikey]

Chickens know the freshest food is always hidden on the bottom of the food pile. They also know how to walk on the water bowl on the side so it looks super non-purposeful. No food or water bowl is to be left unturned. 🐔

[@janejones5362]

🤣😂🤣 THAT would be the trick of my rooster, who lives in the coop with the 2 outdoor hens (has a covered run), lol!! I call him a jerk sometimes, but my oh my, does he ever do a good job against predators! I just can't turn my back on him.

[@LiAlcie]

Hahaha idk if that little piece of plastic could hurt her but mine I used to check and stress out about everything she was pecking at cuz she was outside but now I can't anymore, she has ate a few things like so but she seems okay, they'll get it out throught their poop, if it's too big to hurt her she wouldn't eat that.

[@cindystevenson9669]

Lol...my fella has an obsession with the toilet paper..

[@RealVedicAstrology]

Yes chickens are fragile sometimes, I’m sorry to hear about your loss. It’s ok if you don’t want to talk about what happened to page but what caused the chicken you had a long time ago to die?

[@renthehousehen]

I have guesses but no concrete answer. She entered respiratory distress on a random Friday at 3pm and died at the vet 2 hours later. The vet suspected some kind of cardiac event or reproductive related disease. She did produce way too many eggs for a sebright.

[@connorfernandez-fq3bq]

why havent you been posting recently

[@mykiea5156]

Is it okay to get a chicken when you have dogs ?

[@Yuna-lk2ns]

Im trying to find some paper diaper for my chicken cuz the fabric one takes so long to get washed and also hard to use so if u have any ideas where i can get it ill be really grateful :))

[@angelmonstera]

It's crazy listening to your story about being so scared about a house chicken swallowing something they shouldn't when I have an outdoor hen who is over three years old now that got attacked and lost the bottom portion of her wing. Used iodine and a Dremel to remove the exposed bone and she was ready to get back to her flock within three days. Put a silver aluminum spray on her and had no problems at all with the healing. They don't get enough credit for how hardy they are. Edit this happened when she was less than a year old. Our coop has since been predator proofed much better

[@renthehousehen]

I think it might be the number one risk for indoor gals. I vacuum frequently and I'm super careful with pills, small metal objects, etc. I'm so glad your girl recovered OK - what a scary situation!

[@elizabethlusher9667]

We lost a rooster because he ate a screw after we replaced a window in their coop. We must have dropped one 😢

[@darlenejuliana3591]

Please keep doing house hen videos. I have one hen that has become a house chicken in the evening.

[@renthehousehen]

How fun! I have a brief update video coming tomorrow and then more substantial videos in January

[@samzebro4855]

Ur so prettty and ur chickens are so cute!

[@renthehousehen]

Thanks, my hair color is inspired by my sister.

[@HenryJeffries-gk8ok]

I got 2 house roosters

[@VRtechman]

I saw a post where a lady used a facemask and feminine napkin as a diaper. Which makes it disposable.

[@renthehousehen]

I've seen this too! I personally wouldn't use it because the mask sits too close to the cloaca, and it's important to keep the poop/moisture away from their skin/feathers/cloaca.

[@Androide323]

I found your channel after looking for ways to stop chickens from laying eggs, I came across your post on medium and all your content educating about chickens is amazing, are you vegan? :)

[@renthehousehen]

You're so welcome! I am vegan.

[@Androide323]

@@renthehousehen 😍🥰

[@LUKARGY]

dont like the like button is at 669 thats the best

[@mckristin4644]

Womp womp

[@c.and.t.adventures]

🐣🤍

[@BugT-11]

"That was your friend Ren" Guess the movie 😃

[@skipssmn3754]

I don't sont blame you for not wanting to talk about your sweet chicken. We just lost our first hen who lived indoors with us for 3 years before we were able to house her outside. It was and is extremely hard to think about still.

[@GN4RL7]

How do you give em a bath?

[@renthehousehen]

They clean themselves, so I only bathe them if they get covered in poop. It's rare.

[@brysenstrowder5178]

So I’m planning for college. Could I keep bantam hens in a dorm room?

[@renthehousehen]

I can't speak to your specific situation but I would consider if you can meet all of their needs and how you would protect them if your college found out.

[@brysenstrowder5178]

@@renthehousehen oh I’d Register them as ESAs and my choice college is already pet friendly they’d have my full indoor space and I’d buy several different good brands of. Chicken diapers

[@tiberiusarrrgh2911]

@@brysenstrowder5178 make sure you harness and leash train them too so you can take them outside every day for sunshine. The best working packs in the world for avian Assistance Animals available at the moment are made by Celltei - you might look at getting one for going to classes with your ESA. For parrots it's the Pak-O-Bird model, but for a bantam you could use that or the aircraft carrier model (like a sports bag) Either in avian Assistance Animal violet - attention grabbing, or a stealthier colour, go for the stealth pack colour option, so no one knows what's in it. I'd suggest using show quality (high brain power) Old English Game Bantams as your breed of choice, a pair of hens. So one can work a day, the other have the day off. For keeping them in your dorm room, ever heard of 'cat shelves'? Well get permission for 'chicken shelves' for your ESAs to use, a half dozen little shelves staggered up the wall they can bounce onto, from one to another, and include a cat style window nest, one of the metal frame sorts with fluffy fake wool over it. The girls can nest in it or perch on it. Give them plenty of mental stimulation, constantly, from budgie balls to small plastic bottles with sequins, pladtic gems and spangles in it and the lid glued shut. And as much use of the small space as possible, a ceiling mounted chicken swing too if you can manage it. Your room mate will need to be aerosol free (roll on scentless deodorant only) hair spray free, and perfume free too (except natural oils dabbed) I'm on Messenger if you have more questions, I'm a specialist Avian Trainer, but I've experienced keeping bantams in tiny spaces too. I may or may not see a response on KZbin, I don't always get the notifications sorry!

[@brysenstrowder5178]

@@tiberiusarrrgh2911 do you have any opinions on the Seramas

[@tiberiusarrrgh2911]

@@brysenstrowder5178 Much lower IQ though slightly lower body weight. I would take the highest trainability over anything else. OEG Bantams are the worlds most intelligent poultry, and with high IQ and EQ, can learn a huge range of things, as well as things like Medical BioMonitoring, sensing the strain on your internal organs, and hopping in your lap, or pecking you warning you before an anxiety attack, so you can take time out, sensing other things too, warning for depression and even before seizures occur. Medical BioMonitor Assistance Animals, pre emptive warning before ptsd attacks or depressive episodes, seizures, etc, is next level up from and ESA who is simply being with you WHILE you have these episodes.

[@villagemappillai]

Super tips madam, thank you

[@renthehousehen]

you're welcome 🖤

[@thehappyoyster4964]

If anyone wants chickens make sure to keep them outside in a coop where they should be.

[@renthehousehen]

Indoor chickens are perfectly safe, happy, and healthy. Relegating chickens as only outdoor animals is speciesist.

[@thehappyoyster4964]

@@renthehousehen I feel it’s wrong to give chickens birth control which messes up their hormones and not let them lay egged the way they should be. If you don’t like them laying eggs in the house don’t have indoor chickens. Chickens are live stock and love to peck and scratch the ground and eat bugs like you said in the video, they can’t do that in the house. They should be outside for the best life possible.

[@renthehousehen]

​@@thehappyoyster4964 The way humans have bred chickens has messed up their hormones, leading them to lay an extraordinary number of eggs. Birth control implants eliminate all the reproductive diseases many chickens suffer from. The birth control is for their benefit, not mine. There are many ways for chickens to have a great life. I'm not so interested in adhering to an idealistic vision of a chicken being outside 24/7 because it also comes with unbearable weather, predator attacks, and exposure to highly pathogenic avian influenza. If you ~feel~ like it's wrong, then don't bring YOUR chickens inside. But factually, there are benefits to keeping chickens indoors.

[@EliHeffernan-jv1jp]

​​@@renthehousehenThey aren't healthy and most likely not happy. You most likely did 0 research and use them for the AeStHeTiC. And it isn't Speciesist. They will be happier outside. Where they can actually enjoy themselves by picking dirt and getting bugs. If you were thrown outside your whole life you would hate it. It's the same with chickens when you throw them inside their whole lives. Chickens ancestors are Red Jungle-Fowl who live outside in the jungle, with real plants. What your doing is basically battery cage farming Unbelievable. Hope your chickens got taken by a person who will look after them and actually let them o-u-t-s-i-d-e!!! ( Also you state that when outside they are prone to bad weather and predators. Well your meant to predator proof your cage anyways which clearly you can't do for them even when they are inside because you're around them. And chickens have a house outside they sleep in which has a roof, walls and some windows for ventilation which are water proof. So they should be fine outside unless your around. )

[@stormy295]

@@renthehousehenWhere are you located? I’m in the States and no stare around me will do an implant for egg control. :(

[@cryder106]

Do you have a indoor cage or coup for them?

[@renthehousehen]

Nope, they roam freely!

[@cryder106]

@@renthehousehen love it!

[@NawshinAtiaKeya]

I love your videos. I also had my own indoor chickens.

[@renthehousehen]

Thank you! They're the best

[@amberjones8308]

Thank you so much for your videos! So informative! 😊 xxx

[@renthehousehen]

You're so welcome!!

[@jadeg1804]

How do you give them dust baths please?

[@EliHeffernan-jv1jp]

They do it by themselves. Just make sure they have nice dirt in their little pen and you will be right.

[@lorihoback6589]

Mm

[@mobstercrow7515]

I have a pet guinea pig in my bedroom and she eats a lot of hay so hay is always on my floor. Will my future chicken be okay if she eats some of my guinea pigs hay or should I put a pen around my guinea pigs cage and vacuum 24/7?

[@renthehousehen]

I’m not sure about hay. Hope you find the answer!

[@mobstercrow7515]

@@renthehousehen Thank you! I just got two Silkie chicks today! I'm hoping to save up enough money to buy a handheld vacuum since I have Fibromyalgia and it would make cleaning up after my precious piggy 1000x easier! I just hope she doesn't try to eat the chickens... She's bitten my dogs and cats feet but she doesn't realize how small she is, she was adopted and she's a bit homie-cidal but I still love her!

[@Firestar-TV]

​@@mobstercrow7515do you only keep 1 Guinea Pig? You should at least keep 2

[@WilliamOlsen-km2fs]

No trade means this i dont wanna just do this chickens are cool though - willy 0

[@m83kid]

Keeping chickens indoors is high maintenance 😂

[@renthehousehen]

Depends on which kind of care tasks you prefer. I don't mind vacuuming and changing diapers but shoveling out a coop sounds demanding. Especially in the cold.

[@leiregomez47]

Hello! I had one indoors chicken last year and i found some problems and i didn't know how to deal with them. My chicken (Clementina) used to peck my walls. She had a calcium dish but she didn't care. The second problem that i had was the feet wounds caused by tile floor and parquet floor because those types of floors are abrasives for chicken For this two reasons i sadly had to put up her for adoption 😭. How do you avoid this problems? I really loved her but i didn't found any information to solve what was happening. Thank you for your channel i think It is so useful 💛

[@renthehousehen]

If a chicken is pecking at something you don't want them to, it's cause they're craving stimulation. I'd recommend giving access to direct sunlight so they can sunbathe and relax, use treat toys for entertainment, put on a children's TV show with fun sounds, etc. I'm not sure about floor type! I've never had a problem with vinyl or wood floors but a rug might help. I'm so glad this is helpful! Thanks for watching

[@EliHeffernan-jv1jp]

DON'T KEEP CHICKENS INDOORS. if you want to stop this problem. Don't get them or let the live outside.

[@angelanelajuly2961]

This is insane. Chickens are happy outside. Get a parrot

[@renthehousehen]

Chickens are domesticated, parrots are not.

[@beautybyapril86]

Naw I’m good on the chicken pet thing now …

[@combatmedic91-b76]

WOW I CAN TELL YOU LOVE YOUR CHICKENS!

[@EliHeffernan-jv1jp]

𝔻𝕆 - ℕ𝕆𝕋 keep chickens indoors, they need the outside. The only acceptable thing is if they are only inside to sleep and are let out in the morning. If your worried about predators getting them, just make sure its safe. And if you cant get a safe space for them outside... Dont get them. Its unfortunate that people actually keep them indoors.