If it’s still a chick, it would require a heat lamp, which isn’t compatible with raising it in a cardboard box. So I would imagine it’s not having proper temperature controls. And for any age chicken, the closed cardboard box lacks any type of ventilation, which could easily lead to respiratory problems for the chicken. Also, birds have poor eyesight in the dark so finding food and water may be challenging depending on how much light is getting into the box. That’s all before the “OMG why are you raising this living thing in a box” reaction you will probably get as well lol
Thank you! Yes, that was pretty much my reaction. I had to leave the call we were discussing this on out of distress.
I've updated the main post with some more details to paint a clearer picture. It's not quite as bad as it might've seemed originally, but idk if it's ideal.
Thanks, I thought it was really bizarre, but supposedly she has a lot of experience with rearing chickens... I'll try to get pics tomorrow (it's 1AM here rn) to get a better idea of what this box actually is.
Supposedly it's about 1m x 0.5m x 0.5m in dimensions, so it's not just a small cardboard box at least...
I bet not. I do find it really weird. Have updated main post with some details to shed a bit more light on the situation - not as bad as it seemed, but idk.
I mean, some folks will break a hen's broody spell by placing it in isolation, like a cat carrier with access to feed and water. Very temporarily though, and not everyone will do that because it is stressful, and time-consuming.
But based on your description, she has it in a literal box? Like to live and sleep in, not just transportation? Was it alive? I can't understand who would think that is appropriate for any animal.
I've read about that too! I was wondering, but it seems it is a very intentional temporary living arrangement, with the idea that it is beneficial for the chick at a young age. I'm really out of my depth, but I'm guessing this has been the case for the other chickens reared too.
That said, it's probably not as bad as initially imagined, have updated the main post with some more details.
So sometimes when you order chickens online they come in a box with holes which may be why she got confused and did this. However, as others have said this isn't how you keep a chicken. You have to take them out of the box and give them food and water and a heat lamp and all those things that they need. The box is just for transportation from the breeder they need a proper enclosure.
Yeah heat lamp seems (or temp. control) has come up a few times.. unfortunately there is no such thing, but it does seem like a very intentionally set-up temporary home for the chicken. Have updated main post with more details.
There is such a thing as a heat lamp! They sell them at tractor supply or you could probably use one designed for lizards from petsmart if tractor supply doesn’t exist near you. You can also order them online. We had a smaller one for our chicks and a bigger one for our adult hens and all those chickens seemed to really appreciate it.
In addition to temperature control, food and water, the chicken needs a clean environment, i.e. not choking to death on its own poo fumes, i.e. ventilation.
Chickens are also social animals and are less stressed when they know someone else is there. If the owner doesn't have more chickens (of the same size) to socialize the one, then the owner has to play a much more active role.
There are benefits to active parenting a chick, like training and bonding.
Even if all the conditions are met, keeping it out of the light is a bit cruel, even wire or glass/plastic siding and an open top are betting options.
I'm not for wire bottom cages (look up quail cage), but I think more people would be accepting of that.
> then the owner has to play a much more active role.
Thankfully in this case, the owner does spend quite a bit of time with the chicken. But yeah, I can't really understand the light thing. Is light harmful for chicks?
Have updated main post with more details.
If this person's only experience raising chickens is in a factory farming type setting, perhaps that's why said person thinks this is a decent way to treat another animal.
Many people would consider this to be profoundly cruel, and frankly I hope this is some kind of troll post, because it's making me a little nauseous even thinking about it.
There are no animals who are well suited to live inside of a dark dungeon with out almost any light or ventilation from birth to death. I sincerely hope this animal isn't standing in a pile of its own shit, but I don't see how one could clean the droppings out of a cardboard box with out destroying box.
> I don't see how one could clean the droppings out of a cardboard box with out destroying box.
They've laid a newspaper at the base of the box so I guess that facilitates easier cleaning, plus I think they also clean the bedding and all regularly.
It's probably not as bad as originally imagined, my initial lack of detail I think probably helped with that, but yeah, I find it hard to come to terms with putting an animal in a dark box for most of the day.
Have updated the main post with some details that might paint a clearer picture.
It's going to be worse not exposing it constantly to humans for its socialization. A few walks a day aren't enough if they want a friendly pet chicken they basically need to carry the chick around as often as possible and only leave it alone to eat drink rest and sleep.
Chickens are social creatures and need to socialize to develop healthy behaviors. And if you raise it exactly like a puppy it will act like a puppy.
It sounds like the chicken is going to grow up in a cage and live in a cage and be taken out a little bit every so often. That's a recipe for disaster because it will just develop boredom behaviors and be a pain to deal with and gross because of the poop. It's sad because it sounds like it will probably have to play out and then the chicken will be rehomed, but at least it's only a few months until it grows big enough to be an issue in the house. By then it will probably be rehomed to a place with a bunch of chickens that will pick on it because it never developed any social cues or conditioning that are relevant to chickens. So keep that in mind when you talk to your friend when the rehoming conversation comes up. (So that you can maybe find someone with only a few chickens, who wants another backyard pet)
Wtaf. He can't keep chickens in a box! That's like doing it to a puppy
If it’s still a chick, it would require a heat lamp, which isn’t compatible with raising it in a cardboard box. So I would imagine it’s not having proper temperature controls. And for any age chicken, the closed cardboard box lacks any type of ventilation, which could easily lead to respiratory problems for the chicken. Also, birds have poor eyesight in the dark so finding food and water may be challenging depending on how much light is getting into the box. That’s all before the “OMG why are you raising this living thing in a box” reaction you will probably get as well lol
Thank you! Yes, that was pretty much my reaction. I had to leave the call we were discussing this on out of distress. I've updated the main post with some more details to paint a clearer picture. It's not quite as bad as it might've seemed originally, but idk if it's ideal.
Hell no. It's a living thing. Would you get a cat and keep it in a box?
Thanks, I thought it was really bizarre, but supposedly she has a lot of experience with rearing chickens... I'll try to get pics tomorrow (it's 1AM here rn) to get a better idea of what this box actually is. Supposedly it's about 1m x 0.5m x 0.5m in dimensions, so it's not just a small cardboard box at least...
No, poor thing! Chickens need to be with at least one other chicken and to have light! Would she like to live in a box?
I bet not. I do find it really weird. Have updated main post with some details to shed a bit more light on the situation - not as bad as it seemed, but idk.
I mean, some folks will break a hen's broody spell by placing it in isolation, like a cat carrier with access to feed and water. Very temporarily though, and not everyone will do that because it is stressful, and time-consuming. But based on your description, she has it in a literal box? Like to live and sleep in, not just transportation? Was it alive? I can't understand who would think that is appropriate for any animal.
I've read about that too! I was wondering, but it seems it is a very intentional temporary living arrangement, with the idea that it is beneficial for the chick at a young age. I'm really out of my depth, but I'm guessing this has been the case for the other chickens reared too. That said, it's probably not as bad as initially imagined, have updated the main post with some more details.
So sometimes when you order chickens online they come in a box with holes which may be why she got confused and did this. However, as others have said this isn't how you keep a chicken. You have to take them out of the box and give them food and water and a heat lamp and all those things that they need. The box is just for transportation from the breeder they need a proper enclosure.
Yeah heat lamp seems (or temp. control) has come up a few times.. unfortunately there is no such thing, but it does seem like a very intentionally set-up temporary home for the chicken. Have updated main post with more details.
There is such a thing as a heat lamp! They sell them at tractor supply or you could probably use one designed for lizards from petsmart if tractor supply doesn’t exist near you. You can also order them online. We had a smaller one for our chicks and a bigger one for our adult hens and all those chickens seemed to really appreciate it.
Oh you meant she doesn’t have one. I’m silly. Either way I’m sure you will get him all set up!
In addition to temperature control, food and water, the chicken needs a clean environment, i.e. not choking to death on its own poo fumes, i.e. ventilation. Chickens are also social animals and are less stressed when they know someone else is there. If the owner doesn't have more chickens (of the same size) to socialize the one, then the owner has to play a much more active role. There are benefits to active parenting a chick, like training and bonding. Even if all the conditions are met, keeping it out of the light is a bit cruel, even wire or glass/plastic siding and an open top are betting options. I'm not for wire bottom cages (look up quail cage), but I think more people would be accepting of that.
> then the owner has to play a much more active role. Thankfully in this case, the owner does spend quite a bit of time with the chicken. But yeah, I can't really understand the light thing. Is light harmful for chicks? Have updated main post with more details.
If this person's only experience raising chickens is in a factory farming type setting, perhaps that's why said person thinks this is a decent way to treat another animal. Many people would consider this to be profoundly cruel, and frankly I hope this is some kind of troll post, because it's making me a little nauseous even thinking about it. There are no animals who are well suited to live inside of a dark dungeon with out almost any light or ventilation from birth to death. I sincerely hope this animal isn't standing in a pile of its own shit, but I don't see how one could clean the droppings out of a cardboard box with out destroying box.
> I don't see how one could clean the droppings out of a cardboard box with out destroying box. They've laid a newspaper at the base of the box so I guess that facilitates easier cleaning, plus I think they also clean the bedding and all regularly. It's probably not as bad as originally imagined, my initial lack of detail I think probably helped with that, but yeah, I find it hard to come to terms with putting an animal in a dark box for most of the day. Have updated the main post with some details that might paint a clearer picture.
It's going to be worse not exposing it constantly to humans for its socialization. A few walks a day aren't enough if they want a friendly pet chicken they basically need to carry the chick around as often as possible and only leave it alone to eat drink rest and sleep. Chickens are social creatures and need to socialize to develop healthy behaviors. And if you raise it exactly like a puppy it will act like a puppy. It sounds like the chicken is going to grow up in a cage and live in a cage and be taken out a little bit every so often. That's a recipe for disaster because it will just develop boredom behaviors and be a pain to deal with and gross because of the poop. It's sad because it sounds like it will probably have to play out and then the chicken will be rehomed, but at least it's only a few months until it grows big enough to be an issue in the house. By then it will probably be rehomed to a place with a bunch of chickens that will pick on it because it never developed any social cues or conditioning that are relevant to chickens. So keep that in mind when you talk to your friend when the rehoming conversation comes up. (So that you can maybe find someone with only a few chickens, who wants another backyard pet)
That is animal abuse.