chickens in the basement

Larger birds in the basement might get too interesting! I'd be careful about that.

It would be interesting to see, though. Especially as a large bird that had year-round laying would be fun to have around - my geese only lay seasonally during what they think of as spring.

Dinosaurs in the basement might be a stretch. I would imagine they would grow pretty slowly compared to most domesticated birds, and I wouldn't mind having something smaller than an apatosaurus, but larger than the Anchiornis (a tiny dinosaur). I have raised reptiles before and those eggs can be very difficult to incubate!

Kristine Keeney wrote:Larger birds in the basement might get too interesting! I'd be careful about that.

It would be interesting to see, though. Especially as a large bird that had year-round laying would be fun to have around - my geese only lay seasonally during what they think of as spring.

Dinosaurs in the basement might be a stretch. I would imagine they would grow pretty slowly compared to most domesticated birds, and I wouldn't mind having something smaller than an apatosaurus, but larger than the Anchiornis (a tiny dinosaur). I have raised reptiles before and those eggs can be very difficult to incubate!

During the growing process, the biggest problem for me was the smell of ammonia and feces, but now I see that this problem can be solved with the help of high 40 cm litter and ventilation.  Considering that there are inexpensive and economical solutions for simulating sunlight, light is also not a problem.  The most important thing is that in the basement, due to the earthen floor, you can always maintain + temperature, and thanks to the stove, which you can see in one of my posts, I can effectively maintain a higher temperature.  But why keep adult chickens in the basement if you can keep them outside for now.  While I am testing the incubator, perhaps I will incubate the eggs, raise the chickens to 1 month of age and sell them.  It all depends on how successfully the incubation process goes.  Now I'm working on all the options for possible use of the basement floor.  So far there are several options: Growing chickens (launched), growing tulips (launched).  Growing greens (started) worms (I think) And by the way, our jokes about dinosaurs are also an interesting brainstorm, because among reptiles there are representatives that may also be suitable for basement conditions...for example, snakes, as far as I know, snake venom has a certain cost.  and by the way, butterflies winter beautifully in my basement)

Hi Bogdan,
Wow... I'm starting to feel embarrassed at how little I use my basement :)

I'm starting to understand those people who say that sometimes you can do more on an acre than you can on a hundred acres. Obviously more space means more potential, but sometimes if we are restricted, we find more and better solutions because we have to to use the space. And the space can be used more efficiently.

If food production in the basement is something you consider, have you thought of rabbits?
They can be raised in a colony, can be fed with grass, twigs, leaves, (hedge prunings, tree hay...). Furthermore, rabbits are not diurnal like chickens, they therefore require less light. And they suffer more from heat than from cold.

hans muster wrote:If food production in the basement is something you consider, have you thought of rabbits?
They can be raised in a colony, can be fed with grass, twigs, leaves, (hedge prunings, tree hay...). Furthermore, rabbits are not diurnal like chickens, they therefore require less light. And they suffer more from heat than from cold.

I know that rabbits are bred in pits where they dig holes, but they must be killed.  I’m probably not so interested in food, but in how I can get extra income using my degrees of freedom, this is probably the most inexpensive way to maintain my psychological balance) So far, the most successful thing is the sale of bamboo seedlings, I never thought that a plant planted many years ago would help me during the war  .  Therefore, I try to choose relatively humane methods.  but anyway, I thank you for the idea.

Matt McSpadden wrote:Hi Bogdan,
Wow... I'm starting to feel embarrassed at how little I use my basement :)

I'm starting to understand those people who say that sometimes you can do more on an acre than you can on a hundred acres. Obviously more space means more potential, but sometimes if we are restricted, we find more and better solutions because we have to to use the space. And the space can be used more efficiently.

I absolutely agree with you, there is a wonderful work by Jack London, “Straitjacket”, which perfectly describes the situation when a person, being in extremely limited conditions, still finds the opportunity to be free.  I'm glad that my story allowed you to pay attention to your resources, perhaps one of my experiments will give you some useful ideas.  Our biggest problem is that we are afraid of making a mistake.  I have learned to love my mistakes, they allow me to move forward) I look into the past without regret, analyzing the past and try to look forward without fear, planning what will happen)

If you raise angora rabbits - there are three breeds and they do very poorly where I live - it's better to keep them alive and groom them daily (or at least regularly).

I wouldn't suggest raising venomous snakes. I would like to go on record as specifically stating that voluntarily interacting with a venomous snake, if you aren't a trained professional, is very hazardous. Just don't do it.

I raised constrictors, specifically Ball Pythons, and I raised the rodents on which they fed. I was able to supply the local rodent market for pets that would eat such things, and I only incubated one clutch of eggs. It was a HUGE learning experience that was a very costly experiment. I do not advise trying to repeat that unless you have more experience in reptile care and maintenance than I did.

Maybe something non-venomous and local? I know of people who can raise Beta fish without a lot of fancy structure, maybe something aquaponics-related would help tie everything together. I know there's a big push to use certain fish in an aquaponics setup; Tilapia is the fish they recommend for my area. I bet any fish that can live comfortably in a closed system would do.

I just noticed that your chicks are about 3 weeks ahead of mine in development. Very cool!
I'm sure you, and they, are looking forward to when they can go outside.

Kristine Keeney wrote:I just noticed that your chicks are about 3 weeks ahead of mine in development. Very cool!
I'm sure you, and they, are looking forward to when they can go outside.

Yes, you are right, I think that this is directly related to the conditions of detention and the fact that I pay great attention to ventilation.  During all this time, I have never removed the litter, I just turn over the litter with a pitchfork and throw in grains at this moment so that the chickens turn over the litter on their own.  The specialist from whom I bought the bacteria once helped me avoid the need to pump out the cesspool, so I trusted him.  I was very confused by the issue of humidity, but he told me a paradoxical thing: that in fact, humidity is normal, and now when I see how the chickens happily make holes and bask in the litter, I am grateful to him.  I also see how the coordination of one of the chickens has been restored and the bald spots are being restored.  The only thing one of the chickens had was a damaged leg in the hip area.  Our warm weather has returned and I am speeding up the process of preparing the outdoor chicken coop.  It's time to release the chickens soon; we have overcome the most dangerous time.

Kristine Keeney wrote:If you raise angora rabbits - there are three breeds and they do very poorly where I live - it's better to keep them alive and groom them daily (or at least regularly).

I wouldn't suggest raising venomous snakes. I would like to go on record as specifically stating that voluntarily interacting with a venomous snake, if you aren't a trained professional, is very hazardous. Just don't do it.

I raised constrictors, specifically Ball Pythons, and I raised the rodents on which they fed. I was able to supply the local rodent market for pets that would eat such things, and I only incubated one clutch of eggs. It was a HUGE learning experience that was a very costly experiment. I do not advise trying to repeat that unless you have more experience in reptile care and maintenance than I did.

Maybe something non-venomous and local? I know of people who can raise Beta fish without a lot of fancy structure, maybe something aquaponics-related would help tie everything together. I know there's a big push to use certain fish in an aquaponics setup; Tilapia is the fish they recommend for my area. I bet any fish that can live comfortably in a closed system would do.

I understand about reptiles) Regarding rabbits....yes, I looked and you’re right, decorative rabbits are much more expensive than ordinary ones and I was surprised at the prices for decorative guinea pigs of the “California” breed and even more surprised at the prices for beetles and larvae, I didn’t even think that  there is such a market.  With fish it’s more difficult. We now have a certain type of shrimp that is popular and is grown in containers and pools.  but these are additional costs and, accordingly, the risk of humidity and many other factors.  But you make me think that in the backyard there is an underground reserve septic tank that has lost its relevance and is idle, it consists of two large containers made of concrete rings, one of which has a concrete bottom and with an overflow into the other which has no bottom and as far as I remember there were  holes are made for drainage.  If the concrete rings of the first container are waterproofed, then given that the house’s drainage system is located nearby, you can direct rainwater there, the excess of which will overflow into the second container without a bottom.  this way you can get a huge aquarium and considering that it is underground it will be +8 all year round.  But there is no light and oxygen and filtration.....although sunlight can be imitated with lamps, aeration can also be solved, you are making me dig this object) the entrances are closed with roofing metal and covered with earth, before opening it is necessary to prepare the covers.  You have to think, maybe this is not a bad idea, because the volume there is quite large.