We raised 9 chicks last April (2021) 2 Barnevelders, 3 Novagens, 2 Blue Australorps and 2 easter eggers. They were 3 days old when we got them. One of the Novagens, Tiger Lily always used to be the first to explore and do everything. As she grew, we noticed the other chicks/chickens always seemed to start to pick on her. Maybe she was the first just to get away from the others. As she grew she separated her self from the flock more and more and seemed to get picked on more, usually more so by her Novagen siblings. Eventually we noticed that she started to limp. We tried to give her her feed away from the other chickens but the piggy Novagens always sought her out and would force her to leave her feed. Even though she looked healthy, except for her limp she only weighed about 1/2 as much as the other Novagens. One day my son found her shivering and hiding from the other chickens and she could hardly stand. We brought her indoors and made a special area for her to recover.
For 2 days she mostly just lay down and ate and drank what we put in front of her. We got a tablet and put it where she could watch, and listen to soft music. A few days later she started purring with contentment. To this point, some 10 months after we got her, she still had yet to lay an egg, even though all the other chickens had. We had decided she would be an indoor chicken at this point. But at least She started gaining weight, and her gimpy leg started to fill out. She became stronger and started walking around in her area more.
About 3 weeks into her recovery she decided she wanted to start exploring and was looking like she was going to jump down from her area. We took her outside and she started walking around searching for bugs. We set up an area, with boxes she could hide in, under our eaves in the front yard, and so she didn't have to deal with the other chickens in the back yard. Fortunately, we have a very safe neighborhood. She started to be able to hop and would jump/fly to the short front stoop and peck on the front door when she was ready to come in. A month into her recover she started to assume the 'stance' and we thought she is finally going to lay an egg. About 4 days later, when we opened the front door she came inside on her own. We set her in her indoor area and she went into her nesting box and 1/2 hour later we had an egg. She never announced it and is very quiet but made little noises to let us know she was ready to go back outside.
She now spends most of her day in the front yard and is on a 25 hour egg laying cycle. Every day her leg is getting stronger and she is starting to scratch the ground now with both legs. She still wants nothing to do with the other chickens and comes in the house to sleep each night. We never thought she would walk and scratch as well as she is doing now. Though her balance is still a little poor she has gained weight and is almost as heavy as her siblings. She sometimes likes to sit in our lap and watch tv!
She still is very quiet and never announces when she lays an egg, which is daily, for the last week now.
For 2 days she mostly just lay down and ate and drank what we put in front of her. We got a tablet and put it where she could watch, and listen to soft music. A few days later she started purring with contentment. To this point, some 10 months after we got her, she still had yet to lay an egg, even though all the other chickens had. We had decided she would be an indoor chicken at this point. But at least She started gaining weight, and her gimpy leg started to fill out. She became stronger and started walking around in her area more.
About 3 weeks into her recovery she decided she wanted to start exploring and was looking like she was going to jump down from her area. We took her outside and she started walking around searching for bugs. We set up an area, with boxes she could hide in, under our eaves in the front yard, and so she didn't have to deal with the other chickens in the back yard. Fortunately, we have a very safe neighborhood. She started to be able to hop and would jump/fly to the short front stoop and peck on the front door when she was ready to come in. A month into her recover she started to assume the 'stance' and we thought she is finally going to lay an egg. About 4 days later, when we opened the front door she came inside on her own. We set her in her indoor area and she went into her nesting box and 1/2 hour later we had an egg. She never announced it and is very quiet but made little noises to let us know she was ready to go back outside.
She now spends most of her day in the front yard and is on a 25 hour egg laying cycle. Every day her leg is getting stronger and she is starting to scratch the ground now with both legs. She still wants nothing to do with the other chickens and comes in the house to sleep each night. We never thought she would walk and scratch as well as she is doing now. Though her balance is still a little poor she has gained weight and is almost as heavy as her siblings. She sometimes likes to sit in our lap and watch tv!
She still is very quiet and never announces when she lays an egg, which is daily, for the last week now.
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