Another Newbie Wondering?

[HenriettasMom]

This is Henrietta (yes, I know we are original

). She's about 3 years old and has the run of the barn where I board my horse. I've been at this barn since the end of Nov.. One of the other boarders has been feeding her (there is some no-name type generic chicken feed in the loft and I've been buying "Scatch" for her). I've been told there were originally at least a dozen chickens and a few ducks at t his barn. The owner lost interest and all have diappeared over the years except for Henrietta.

When I first saw her, her comb/crest? looked like it had been chewed off. I thought maybe frostbite? It appears to be growing back. She's very talkative now and scolds me every morning unless I throw her a few peanut hearts. While she can't be touched yet, she is allowing me to get closer everyday. We have some great early AM conversations too!

Anyway, while I've kept and bred many types of parrots in the past 40+ years, I know zilch about chickens and was wondering if Henrietta was any particular breed? Until recenty, I had no idea there were so many!

Thanks in advance!

 

[kari_dawn]

It's hard to tell from how she is laying, but I would guess gameish sort of hen...I know it can't be easy getting pics of a semi feral chicken, but could you try for a side view of her standing naturally? Maybe an upclose of her head? Is she alone? She really would do better with others...maybe see if someone around the barn has some spent hens that could come live with her (or that she can go live with) to keep her company?

 

[farmerChef]

How big is she? You could compare her to maybe a coke can or something?

She is gold or silver duckwing colored. If she is small, she could be a Old English Game, but if she is bigger, most likey a phoenix. Do you know what color eggs she lays?

 

[HenriettasMom]

Thanks for the reply, Kari! I will try to get some better pics for tomorrow.

I don't think most of the other horse owners want more chickens at the barn. Henrietta can be quite messy and often roosts at the top of the horses stalls and even sometimes on the horses' backs if they're wearing blankets. She has the run of the barn, loft and outside, although she only goes outside within a few feet of the barn during the day. She can mostly be found in the loft where the hay is stored but comes down to visit when people are around.

Fortunately, she is well liked by everyone except one boarder who joking tells others she wants to make soup out of her! I hope she's joking anyway...

I hate to think of her lonely for her own kind. Perhaps I can buy some fertile eggs she can raise? Would that help? If so, I'll ask the others if they would mind having a few chicks running around.

As much as I would like to, I can't take her home as I live in the city and even though I have a nice sized backyard, the city doesn't allow "livestock", such as chickens and horses. I don't think she'd be happy in a cage after being free her whole life.

It's hard to tell from how she is laying, but I would guess gameish sort of hen...I know it can't be easy getting pics of a semi feral chicken, but could you try for a side view of her standing naturally? Maybe an upclose of her head? Is she alone? She really would do better with others...maybe see if someone around the barn has some spent hens that could come live with her (or that she can go live with) to keep her company?

 

[HenriettasMom]

Thanks, FC! I don't know what color her eggs were but will ask the guy who has been feeding her as he said she used to lay eggs last year. I'd say she was pretty normal sized chicken, not small at all. When I take new pics, I'll try to get something near her to size reference.

How big is she? You could compare her to maybe a coke can or something?
She is gold or silver duckwing colored. If she is small, she could be a Old English Game, but if she is bigger, most likey a phoenix. Do you know what color eggs she lays?

 

[kari_dawn]

at three years of age, her laying will slow way down. It won't be easy to adviseable to introduce chicks to her unless she goes broody. If she is a broody breed (games are broody), she may, and it will be easier to introduce chicks to her...it would definately help her not be so lonely though...chickens are very social creatures

 

[HenriettasMom]

Hi all!

Sorry it took so long to get more pictures of Henrietta. I've found her eggs are white but she hasn't layed any since last summer. She seems to be happy at th is barn. Her flock is the horses who s he hangs out with in the paddocks on the warmer days. There are also a bunch of sparrows that visit the loft all day.
My "hay guy" has a very nice farm where he keeps a few chickens (some for eggs but most are ornamental types). He keeps his hens houses and fenced chicken areas immaculate but I feel Henrietta would just be one of many (if the hay guy would even take her) and not get the attention she gets at her current home. Everyone at the barn voted for her to stay.

Anyway, here are few more pics. As stated she's a typical chicken in size (not a tiny cornish hen or anything). Isn't she lovely?

 

[Pele]

Hi all!

Sorry it took so long to get more pictures of Henrietta. I've found her eggs are white but she hasn't layed any since last summer. She seems to be happy at th is barn. Her flock is the horses who s he hangs out with in the paddocks on the warmer days. There are also a bunch of sparrows that visit the loft all day.
My "hay guy" has a very nice farm where he keeps a few chickens (some for eggs but most are ornamental types). He keeps his hens houses and fenced chicken areas immaculate but I feel Henrietta would just be one of many (if the hay guy would even take her) and not get the attention she gets at her current home. Everyone at the barn voted for her to stay.

Anyway, here are few more pics. As stated she's a typical chicken in size (not a tiny cornish hen or anything). Isn't she lovely?

What a pretty girl! You have yourself a Brown Leghorn girl. The bad news with that is that they arn't known as very good mothers or brooders (though you can have exceptions).

The good news is that I've found Craigslist to be a very excellent resource for finding locals with chickens to sell or give away. I wouldn't recommend taking on a rooster unless you also get more hens for him, or poor Henrietta will have to face all of his attentions alone, which might result in feather loss or injury.

Grats, she's a cutie!

 

[akcountrygrrl]

She looks like a silver Leghorn hen to me.

 

[juliechick]

She looks like a silver Leghorn hen to me.

x2 She's not a Brown Leghorn.