City Slicker Farm
Chirping
On the way home from the hospital this morning, we saw one of those Tyson or Perdue chickens the shoulder of the highway. She must have fallen off a truck. She didn't seem injured, but cold and in shock, and very dirty.
We wrapped her in a jacket and brought her home, set her up in an old laundry basket with some food and water and a heat lamp. She has been resting there since about 10 am, hasn't eaten or drunk anything. She did poop a little bit. She is missing a lot of feathers - maybe she is just molting, or is it something worse?
We are unsure of next steps. She will need a bath. Is it safe to bathe a chicken with so much bare skin? Should we try to tube feed her, or just let her eat when she wants to? We know this type of chicken doesn't live long, we just want to give her a chance at a better life, however short. Even if she doesn't make it, at least she didn't have to die cold and alone on the side of the highway.
Here are some photos. Any advice would be very welcome.
We wrapped her in a jacket and brought her home, set her up in an old laundry basket with some food and water and a heat lamp. She has been resting there since about 10 am, hasn't eaten or drunk anything. She did poop a little bit. She is missing a lot of feathers - maybe she is just molting, or is it something worse?
We are unsure of next steps. She will need a bath. Is it safe to bathe a chicken with so much bare skin? Should we try to tube feed her, or just let her eat when she wants to? We know this type of chicken doesn't live long, we just want to give her a chance at a better life, however short. Even if she doesn't make it, at least she didn't have to die cold and alone on the side of the highway.
Here are some photos. Any advice would be very welcome.