Buff Orp - missing since May 28 turns up 3 weeks later (photos)

[greginshasta]

One of our BO's didn't come home on May 28. We thought a predator got her. Turns out she had found her way behind sheets of plywood in my barn to hide her eggs. (BTW, 2 days ago we found 25 eggs under the deck where another hen is hiding them.)

I noticed our golden retriever has been hanging out in an unusual spot and on investigation, there she was, 3 weeks later.

She's lost a lot of weight, and is very weak. I took her to the coop and placed her next to a bowl of water, and shes drinking. She literally stumbled and fell as she tried to walk.

What advice please?

 

[jeaucamom]

Defintely vitamins and electrolytes, either a powder in the water or some poly vi sol. I would also soft cook an egg and let her eat it for the protein. I'm sure she will be just fine. Good luck and keep us posted!!

 

[bufforphfan]

Hens don't usually eat when they are setting on a bunch of eggs. I would be wobbly too if I went that long without eating! Your hen should rebound nicely now that she is off the nest! By the way, what happened to all those eggs? Did any hatch out?

 

[DuckLady]

Don't let her eat or drink too much at once. It can overload her system. Let her have some food and water once an hour for a few minutes until she regains strength and her system is used to food and water again.

I am really glad you found her, poor thing.

 

[Barnyard]

Oh poor girl. I bet she is hungry. Please do tell....what happened to the eggs??

 

[greginshasta]

Quote:
No roo, so not fertile. I think she just found her way in but couldn't get back out. More later.

 

[greginshasta]

Latest is that I had to seperate her from the flock. Everyone wanted to abuse her and were being very aggressive. I'm going to have to figure out what to do with her overnight and protect her from the others.

 

[greginshasta]

Well, it's day 3 since we found her. Yesterday I let her hang out in the yard a while, then keep her in a large plastic tub in the spare bedroom.

She's been eating chick feed, hard boiled eggs, rice and pedialite. She seems stronger and more alert.

However, she seems traumatized. Placing her outside this morning, she pecked around at the lawn a bit, then hopped up to the front porch and is just sitting there staring. That's the same place she ended up yesterday - up to the porch and sat there until the other girls chased her away.

I guess it's just going to take time but I hope this sweet hen regains her will to explore and scratch with the rest of the girls. She certainly demonstrated the will to live.

 

[dangerouschicken]

Poor girl

I hope she gets through the psychological trauma.

 

[Solsken Farm]

I wonder if you can try to find her a buddy? Maybe you could observe your other hens and find a more docile one so your poor little wanderer doesn't have to be alone. Maybe you can also get a cage for her at night to put in with the others so they see her, but cannot get to her? If she were mine, I would keep her close with another birdie with her and spoil her for a week or two. Good luck!