Chicken 'rejected' by flock after a year and a half.

[BooBear]

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I agree. The others are probably picking up on this weakness and therefore driving her away.

 

[FireTigeris]

Broody hens here lose red colored cobs also...

 

[Mountain Lori]

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Yes. She's eating like a pig. She's now one of the largest in the flock. All of her feathers grew back in beautifully, her eyes are bright and clear, her poop is good and her feet and legs are warm. She doesn't look or act sick at all. Away from the others, her comb looks red enough, but when she's with the others, the difference is obvious. She also hasn't laid a single egg in the two months that I've had her separated.

We had a record dump of snow over the weekend, so the freerange experiment has been delayed. I hope it works; being caged and isolated with mentally unbalanced cats is no life for a chicken. She's going to start hissing and growling soon...

 

[klmclain1]

Oh my... that's a whole 'nuther thread!!

 

[GhostRider65]

Poor girl, you can add some ACV Braggs organic to her water also give her some redclover flowers, and some parsley if it's anything in the blood that should clear it up. Otherwise I'm at a loss, as to what or how to add her back I agree with whomever said you may now have a house chicken. Which really wouldn't be so bad, they can be very lovable when kept as pets, almost too much so when they are under your feet when your trying to make supper, LOL Kim

 

[Mountain Lori]

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Thanks. I'll try all of the suggestions. Is red clover sold commercially? I will have lots of clover later in the year, but right now, nothing here is green. A permanent 'inside' chicken? Don't think I haven't thought about it; she is pretty sweet... But most ppl already think that my soft spot for animals borders on insanity. Lol - I'll do it if I have to, but I'd rather find a way to get her back in the coop.

 

[GhostRider65]

LOL I hear that my children think I'm insane and call me animal woman, or jungle woman, Amazon woman.
I love plants animals nature, I tan hides, grow things most people won't even try, make my own soap, I like to read about natural plant use's herbalism, native american fork lore and medicines you name it I'll try it or at the very least read it, so if that makes me insane oh well I'll die a very happy lady.
Or be committed by my children. Hope they let me have some of my critters in the nut house. Maybe a chicken and my horse, what do ya think my chances of that happening are? hehehehe
Red Clover is sold as a tea at most places it could be used that way, but fresh or dried flowers would be best, Our natural remedies store carries bulk tea's so she has the dried flowers, you could try a organic health food store that might carry bulk tea. Just ask for Clover tea, If you can't find it soon some should be growing, here too its way to cold yet for anything green I'm in NE Wi. getting a bit warmer but not enough still snow on the ground in places. Kim

 

[Mountain Lori]

Well. I am at my wits end. The snow is melting in patches, so I let my girls out on the weekend. There is a bare patch under a tree near the coop where they all like to do the dust bath thing, and another dry patch, with a little green showing, beside the house. I put Backroom Chicken (BRC) near the house where the green is and let the others out of the run, so they could pick at dried grass and roll around in the dirt under the tree. The two areas are about 10 yards apart and separated by snow that is still 1 - 2 ft deep. I selected a few birds and carried them over the snow to the green space to judge their reactions and let them get used to each other again. BRC was quite the little queen. She was very territorial and attacked all three birds that I brought over, but they soon settled into an uneasy truce and all scratched together in the fresh green grass. When I checked a while later, the three I had brought over were all back under the tree, and BRC was alone in the green patch. I checked again about an hour later, and BRC had actually braved the snow and was enjoying a nice dust bath under the tree with the other birds.

My plan was working! I had solved the problem...

I should be so lucky.

When I went out to tuck them in for the night, BRC was back her original green patch, and the others were all in either the coop or the run. I picked her up and carried her to the coop, where she just sat on a ledge and did not move. I waited for a while to let her settle in and then shooed her down to mingle with the others. She was swarmed immediately. I swear I've never seen a chicken move so fast. She be-lined it out the hatch, across the run, though the open gate, over the snow and straight to the back door of the house, where she impatiently marched back and forth across the porch, waiting for me to catch up. I opened the door, and she went straight to her open cage and hopped right in, like it was where she belonged.

Sigh... Where can I get chicken diapers?

I hate randomly stressing her like this. Now that it is warmer, I am going to try keeping the hospital cage in the coop and see where that leads.

btw: I added some organic ACV to her water, and she does love her parsley, kale, cabbage, strawberries, avacado and grapes, but I haven't had a chance to pick up any clover flowers yet.

 

[GhostRider65]

I read on another thread avocado is not good for chickens I would look that 1 up. Wish I had a clue why they are so mean to her?
Maybe their all jealous, because she has gotten so much of your attention and is in the nice warm house now LOL chickens , I think if you can't keep her in the house, I would try to find her a nice home with a small BY flock of maybe 2 or 3, and see if she can be added to that flock and not get mobbed. Poor girl. Kim

 

[Mountain Lori]

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Thanks Kim. I did find a post that says avocado skin and pits are toxic. I don't know how to link to another post, so here's the URL if anyone's interested:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats_Chart