Chickens Just Wandered into My Yard.

[SurferchickinSB]

I thought the same thing - someone saw that you had chickens and decided to dump them onto you, figuring you'd be more likely to take them than someone who didn't have chickens.

Yup!

 

[Strychten]

According to google I’m 41 miles from downtown Houston. I definitely have a lot of country folks doing it here. Not the good ol cow ranchers, more like.. borderline trailer trash? (Is that offensive?) I guess that’s not the typical “country folk” but we are in the country.

Yeah, I can see that. I am just north of Brookshire, population around 4000 now I suppose? I guess it's not a stretch the cats dumped here could be from the small town and not the big city. I guess I always imagined big city folks driving out here to dump their unwanted pets on us country folks.

 

[WVduckchick]

Seen many posts on this site about randomly finding chickens. Most never get to the bottom of it, but I commend the OP on checking with neighbors at least. Those are some beautiful birds. I'd be sad if they were mine and wandered too far from home.

 

[Tesumph]

Yeah, I can see that. I am just north of Brookshire, population around 4000 now I suppose? I guess it's not a stretch the cats dumped here could be from the small town and not the big city. I guess I always imagined big city folks driving out here to dump their unwanted pets on us country folks.

Yea I guess both happen. There’s a lot of “trailer park” dogs and cats that never get spayed or neutered and when the “owners” are sick of them they drive them out or scare them away. I would think city folk are more inclined to call animal control or a shelter. Who knows. Anyone who dumps a pet is a poor excuse of a human to me..

 

[MickWithChicks]

How close are you to the city? Country folk don't normally do stuff like that.

I'm in a unique area: 5 minute drive from the nearest shopping centre which has 250+ stores, there's a university around the corner and the road I live on takes you to both and the also the motorway. It's not heavy traffic, but there's always a car in view in each direction.

The area is residential--not country--so a lot of passersby could be the small backyard flock owners who are no longer able or willing to look after their animals.

Seen many posts on this site about randomly finding chickens. Most never get to the bottom of it, but I commend the OP on checking with neighbors at least. Those are some beautiful birds. I'd be sad if they were mine and wandered too far from home.

It's the second time I've found chickens in the area, but the first time I've found them on my property. Last time there were about a dozen on state forest land and they all had a terrible mite problem. I wasn't in a position to rescue them that day and when I went back a couple of days later they'd all been killed. They were leg-tagged hens with a couple of roosters, so not the typical backyard chicken type.

I'd love to find the owners for the same sentiment you stated: I'd be sad if they were mine and they wandered too far from home. I'd very much appreciate if whomever found them tracked me down. It'd also be nice to figure out which of the neighbours keep backyard flocks.

Anyone who dumps a pet is a poor excuse of a human to me..

I agree 100%. When you take on a pet, it's a commitment you make to that animal to keep it healthy, happy, and protected. There's never any excuse to dump it; that doesn't keep it healthy or happy or protected. I understand extenuating circumstances can cause someone to have to give up / surrender their animals, but there are much better ways to do this than to dump them--better for both human and animal.

 

[beans2]

i guess people must feel ashamed if they take on an animal and then cant handle them.
perhaps dumping them feels less socially awkward since no one witnesses it.

i'm starting to realise how lucky we are here with diseases. Wild birds and feral animals rarely suffer any illness - its those cooped up inside that get sick.

 

[RWise]

Here's a thought, folks see our chickens and think "free eggs". What they dont see is the cost of those "free eggs".
They go get chicks/pullets/hens (and all the other stuff needed) only to find it costs more for those "free eggs" than what they cost at the store. Then they dump them.
I myself got my flock not for the eggs, but those girls eat a ton of bugs! Eggs is a bonus! And my eggs are better than I can buy anywhere!!

 

[MickWithChicks]

i guess people must feel ashamed if they take on an animal and then cant handle them. perhaps dumping them feels less socially awkward since no one witnesses it.

That's definitely what it is, but some minor embarrassment/shame when surrendering them at a shelter or listing them on Gumtree/Craigslist is far better than the guilt and shame of dumping an animal that's never had to find/hunt for its own food. Most of the time a dumped animal is likely to die of dehydration/starvation/predation. Even euthanising that animal is better than having it suffer in the wild (but then people would have to deal with that rather than burying their heads in the sand).

Here's a thought, folks see our chickens and think "free eggs". What they dont see is the cost of those "free eggs".
They go get chicks/pullets/hens (and all the other stuff needed) only to find it costs more for those "free eggs" than what they cost at the store. Then they dump them.
I myself got my flock not for the eggs, but those girls eat a ton of bugs! Eggs is a bonus! And my eggs are better than I can buy anywhere!!

I initially got mine for nostalgic reasons. Some my favourite memories are as a kid on my grandparents farm, feeding the chickens and collecting eggs, hand feeding lambs, and hunting rabbit for dinner. I'd been a unit dweller for 12 years, so when I bought an acreage the first thing I did was embrace the acreage lifestyle. It costs me more for those eggs, but it's worth the extra cost for the animal husbandry and care; I enjoy it very much!

 

[Peppercorngal]

Just wondering how far chickens would normally roam?

I just had 4 chickens wander into my yard. I'm on 2 acres with no neighbours to the east or west. The neighbours to the south are surrounded by dense scrub and are fenced in, and the direct neighbours to the north are on about 20 acres and don't keep chickens.

I've just done the door knock for the next two properties over to the north and nobody was home. I'll do the door knock again after 5pm when they're more likely to be home. Each neighbour has a fenced in yard so it's unlikely they've flown over too many fences. This is why I'm wondering how far they'd normally roam.

There's a fox that hangs around the area who loves the taste of chicken. He took one of my best layers recently in a day time attack (unusual for autumn). The 4 ladies were hanging around near the same coverage and tracks that I've seen the fox come and go from. I wanted to keep them safe, so I've secured them in an unused bird aviary which means they won't be able to go home to roost. I'd prefer to keep them secure until I find their owners.

Here's the 4 girls in question:

2 x Rhode Island Reds, 1 x Silver Laced Wyandotte, and 1 x Orpington.

My coop and run are visible from the road, so there's also a chance someone has taken the opportunity to dump them in the yard. Upon first inspection they all seem pretty healthy (no moulting, good weight, red healthy combs/wattles, and no visible mite activity), but they were very hungry/thirsty and got stuck into the pellets and water that I gave them.

Those two are not Rhode Island Reds. They are hybrids of some sort, red stars or isa browns. Rhode island reds have no white on them at all. They have black tail feathers, but no white. Not that it matters, thought you might want to know. Good luck with your pretty new hens! Howdy from the USA!

 

[MickWithChicks]

Those two are not Rhode Island Reds. They are hybrids of some sort, red stars or isa browns. Rhode island reds have no white on them at all. They have black tail feathers, but no white. Not that it matters, thought you might want to know. Good luck with your pretty new hens! Howdy from the USA!

Interesting. Thank you for the insight! They're as dark as my Rhode Island Red, who, now that I think about it has no white in her tail feathers and only black and red. The dark colouring threw me off, I didn't even notice the white! My two red sex-links are much lighter in colour up top with the white tail feathers down bottom. A slightly different parentage I guess.