My S.O., J, came home for lunch today and said "Would you like to do a good deed? There's a stray chicken on the parking lot at the office, would you please come and see if you can catch it?" So I got a small container, filled it up with pigeon feed (figuring that was the closest thing to chicken feed I had on hand), and rode back with him. Sure enough, there was a scruffy-looking young chicken (looks like it's in first moult) right by the door, picking at cracker crumbs that one of J's co-workers had put down. I opened up the container of seed and shook it, and the chicken trotted over. It was a bit hesitant, but within a few minutes it was eating out of the container, and I was easily able to move my hand up and catch it by the legs. It put up a token protest, but was clearly accustomed to being handled, and settled down happily in the carrier I'd brought along with the rest of the feed.
Some of the guys at the company were sure the bird was a Delaware Blue (we live near Newark, DE, and J's office is IN Newark ;-D), but when I got home and compared pictures on the internet, two things immediately ruled it out - a, this bird has feathers down the front of the legs, and Del Blues are clean-legged; b, this bird has five toes.
I'll post some pictures later - the bird's resting right now - but here's a text description:
Even for a young bird (feathers are growing in in some places, and no hint of comb or wattles yet), it seems small - not much bigger than my white homing pigeon (also a rescue, but that's a story for another day).
Feathers on the front of the legs.
Dark blue-black beak and legs.
Five toes on the feet; the normal three forward-facing, double "back" toes. The doubled toes are functional, and make contact with the ground.
Feathers are mostly black, but there's a light "collar" of copper-colored ones around the neck.
Some of the guys at the company were sure the bird was a Delaware Blue (we live near Newark, DE, and J's office is IN Newark ;-D), but when I got home and compared pictures on the internet, two things immediately ruled it out - a, this bird has feathers down the front of the legs, and Del Blues are clean-legged; b, this bird has five toes.
I'll post some pictures later - the bird's resting right now - but here's a text description:
Even for a young bird (feathers are growing in in some places, and no hint of comb or wattles yet), it seems small - not much bigger than my white homing pigeon (also a rescue, but that's a story for another day).
Feathers on the front of the legs.
Dark blue-black beak and legs.
Five toes on the feet; the normal three forward-facing, double "back" toes. The doubled toes are functional, and make contact with the ground.
Feathers are mostly black, but there's a light "collar" of copper-colored ones around the neck.
