Found a chicken - I think I want to keep it!

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Is that what it is? I just thought she had really big feet
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She has a healthy appetite. She has been eating very well. I keep thinking I'm giving her enough food but it's always gone when I get home. I need to get a feeder. Right now I have a tin pie plate, with a rock in it to hold it down. I filled it to the brim and I give her watermelon. I think sh'e a little fatter now. I'll have to get some new pics this weekend.


Oh by the way, I checked out your website! Love all your pictures!!! Your Belgians are gorgeous.
 
Oh the poor thing! She looks so needy! Glad she found you.

Looking at the pics, does she seem to want to lean back on her hocks? Or walk that way? I had a teenager (chicken, lol) get like that, and he was having a vitamin deficiency. I can't remember which was lacking? I added vitamins and electrolites to water, and hand fed poly-vi-sol, he made a 100% recovery. Maybe she's lacking in something from being so skinny?
 
Have you checked her poop? I wonder if perhaps she needs a dewormer...And glad you've got the branches in for her to roost on
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What you have set up should be fine as far as feeding goes. How is she getting water? Given the state she's in, it would be hard to know whether the feather loss is molting or something else. I think she needs to have feed available 24/7 until she fattens up.
I'm really glad she seems to be stronger. She's really lucky she landed with you...and you're doing a good thing for her...
 
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I agree, raccoons have fingers that can open latches and grab through the bars. There have been several several incidences of raccoons literally pulling chicks and chickens thru the chicken wire and run fencing, beheading them and basically eating them alive. Not a pretty site.

Do you have a basement? Or what about getting a chicken diaper and letting her be a house chicken?
Even putting the kennel in the house while you are not home. You wouldn't be the first person with a chicken living in your house, or 2 or 3 or ........... lol
 
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from yet another Washingtonian

Congrats on your new acquisition to your family! It's very big hearted of you to take in this little stray and see to it that she gets well taken care of. This site is just full of useful information and helpful people. Just fair warning: chickens can be addictive and so can this site! LOL

Check CraigsList or your local FreeCycle for a potential chicken coop or even materials to build one on the cheap for your new family member. You can find many bargains there if you keep your eye out... maybe even a new friend for her!
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This site has many ideas about building a coop/run and much of the materials can be found cheap or free on the sites listed. A small used dog run (with some hardware cloth wrapped around the bottom and poultry netting over the top) can make a great outdoor run for your new little friend while you're away at work. A dog house (i.e. Igloo) placed inside that run can make a nice little temporary house and protect her from the elements....

Just use your imagination!

But the dog crate you have her in on the back porch - even on top of the table with chairs moved away - is still an opportunity for a 'coon to have access to her.
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They can jump pretty far and pretty high. Even if the 'coon couldn't open the door, it can still reach in from the sides or top and grab her and try to pull her through.
 
i dont know why youre not really addressing the issue, but im not trying to be mean. Ive had coons pull my favorite chickens apart piece by piece this way. Its a terrible way to go and chickens are not smart enough to stand in the middle of the crate to stay out of coons reach.
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i only brought it up because you said you had coons and i would hate for this lovely lady to meet her demise to those sneaky jerks when she has very obviously found herself a loving home. They may not be in your yard now but if they do happen to be strolling through they WILL stay all night/ morning and silently figure out how to make her a meal. if they cant get it the first night, they will be back without a doubt to get her until they can.
 
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Anyone else concerned about this statement? Big feet usually means young roo...Since we do not know this chicken's age, it could very well be a young roo...could we have some upclose pictures please? Particularly the comb, the feet, and a really good clear body profile?

I also agree that a dog crate is not super secure...could you put it in the laundry room or the garage or something until you get a coop built for her?
 
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Thank you - I bought the vitamin/electrolyte mixture and have been adding it to her water. Just got it a couple days ago. I hope it helps.
 

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