2 RI reds were 'let go' and found my house, they both looked sick white faced and when I caught them their bones were pronounced. they were young, and picky eaters, one disappeared, the other hung around, after about a couple of weeks, she started hanging out with the wild ones, but I would sneak food to her, I put DE in some feed and she started to look better. one morning I found her huddled in the bushes on the side of the road in what I can only call crumpled position. on her side and really messed up but alive. I could not leave her there, so found a crate put leaves in it and gently lifted her, did not think she would last the day or night or the next day. . . provided high protein feed with DE and water. she was alert but in a lot of pain. I have never heard a chicken cry before. I 'pilled' her with aspirin? her wing seemed ok but her body and leg was not right, her toes moved? I did not think she would make it. kept her in the box, put her out in the yard so she could see the wild ones but was contained tried to keep her pain free and fed she seemed to do ok but was a long way from being able to stand. 15 days she stayed in the box after a week I put her out daily on the grass for a few minutes while I was out side, she would lay and peck the grass and bugs. 2 weeks she started to stand but the injured leg was not useful. I had to leave for a while, left her after work care, to my daughter, who said 'girlie' started jumping out of the box, feeding her was all we could do. I was gone 4 weeks, thought she might not make it. but was surprised when I got home, she came waddling in. her tail is hanging, but her leg is moving and she is running with the wild ones. I am concerned that the young hens (about a 5 weeks older than her) have started laying eggs, the roo is with them and interested in her but she is not, I wonder if there will be a problem with laying? so far she looks healthy , she is fat, she had colour and shine looks good, limps when there is too much activity but runs and is jumping up on ledges, her injury was January she was about 4-5 months old? she still hangs out in the yard and comes running when she sees me but dos not want to be picked up. I am amazed she survived the day I found her.
She is looking better each day today her tail is a little more upright and not as rounded over. (usually it is like the last picture of her with the wild hen) There is a huge difference with her and the wild ones, even though they will let me stroke them (she is not so keen) they are so much more wiley they have been 4 generations of wild in my yard and still not domestic; she is domestic, much bigger and should not have been turned out into wild, but is surviving. we watch her. I dont want her to have problems with eggs not coming out? will she not produce eggs if she is damaged? what do you look for? she is watching the black hens all jump in and out of a box to lay.




She is looking better each day today her tail is a little more upright and not as rounded over. (usually it is like the last picture of her with the wild hen) There is a huge difference with her and the wild ones, even though they will let me stroke them (she is not so keen) they are so much more wiley they have been 4 generations of wild in my yard and still not domestic; she is domestic, much bigger and should not have been turned out into wild, but is surviving. we watch her. I dont want her to have problems with eggs not coming out? will she not produce eggs if she is damaged? what do you look for? she is watching the black hens all jump in and out of a box to lay.