Have you ever rescued a chicken? Post your story here!

[Abriana]

I was at Southern States picking up bedding when i saw a little Columbian Rock Rhode island Red getting her eyes pecked. I asked about it and the man there said that maybe a chick accidentally pecked her while feeding and then they just kept on doing it. I felt so bad for her that i offered to take her and another chick who was getting pecked for free. He said yes and i took them home. I thought they were blind, but they were not. the second chick i noticed wasn't moving around as much and she died the next saturday. The one left was so lonely, i got a gold laced and silver laced wyondottes to keep her company. Now they are fourteen week old pullets and the one that had her eyes pecked is beautiful, the skin around her eyes is deformed, but her feathers are gorgeous. The wyondottes and her are best friends. They run around together in their run and know when one is missing. When i let them out among the big chickens, they stick together in a little group. They will be laying in about five weeks. Super excited!

 

[GreatBreeder]

Wow very touching. I wouldn't call it a rescue, but I'm getting some CX to let them live a real life.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

These are mine;
Larry- I got Larry from someone who bought straight run bantams and couldn't keep the rooster. He was a black breasted red OEGB, and he was very funny. Unfortunately, he died... I'm not really sure what happened, he was in a pen alone, and I found him with his neck broken.

Griffin and Olive- Griffin and Olive's owner originally were going to give them back to the person that they got the hatching eggs, but it turned out they didn't want them back. I took Griffin and Olive and now Griffin is the head of my rooster flock and Olive is laying eggs.

Frosty, Pumpkin, and Dusty- These three roosters were from someone who had like 50(?) bantam roosters just running around.... I picked the friendliest ones, and now Dusty lives with my hens and Pumpkin and Frosty live with my rooster flock.

Lupin- Lupin is from someone who can't keep roosters because they're too loud, so I took Lupin (he's only about 2 months old) and he is the friendliest rooster! Lupin was lonely, so I got him a little bantam friend (Lil Chipmunk) and I think his friend is a rooster too.....

 

[Abriana]

I just saw that picture on another thread of the cute little chick snuggled underneath the cockerel. I was the one who commented on him, asking why he was sitting on the chick! Sweet stories.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Ya, Lupin loves to snuggle with Lil Chipmunk, but I'm a little concerned because Lupin is sometimes a bit rough with Lil Chipmunk (Lupin is 3 weeks older and is standard-sized), but he never seems to actually hurt him/her.

(Btw that's Lupin in my avatar. )

 

[BantyChooks]

About two years ago, I picked up 2 BLRW roosters from a lake where they had been dumped. Poor things were awful cold in the winter winds. Unfortunately, I didn't quarantine first and brought diseases into my flock.... That should serve as a warning for all would-be chicken rescuers.

 

[thewatsonfarm]

These are mine;
Larry- I got Larry from someone who bought straight run bantams and couldn't keep the rooster. He was a black breasted red OEGB, and he was very funny. Unfortunately, he died... I'm not really sure what happened, he was in a pen alone, and I found him with his neck broken.

Griffin and Olive- Griffin and Olive's owner originally were going to give them back to the person that they got the hatching eggs, but it turned out they didn't want them back. I took Griffin and Olive and now Griffin is the head of my rooster flock and Olive is laying eggs.

Frosty, Pumpkin, and Dusty- These three roosters were from someone who had like 50(?) bantam roosters just running around.... I picked the friendliest ones, and now Dusty lives with my hens and Pumpkin and Frosty live with my rooster flock.

Lupin- Lupin is from someone who can't keep roosters because they're too loud, so I took Lupin (he's only about 2 months old) and he is the friendliest rooster! Lupin was lonely, so I got him a little bantam friend (Lil Chipmunk) and I think his friend is a rooster too.....

This is really sweet. I always feel badly for the little roos that people don't want. It breaks my heart.

I was thinking of getting some fertilized eggs for my broody hen some time ago, but the lady at the feed store told me that more then 50% would be roosters, due to the hotter temperature of being under a broody hen in July in southern California (and I live in suburbia; not wanting to infuriate my neighbors). And she told me how hard it is to find homes for them.

I like you, RoostersAreAwesome! You have a good heart!!!

 

[BantyChooks]

This is really sweet. I always feel badly for the little roos that people don't want. It breaks my heart.

I was thinking of getting some fertilized eggs for my broody hen some time ago, but the lady at the feed store told me that more then 50% would be roosters, due to the hotter temperature of being under a broody hen in July in southern California (and I live in suburbia; not wanting to infuriate my neighbors). And she told me how hard it is to find homes for them.

I like you, RoostersAreAwesome! You have a good heart!!!

That's nonsense. It's luck of the draw how many roosters you get, they're not impacted by temperature. They are pretty hard to sell, but if they're bigger birds they make good eating. Smaller ones are only a single serving, but they're still edible.

 

[thewatsonfarm]

A week and a half ago I agreed to take an EE hen. Her owners were moving & "couldn't" take her with them. I know their realtor -- he offered to find a home for her & called me. They were going to dump her at a lake, where there are other dumped chickens. (Boo!) She had been with them for 4-5 years, living all that time in a small coop & run all alone with no flock, and had never eaten anything but laying mash -- no greens or treats.

When she got here, she was really scared & we realized she didn't know much about being a chicken. She wouldn't eat the greens we gave her (she didn't seem to know they were food), and she started out being really aggressive toward our other hens, even though they were separated.

I am absolutely AMAZED at how quickly she has integrated into the flock. Her new name is Lucille. She was isolated for 3 days, then I took her to the vet first to make sure she was healthy. But she was really anxious to get out of her run and join the other girls, so I spent the 3-day weekend last week with her in my lap a lot, as she watched the other girls. From them, she learned how to free-range, how to take a dirt-bath, to eat extra treats like watermelon, raisins, oatmeal & BOSS. She would jump off of my lap & go try something after the girls were doing it, but had walked away. And if Fiona (our alpha-hen) came over to pick on her, she'd run back to me & jump back up in my lap for protection! Smart girl, right?

She gets picked on a little bit, but she is spending her whole days now with the rest of the flock already!!! And the last two nights she has been going to bed at night in the coop with my other Easter-Egger. They seem to be friends. It's so sweet!!!

I love our little Lucille!!!!

 

[thewatsonfarm]

That's nonsense. It's luck of the draw how many roosters you get, they're not impacted by temperature. They are pretty hard to sell, but if they're bigger birds they make good eating. Smaller ones are only a single serving, but they're still edible.

It may well be nonsense, but it did get me to thinking that I didn't want any roosters at all, so her point was well made. And since my chickens all have names, we wouldn't be eating them. And I suspect the RoostersAreAwesome isn't eating her/his rescued roosters either. I just think it's a kind thing to do when people take them and give them a nice life.