Help please

[duckieintas]

Hi BYC members,

I am new to this thread, so apologies if this should not be here.

Please will you reply / help. There's a newbie in our yard:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cassidyphotography/27516838102/

Girl / boy? Type?

Decided to make our 1 acre property home. Hides/runs under the bushes and still very weary, but today I noticed it following me around the yard!

I see it foraging around, but for the past few days I've left food. Didn't like the sliced cabbage leaves but LOVES white bread. I've been giving it 1 slice a day. Is this ok? I go outside and call "Mr. Chook, Chook" and it comes running. Food is left out in the open. Can buy a pumpkin and put it out for it?

We have a barn (used by previous owner for their horse). It has been suggested, to try and lure it there, so it has shelter. But I think it would be mean to put it there, as it enjoys roaming around our property?

Thanks for your time,

Hope you're all having a beautiful week!

 

[sourland]

Well, a very pretty pullet has adopted you. If you don't want to invest in poultry feed, get a small bag of wild bird seed. Bread is a treat but not a balanced diet.

 

[aart]

Lost Girl....anyone nearby you have chickens?
Sounds like she is used to people feeding her and looks to be in excellent shape.
Hopefully you can find who she belongs to and they can trap her,
watch where she goes at sunset and you might be able to grab her off her roosting spot.
Put her in a coop/cage/animal crate for safe keeping or something will eventually eat her.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

The idea of feeding birdseed is an awesome idea. I would put the bird seed in a catch basin used for potted plants.

 

[Intheswamp]

duckieintas, I read on your Flickr page that you were concerned about it surviving your harsh winter. Chickens can deal with sub-zero temperatures better than we think. What they do need is a draft-free coop/box/house but one with ventilation...in other words a sufficient opening to the outside air that prevents moisture and condensation to form inside their housing but no drafts hitting them. As long as they're fed and given a little extra corn and they have unfrozen water available they do pretty good down to 10, 20, 30 below in a sheltered area.

Depending on the type of barn that you have it wouldn't be hard to fix it up a sheltered spot. But, the easy solution would be to find someone nearby who keeps chickens. I'd think they'd welcome this hen to the flock...she does look nice and healthy.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[duckieintas]

Well, a very pretty pullet has adopted you. If you don't want to invest in poultry feed, get a small bag of wild bird seed. Bread is a treat but not a balanced diet.

sourland, thank you for your reply. Have cut back on the white bread and looking at wild bird seed options.

Is wholemeal / brown bread as bad as white bread?

 

[duckieintas]

Lost Girl....anyone nearby you have chickens?
Sounds like she is used to people feeding her and looks to be in excellent shape.
Hopefully you can find who she belongs to and they can trap her,
watch where she goes at sunset and you might be able to grab her off her roosting spot.
Put her in a coop/cage/animal crate for safe keeping or something will eventually eat her.

aart, thanks for your reply.

Been trying to discover, where she goes in the afternoon and at night (out of curiosity).

 

[duckieintas]

The idea of feeding birdseed is an awesome idea. I would put the bird seed in a catch basin used for potted plants.

Yes, a clever idea and great photo for visual example!

 

[duckieintas]

duckieintas, I read on your Flickr page that you were concerned about it surviving your harsh winter. Chickens can deal with sub-zero temperatures better than we think. What they do need is a draft-free coop/box/house but one with ventilation...in other words a sufficient opening to the outside air that prevents moisture and condensation to form inside their housing but no drafts hitting them. As long as they're fed and given a little extra corn and they have unfrozen water available they do pretty good down to 10, 20, 30 below in a sheltered area.

Depending on the type of barn that you have it wouldn't be hard to fix it up a sheltered spot. But, the easy solution would be to find someone nearby who keeps chickens. I'd think they'd welcome this hen to the flock...she does look nice and healthy.

Best wishes,
Ed

Thank you Ed for your help.