Hi! I’m Ellen - this is Mabel - and we’re in Cleveland, OH.

Hello! My name is Ellen.

Recently, over the last few weeks, a chicken has been visiting my backyard. I figured she was a free range chicken and went back to her coop at night. I ended up following her one night and found out she was living in a downed tree behind my fence. I started giving her food and water while I figured out what to do. After a lot of research, I decided to rescue her and build her a large coop and fenced in yard space along with adopting a few other chickens for her flock.

On Christmas day, I found her stuck in a foot of snow after a terrible snowstorm. I built her a temporary shack out of 2x4s & 1/2 inch hardware cloth, went to Rural King for 16% crumble and bedding and got to work. We’ve built a 40 sq foot coop and run for the chickens, plenty of ventilation & 2 staggered roosts, one higher one lower - and she’s been roosting every night! - and she is currently the only one inside. The coop part has a nesting box and a hatch side that opens for cleaning and collecting eggs and has wood shavings for bedding: The run has a gate to let her into the fenced in yard. The run and ventilation is all covered in 1/2 inch hardware cloth. She’s been active during the day and seems really content! We will be getting the others in a few days so she can have a flock!!

Her name is Mabel. She is sweet, friendly, and extremely talkative. I’ve been told she is an Easter Egger or a mix.

I plan on adding oyster shells into her diet and a dust bath into the run.

Here for advice as this is my first chicken! I want to provide her with the best life possible.

Here’s a picture of her! (hard to see the hardware cloth because I took the photo in portrait mode)

View attachment 2471514
Wow. That is awesome! She is beautiful. ;)
 
Hello! My name is Ellen.

Recently, over the last few weeks, a chicken has been visiting my backyard. I figured she was a free range chicken and went back to her coop at night. I ended up following her one night and found out she was living in a downed tree behind my fence. I started giving her food and water while I figured out what to do. After a lot of research, I decided to rescue her and build her a large coop and fenced in yard space along with adopting a few other chickens for her flock.

On Christmas day, I found her stuck in a foot of snow after a terrible snowstorm. I built her a temporary shack out of 2x4s & 1/2 inch hardware cloth, went to Rural King for 16% crumble and bedding and got to work. We’ve built a 40 sq foot coop and run for the chickens, plenty of ventilation & 2 staggered roosts, one higher one lower - and she’s been roosting every night! - and she is currently the only one inside. The coop part has a nesting box and a hatch side that opens for cleaning and collecting eggs and has wood shavings for bedding: The run has a gate to let her into the fenced in yard. The run and ventilation is all covered in 1/2 inch hardware cloth. She’s been active during the day and seems really content! We will be getting the others in a few days so she can have a flock!!

Her name is Mabel. She is sweet, friendly, and extremely talkative. I’ve been told she is an Easter Egger or a mix.

I plan on adding oyster shells into her diet and a dust bath into the run.

Here for advice as this is my first chicken! I want to provide her with the best life possible.

Here’s a picture of her! (hard to see the hardware cloth because I took the photo in portrait mode)

View attachment 2471514
She is like a darker version of my girl Blondie. Bought her from an Ohio tractor supply 3 or 4 yrs ago, as an EE! She lays me stunning green eggs!
20201223_153248.jpg
 
Congratulations! What a great rescue story. Have you considered getting babies and bringing them up with her? Of course you'd need to brood them for a while before they could go outside with her but I bet they would all integrate nicely.
I considered it but I have four indoor cats and wouldn’t have a safe space to keep the babies warm inside. I’m currently looking for pullets or hens to bring in (after quarantining) to give her a flock!
 

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