I've rescues a debeaked hen-now what?

[openheartnp]

A neighbor told me a "wild" chicken was coming to her for the past 3 weeks for bread. I can't believe she is alive despite the fox, coyote, hawks, and raccoons here. She looks to be laying age, based on the fluffiness of her behind and her squat when we picked her up. She is healthy and ever-so-grateful to be with some feathered friends. I gave her layer crumbles with water-I guess this is layer mash then.

So, how long until her beak grows back? The edges are blunted so I would think it will grow further.

Can she just have crumbles? I'm not sure if I'll be able to provide her with mash many times a day. The others loved it and ate the rest of it, the little monsters.

Any other considerations?

 

[GoldenSparrow]

This could be a escape battery hen, if it looks like a Rhode red.
can you post a picture.
battery hens have there becks cut.

I could be wrong, but sound like a battery hen.

she sure is a lucky little hen

will she eat layer pellets?

 

[Cakela]

One of the places I bought chicks from this summer debeaked their chicks. my 4 BR eat just fine with them. The bottom grew out while the top hasn't, so their bottom beak is kinda like a spoon. They all do fine though, and my girls eat crumbles.

 

[openheartnp]

She is so sweet! No issues with just picking her up and carrying her around, and we've only had her a few hours! I thought RIR battery too, but she actually looks like my 2 Star red sex links. I don't have a RIR to compare. I'll take a pic tomorrow. Layer crumbles are always available, but I gave her more mash tonite and she loves it. Both her upper and lower beaks are cut, but match up. I can see the tip of her tongue when she eats.

 

[openheartnp]

Oh good Cakela, maybe that's all I will need. She survived for 3 weeks in the woods, she HAD to be eating something.

 

[hennyannie]

I accidently purchased 10 hens a while back that had been disbeaked. I am not a fan of the practice. They were 16 weeks when I got them and they looked weird. Over time the beaks wore down and it was hard to see from a distance. I had 10 of the same breed I raised and you had to get close to tell which was which, but those hens never did get as heavy as the ones I raised. Mine were RSL.

 

[weesy68]

I have had several rescued battery hens that were debeaked. All had no problems eating whatsoever. My current girl has absolutely no top beak whatsoever, partial lower beak, and does just fine. Chest bumps everything to make up for it, lol. She is certainly feisty, but was totally traumatized at first. Hid on a pile of logs for days, now is one of the boss girls. Supposedly past her laying prime when we got her, thanked me with an egg every day ever since. I wish I could save a thousand.

 

[chicken grandma]

I found a wonderful leghorn hen near an egg farm once. She was very matted in her feathers and she was debeaked. She also had coccidia so I had to treat her before putting her in with my hens.
Before you put this gal in with your hens, take a stool/poop sample in a ziplock bag to your vet and get a fecal check. Then you will know if she needs any treatment.
You might want to check your flock at the same time to see if they could expose your new hen to something.
The vet can check for coccidia, round worm, tapeworm and gapeworms, all just by examining the stool/poop.

My leghorn hen was beloved by our family and she lived with us for 2 years before dying one day suddenly in my arms. It was an honor to know her! Enjoy your gift from God.
p.s. she ate fine, but we always made sure she got extra!

 

[openheartnp]

I agree with you, I wish debeaking was outlawed. I never thought I would be blessed with saving one.

 

[openheartnp]

We are on day #3 of coccidia treatment. One hen out of 15 chickens fell ill. I'm treating everyone. I separate her most of the day to keep her fed and hydrated, but I put her in the coop overnight. My little Godsend has decided to sleep outside the coop tonight. I'm not forcing her. It's the smaller of 2 coops and is enclosed in a completely secure chainlink run (buried wire, wire roof, etc). Small steps. At least she's safe and has food always available.