Keep Runt as a pet?

[Larkin]

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I understand and appreciate your view! I too have feelings of guilt especially since we butchered the rest of her group last weekend. I know she feels comfort by more than 1/2 the ladies but she just can't be like them since she doesn't fly at all. She still cheeps. My worst worries are that of winter. There's no way she'll make it without snuggling next to a buddy. Of course we can try to accomodate her better but I don't know.

 

[hcppam]

Good for you and Her!

 

[Tracydr]

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Maybe you could get her a chick or duckling to be buddy's with? Sounds like she might have a genetic defect. Hopefully, it wont shorten her life, for the sake of her and her kids, but in my experience, special looking animals have issues with heart and other important organs. That she's lived this long is a great sign, though.

 

[Larkin]

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Yeah, maybe a duckling. I do have a broodie right now sitting on eggs but the problem with chicks is that eventually they roost at night. She is on the ground and as far as I can tell, alway will. She does kinda connect with the 3 "chicks" that were hatched a couple weeks before she came but they just don't hang around the coop all day like she tends to.
At least my kids treat her very special, they bring her treats and take her to see other parts of the yard, our patio, even the wild raspberries! I'm sure she will not live to a ripe old chicken age but I just can't imagine culling her at this point-she's too sweet.

 

[silkieroo]

Maybe try a nice silkie buddy for her?? They tend to roost on the ground... Good luck with her!!

 

[Larkin]

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cool, didn't know that! That may be better than a duck! Course I do think those penguin ducks-sorry don't know the name of the breed- are pretty cute.

 

[birdlover]

Can she walk and get around?

 

[Larkin]

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Oh yes, she will hop down from the coop daily,and we spot her under the coop, or in the tall grassy weeds keeping cool, or even digging in a dirt pile. She just doesn't wander too far like the layers who are all over the place!
We close up the coop at night and open it up in the am so the birds can free range all over our place. Lumpy just "free ranges" close to the coop.

 

[Erebus]

I have a hirpling little chicken and she didn't really start growing till about 22 weeks. She's now a teensy touch bigger than the smallest pullet of the brood hatched around 2 weeks after her.

 

[Larkin]

What's a hirpling chicken?