My new not so pretty hens

[Christiney]

Hi, I am very new to chickens. I have had a small flock of 5 chickens that are made up of silkies and bantam cochins for the past 9 months.
I ended up with two silkie roosters one who is sweet and the other is just a land shark. I separated the land shark from the rest due to non stop fighting, and decided to find him his own girls and set him up with them in another coop. So I searched craigs list and found someone selling some older hens. I thought maybe this would be a good idea since they wouldnt have to grow up before I could put them out with him. The hens I was going to look at were buff orpingtons. Never seen one up close so had no idea how big they were LOL. I was a little shocked. That wasnt the only surprise I got. They were so beat up. Their backs and heads are bald and the backs are flame red from the roosters they were in with. I felt really bad for them and took them anyway. I almost didnt. . My other chickens are far on the other side of the yard and these are in with the land shark. Mind you he is sweet with hens but the other rooster and me included are on his hit list LOL. They are all getting along great. The land shark was tickled pink to see them after being alone for a while.. I am just wondering if anyone else has taken in beat up chickens. lol Any way here is a photo of them I named them sugar and spice. I felt they deserved pretty names.


This is the landshark AKA Pepper as a little guy



Thanks
Christine

 

[Daddas1Punkin]

aw, they are going to be! I felt the same way about ours when we got them. "THESE are OUR chickens?!?!" lol!

after their first molt they will get pretty!

 

[teach1rusl]

Your landshark is adorable!! That's so nice that you took those poor hens!! Something should have been done before they let those hens get that bad

Although it's pretty evident their balding is due to overuse by roosters, I would suggest that you look them over closely for lice/mites just to be sure that's not part of it. So glad they're in a better place....

 

[fishnet1971]

awwww. You are a good chicken Momma to take them and rehome them. i am glad they are away from your other girls for awhile to make sure no disease and stuff gets transmitted. Are you going to maybe get them some 'clothing' to cover those barebacks with for awhile? There are some really great ones on here. I love their names. I am sure they will come to love them as well.

I adopted two from the Buffalo SPCA that were abused pretty bad. They both are my best girls. One leaves me an egg a day, and the other has never left me but one tiny 'fart egg'. That's fine with me. Neither have to leave me one. I luv them soooo much!

Congrats on your new girls! and welcome to 'the henhouse'!!!!!!!!

 

[Hardings]

Dont worry! Unless majorly damaged they will heal. Just make sure to give them lots of TLC.
As for your little land shark, be careful about placing him with other chickens. Some chickens just like to be solitary, but if you can find a good match for him with some others he would benefit a little from that, but if you cant just make sure you give him his own attention.

-Good luck!

 

[Eggcessive]

The bald hens can end up that way because they are favorites of a young rooster who is rough on them. I have had to re-home roosters before that were roughing up my hens. Recently I bought some 9 month old ameraucanas (5 hens and a roo), and only 1 hen had a bald back because she was small and obviously the favorite (or maybe the lowest in peckling order.) They are now part of a larger flock. Most should re-grow their feathers after their molt around 18 months.

 

[Christiney]

Thanks everyone! I feel more confident I did the right thing. They seem to be all getting a long well. In fact the hens settled right in and seem like they have lived their the whole time. They are pretty shy. I dont know if they were handled at all. They arent nasty just scared when I was getting them out of the crate they were given to me in. I did look them over for bugs. I didnt see any. I did put some frontline on them just in case.I am just wondering if I should worry about any kind of worm. Should I worm them . I have never wormed any of my chickens so any advice would be great on this? The stools are a little runny. Just not sure if that is stress or maybe cause I feed differant food then what they are use to.

 

[b.hromada]

Bless you for taking in those pretty girls! I'm sure they appreciate it too. Yep, sure does look like they've been over mated. You're going to just love them!

 

[Christiney]

Thank you! Its amazing what a difference a couple days can make. Their backs are not a bright red like they were when I got them.
They also started to take food out of my hand. I am glad they and the rooster are getting along. They were all snuggled in the coop this am
when I opened the door.

 

[Reurra]

Thats awsome that you saved these pretty ladies! Orpingtons are gorgeous birds and often friendly. I think you will have lots of fun with them