hi. this is my very first thread on my very first chicken site because this is my very first chicken. i have no idea where s/he came from, as all of the neighbors have chickens. she was in the yard when we came back from vacation in august, and hasn't left.
she seems to be grown, but i'm a city girl, so i've got no clue. she(?)'s all white, including her feet and all of the skin that shows through her feathers. she HAS grown since she showed up, but not as much as, say, a puppy/kitten would (my only experience). she has no problems with the dogs/cats/kittens/kid or me, but she doesn't really seem to know how to "be" a chicken. how can i teach a chicken how to "be" a chicken? i know how to do it with dogs and cats, but NOT birds. she also seems to like to snuggle with the kittens. is it normal? the only chickens i remember being around that weren't sunday dinner were all tiny chicks running behind their mothers, or VERY clearly roosters.
(1)the freezer is roughly 4-5 feet long. i'm not sure how she got up there. can they fly? the saucer behind her is the one that fits under a 6-8 oz. coffee cup.
(2) shows off her white skin and huge feet (they look more like turkey feet to me), and small-ish tail.
(3) she's no more than 2 feet behind him, and he weighs just about 6lbs. he's 7mo. old and roughly average size for a kitten that age.
(4) is the side shot that shows off her beautiful red comb and wattles(?). this was taken today.
(5) was taken 10-11-12 and is used to illustrate that comb has gotten brighter and bigger just in that shot time.
she's healthy and bright and perky, but she seems more like a lost waif than anything else. the fact that no one has come looking for her should tell you how very many there are in the area. she's got food and water, and she follows me around like she thinks i'm her mother, but she was too big when we got home for her to have hatched in the yard. she's gone from pink to red comb, but she's stayed the same color and rough, general size. she has very thick legs for having hollow bones, and huge feet and claws. she's only got the 3 toes up "front" and the one in the "back" but she doesn't have the typical spur that i'm pretty sure roosters all have.
any info/advice would be wonderful for both of us. i've already found out what's "wrong" with her poor neck! i knew she was a chow hound, but i didn't know chickens got bloated!
i'd also like any suggestions as to her approximate age, if it can be guessed at. of course, breed info and purpose would be helpful, too!
thanks, everybody!
nic staib, first time chicken mommy!
p.s. do chickens get "dumped" in the country like cats and dogs??
she seems to be grown, but i'm a city girl, so i've got no clue. she(?)'s all white, including her feet and all of the skin that shows through her feathers. she HAS grown since she showed up, but not as much as, say, a puppy/kitten would (my only experience). she has no problems with the dogs/cats/kittens/kid or me, but she doesn't really seem to know how to "be" a chicken. how can i teach a chicken how to "be" a chicken? i know how to do it with dogs and cats, but NOT birds. she also seems to like to snuggle with the kittens. is it normal? the only chickens i remember being around that weren't sunday dinner were all tiny chicks running behind their mothers, or VERY clearly roosters.
(1)the freezer is roughly 4-5 feet long. i'm not sure how she got up there. can they fly? the saucer behind her is the one that fits under a 6-8 oz. coffee cup.
(2) shows off her white skin and huge feet (they look more like turkey feet to me), and small-ish tail.
(3) she's no more than 2 feet behind him, and he weighs just about 6lbs. he's 7mo. old and roughly average size for a kitten that age.
(4) is the side shot that shows off her beautiful red comb and wattles(?). this was taken today.
(5) was taken 10-11-12 and is used to illustrate that comb has gotten brighter and bigger just in that shot time.
she's healthy and bright and perky, but she seems more like a lost waif than anything else. the fact that no one has come looking for her should tell you how very many there are in the area. she's got food and water, and she follows me around like she thinks i'm her mother, but she was too big when we got home for her to have hatched in the yard. she's gone from pink to red comb, but she's stayed the same color and rough, general size. she has very thick legs for having hollow bones, and huge feet and claws. she's only got the 3 toes up "front" and the one in the "back" but she doesn't have the typical spur that i'm pretty sure roosters all have.
any info/advice would be wonderful for both of us. i've already found out what's "wrong" with her poor neck! i knew she was a chow hound, but i didn't know chickens got bloated!
i'd also like any suggestions as to her approximate age, if it can be guessed at. of course, breed info and purpose would be helpful, too!
thanks, everybody!
nic staib, first time chicken mommy!
p.s. do chickens get "dumped" in the country like cats and dogs??
