need advice- new hen in bad shape

[heather112588]

While i was at work yesterday, my father (ever on the lookout for free craigslist stuff) brought home a free roo and hen.
You could say that we saved them because they are in bad shape to say the least- the owner kept them in a basement their whole lives (5 months) so they have never been outside or around other birds.

The roo will be in a stewpot soon so i'm not as worried about him and hes mean so Gilda (my VERY tame head roo) kicked his butt when he saw this bird try to jump up on me (gilda loves me

- protects me)(i should feel bad but alas i dont take well to mean birds so go gilda). Moving on...
The hen particularly (a silver duckwing old english bantham) is in terrible shape and worries me...her feet are badly deformed (cant jump high, walks crooked) and she only has 30% of the feathers that she should have. This girl could be so beautiful and is so friendly but she really brings tears to my eyes. Why do people do that to animals? I hope there is a specail place in hell for people like that

! Anyway, I separated her from my other birds which were tearing her apart even more...but I want to nurse her back to health.
I kid you not- i tryed giving her lettace and strawberries this morning and she poofed up like she was scared and wouldnt touch them...she eventually took a bite once i showed her she could eat the strawberry. Right now, she in a baby chick pen next to the big guys and i'm trying to slowly introduce her to different normal chicken treats and just general outdoor stuff. I also gave her vitamins in her water....What else can i do to improve her health?

 

[mmaddie's mom]

... and a special place in Heaven for those who rescue!

How about scrambled or boiled eggs?

... and time and love!

Good luck with her and thanks for rescueing her.

 

[midget_farms]

I think there is a link in the how to section on how to correct crooked feet. Might be too late now - but worth a search.

Keep her seperate for the quarunteen period (2 weeks or so) and get her lots of food & water.

You know the feathers probably wont come back until the molt - so she will look bad for a while.

As for the other hens picking on her - if she can't run away - the higher ups on the pecking order see that as a challenge to their authority - it pisses them off so they attack.

when she is feeling better - set her up in a pen right next to the main flock so they can interact but not touch. After a couple weeks of this - the pecking order will have been re-established & they wont want to punch her so much.

Then slip her in with the main flock after dark.

If she has problems after that - she may need to stay by her self.