New Member - Need Help

[usafdfw]

I picked up a cinnamon (red sex-link) yesterday. She was in a cage in the shade with no light. She was a bit nervous, but is settling in fine today. I have no idea about the following:

Age - No eggs yet ( it has been about 24 hours)

Overall health - She has a bald rear end but the feathers are returning, otherwise, she seems fine

She doesn't like my week old chicks, but they are separated from her. Will she warm up?

She can easily hop onto table, chair, etc. Worm eating machine. She loves to free range the backyard. She can't fly but she can move quickly and jump like an olympic pole vaulter.

She won't let me pick her up, but she doesn't cluck or scream in fear when I try. She just moves away. I can touch her when she isn't paying attention and doesn't spook, but doesn't like being reached for.

She loves to perch in front of the back door and stare at the dog. ??????

I have owned chickens for all of 48 hours. Any help is greatly appreciated. I love the help I have read that others have received on this site. I figured there was no better site to start with. Thank you all very much.

Michael
USAF

 

[OakHillFarm]

Thats so cute well if she doesn't let you hold her or spooks try gently giving her treats like through them a distance away from you them a bit closer every time the treat I like to use is Happy Hen Treats I usually get them at tractor supply
oh and

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

Try and make her feel at home. Talk to her, bring her lots of treats, hold her and love her. If possible, I also recommend getting her a buddy if you don't have any others. Chickens are social creatures and thrive on having other chicken contact. Plus, they seem to open up more to us when they have a buddy to be with them.

She is sure a cutie!! I love that pic of her staring at the dog! Be careful with her and the dog though.

Be sure to check out our learning center too.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Chickens don't like to be moved to new homes. So she may stop laying for a few weeks until she gets comfortable in her new home. So move slowly around her, do not try to pick her up for a while as this is going to scare her until she knows you and your intentions and just let her adjust to her new surroundings. She should get back to laying soon. If she had limited light in this cage, she may go into a molt or just be coming out of one, In which case, the eggs will be delayed longer.

If she is molting, this cold be the reason for the lack of feathers at her tail end. Either that or this was aggression from her previous bunk mates.

It is advised to never mix chicks with adult birds. The chicks need to grow up a bit before you allow them around adult birds. They can get hurt or killed. But keep them within sight of them all the time so when they are of age to be mixed in, everybody knows everybody already. The mixing will go smoother. But let the chicks grow up first.

You should give her a good look over. Make sure her skin is not red or irritated, indicating bugs. Make sure she doesn't have any bugs...look at the vent area, behind the neck, under the wings. But be careful with her and don't force her to be held right now. She is going to be nervous and this is natural. She needs time to get used to you. Check her feet of sores or infections, and get her on layer feed and oyster shell on the side for hard shelled eggs and good contractions to expel the eggs.

You might want to stop by our learning center and do some reading on caring for her....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center

Good luck with her and if you have any other questions, that is what we are here for. Welcome to our flock!

 

[liz9910]

Welcome to BYC! The missing feathers could be due to molting (process of losing old feathers and growing in new ones). She possibly won't lay eggs for a few weeks due to the stress of her new home. The hen and the young chicks should be kept separate until they are the same size, and then the best way to introduce them is thru a wire barrier so they can get used to each other. The best way to get her to warm up to you is with treats/food. That will do the trick. Also, if you haven't already I would check out the Learning Center, it's the best place to start! Good luck to you. https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center

 

[Little Peep]

I picked up a cinnamon (red sex-link) yesterday. She was in a cage in the shade with no light. She was a bit nervous, but is settling in fine today. I have no idea about the following:

Age - No eggs yet ( it has been about 24 hours)

Overall health - She has a bald rear end but the feathers are returning, otherwise, she seems fine

She doesn't like my week old chicks, but they are separated from her. Will she warm up?

She can easily hop onto table, chair, etc. Worm eating machine. She loves to free range the backyard. She can't fly but she can move quickly and jump like an olympic pole vaulter.

She won't let me pick her up, but she doesn't cluck or scream in fear when I try. She just moves away. I can touch her when she isn't paying attention and doesn't spook, but doesn't like being reached for.

She loves to perch in front of the back door and stare at the dog. ??????

I have owned chickens for all of 48 hours. Any help is greatly appreciated. I love the help I have read that others have received on this site. I figured there was no better site to start with. Thank you all very much.

Michael
USAF

I'm glad you helped her, I've had that issue were the other chickens will not like chicks it is just a habit, and really no grown chicken likes a baby chick unless it's their Mom oh and welcoe to BYC

 

[roostersandhens]

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC!

 

[usafdfw]

Is there any way to determine her age? She has scales all over her shanks and feet. Her shanks aren't quite grey, she has a tad bit of yellow in them, but her face is mostly red. Her comb and everything else is obviously quite developed. I just don't want to wait for eggs that will never come. Thank you all so much. I apologize for the late response. I was at the hospital yesterday. Any help on AGE?

Michael
USAF

 

[gander007]