New member with inherited chicken

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jtaul

jtaul

Hatching
Aug 19, 2016
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Hi, I just moved into a house with the last remaining chicken (of 6). I'm told she is about 6 years old and one other chicken died about 2 weeks before we moved in. Henrietta lays one greenish egg per day. I think she is a Welsummer, but the landlord said she thought they were Araucana (sp?).

I've started giving her a variety of foods that I don't think anyone tried before. I was told she is very picky, but she seems to love most of the stuff I give her (yes, its from a chicken food list).

What I worry about is whether she's lonely, now that her last coop-mate died and whether we should do anything about it. I'm also trying to find the right waterer as the metal one is rusting and the plastic one with red nipples I just bought isn't catching on.

Reading my Storey's guide to chickens and learning more about what to do and not to do.

This weekend, cleaning out the coop and will start scooping poo every day so it stays cleaner.

Jess
 
Greetings from Kansas, Jess, and :welcome. Great to have you with us. I'd say Henrietta might be younger than 6 if she's supplying you with an egg a day. After about age 2 production really drops off. And by age 6...I have an old Ancona hen named Bitty. She is 5 or 6. Her best laying days were years ago but I keep her around for sentimental reasons. I think she's giving me an egg about week and a half or two.
Yes, a single chicken is a lonely chicken...they exist better in a society than as loners. Also, the green egg would indicate Americauna or Araucana. More likely the former. Also, poop scooping daily isn't necessary, particularly for only a chicken or two. Here's a link with some methods to manage poop in the coop. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/housing-and-feeding-your-chickens
Best of luck to you and enjoy BYC! :)
 
She may a Easter Egger since she lays a green egg, and hatcheries etc. tend to misname them to make them more saleable. I agree with Redsoxs that she is probably a younger hen - to lay eggs that often. Is she acting stressed now that her coop mate has died? If not she may be perfectly happy on her own. Or maybe you could keep her on as a house chicken. Please check out "people with house chickens thread. She may be perfectly happy with your family as her flock.
 
Hi and welcome to BYC - you have some great advice and links already so I'll just say hello!

All the best
CT
 
I'll ask again, but I'm pretty sure she came with the initial flock and is the last 'man' standing. Maybe ~5-6. Definitely older than 2. I'll read closer about coop poop/hygienics and see if I'm still confused. Thanks!
 
Hi, thanks for replying. I can't tell if the chicken is stressed, because I didn't know her before the other chicken's death. She brooded the entire month of June (the owner put a wooden egg under her), but after I took it out...she came out and started eating again and laying eggs after a couple of weeks.

Since then , I would say no, she seems fine and curious and keeps herself busy scratching around; she gets super excited as I approach the gate and runs over as fast as she can..but that's because i give her a treat when i go out.

I'll have to look up house chickens...but if that means "in the house"...probably not...I have cats. Thanks for the advice!
 

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