New to raising chickens.... Need help/advice!

[ozark hen]

Welcome to BYC. You found the right chicken and the right forum! check out our coop section. Whatever you build for her must have door to lock out predators at night and a place she can call home

Be sure it is big enough to put a nesting box in there with her. she can be handled easily after she goes to roost at night and you might tame her that way very quickly. she is a beauty.

 

[PortageGirl]

She's a cutie!!!

Anything simple for shelter will work for now, even a dog igloo, as long as it's dry for the very short term. Dry and as draft free as possible. Other than that, protection from stray dogs or any other roving preditors.... and yes, there's many fun little coops in the 'small coop' section, but the others are right, chickens are like peanuts, more are ALWAYS better!!!! It's the weekend, home depot can't be too far away right? Besides, one hen will get VERY lonely! 2 is better, 4 even better than that!!! (of course, once you have four, six, eight, ten, oh heck!!! an even dozen sounds GREAT doesn't it?)

Water and feed which you already handled, and treats as the others said.

Now for the important part, What's her name?!?!

 

[Luclin999]

Well she showed up between Christmas and New Years so we started calling her "Holiday Chicken" or "Holly" for short.

I live in a subdivision with a reasonably small yard so the chances of our adopting a large number of additional birds is basically nil.

The yard we have has a 6' fence with iron gates and there is no danger of stray dogs roaming into the yard, but there are a few cats in the neighborhood which is another reason I think she needs a decent place to sleep.

I'll take a look at the section on building coops and see if I can find something appropriate for her.

 

[Luclin999]

And after speaking to the man running the feed store I found out the following...

Here in Texas the Mexican immigrants like to breed both the roosters and hens as fighting birds and one of the breeds that they like the best is the Red Jungle Fowl or hybrids from that breed.

In many cases these people work as day laborers and tend to take the birds with them in the back of their trucks when out working because they don't want to leave their fighting birds at home to be stolen. On the day she showed up in my yard, several lawn maintenance crews were in fact in our neighborhood.

He believes based on the marks on her head (that look like small wounds close up) that she was in fact being trained for fighting and that she managed to jump out of the owner's truck and hid in our yard.

If that is the case then I have no intention of turning her over if someone comes around looking for her.

 

[sunnychooks]

What a lucky little girl to have found (adopted???) you as her new owner!

 

[digitS']

It may be less frightening for her if you built the pen first and begin feeding her in there.

A pen with a solid, flat roof would give you a "floor" to build a coop on. Or, you can find a doghouse and adapt it into a coop.

A hole cut in the roof/floor and a ladder to the ground will provide the hen with access to the coop. She will want to climb up there to sleep. A door in a wall or a hinged roof on the coop, allows you access.

In a few weeks, she will lay eggs. Allow her to keep the eggs until she "goes broody" then find a BYC person in Houston who has fertile eggs of a breed that you like. Switch her infertile eggs for the fertile eggs.

Wait 21 days and she will have Holiday gifts for you

.

Steve

 

[smith2]

Quote:
That is why I said what I did about falling out of someone's truck. The Mexican immigrants around here do the exact same thing. I have even had people call me asking for my "extra roos" NO,NO,NO. I do not sell any shape, fashion, or form of fighting chicken. Period!

She is going to be one lucky ducky, O, chicky.

 

[farmerlor]

I'll bet one of those little plastic dog igloo thingys would work out pretty nicely. A lot of times you can find them for free on Craigslist or freecycle. You may not have enough daylight hours for her to be laying right now and I certainly wouldn't invest in a light for one girlie but if you feed her and keep her warm enough this winter she'll definitely make it worth your while in the spring. I'd get her a little friend to help keep her warm though.

 

[birdlover]

Wow, that's interesting about her possible history! The most important thing, other than food and water, is to provide her a place where you can shut her up for the night. You also have to worry about raccoons who can enter your yard without a problema and help themselves to a nice chicken dinner. Possoms, too, will eat a chicken. You may not have seen them but, believe me, they're around. Holly is a great name!! I hope she enjoys a happy life with you! She's one lucky little birdie.

 

[ozark hen]

Great idea to get her a companion hen. Depends on what kind of chickens you have as to whether they lay in the winter or not. I get 5-6 eggs per day and we are a lot colder than you are I think? I do not use a light...do a "search" on extending daylight hours..not good for your chickens..unless you use a red light for heat. But let me tell you ..your girl is doing great without heat. Makes her a healthier bird especially if you get another one. You are doing great.