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

[JennsPeeps]

I agree that at least 1-2 companions hens are in order. Chickens are social animals and she'll need the partnership of another of her own kind to be content.

Congrats on getting adopted by a chicken! They're interesting and fun pets.

 

[chickiebaby]

Post on freeccyle for a doghouse wanted. If you mention the circumstances, I'm sure someone will come forward. with a freebie. That way you can take your time thinking about if/what you want to build. Our first entire year, up to seven chickens by the end of it, we used a doghouse. It was a giant dog house, from a giant Newfie, I think, originally, but it was great for starting out, took no work.

We basically sawed off one whole side and covered it back up with the part we'd sawed out, only with hings. Put a trap over the open side for a chicken-only door. Threw up a dropped branch or two for roosts and added in a milk crate for eggs. That lasted almost a year til we felt like building.

Probably did everything wrong that first year that we could, but never lost a bird. Which jut goes to show that anyone who likes to make this look hard is just showing off. Chickens live happily every were in the world, in the wild jungle, in city slums, on junkpiles and dumps and under houses.

Living in suburbia, yor main responsibility is to keep them safe from the top-of-the-food chain predators, whatever's in your area. Fisher cats, coyotes, raccoons etc.

Have fun with Holly!

Congrats!

 

[ozark hen]

Quote:
Now that is using your head and good common sense!

 

[EliteTempleton]

There is some good and simple info about predators here so you know what exactly it is you are keeping her safe from.

 

[Luclin999]

Well we live in an urban area inside a subdivision here in Houston. The nearest wild or wooded area is over two miles away and we really have no foxes, raccoons, hawks, wild dogs, large snakes, badgers, bobcats or any of the other major predators in the area.

The only things I would be concerned with are stray cats and I do remember seeing a possum crossing the street a few blocks away once.

I went out today and built a simple wooden box for her. It's 2'x2'x2' with a hole cut out for a door and a hinged roof to allow access to the inside. (I'll try to post a picture tomorrow).

At the moment it is unpainted and basically sitting on the ground in the back yard so that she can get used to seeing it and potentially have a bit of emergency shelter if it starts to rain again tonight. (Right now she is sleeping perched up in her favorite bush again.)

Monday I'll work on building a small run and some supports for the hen house to raise it a bit off of the ground (once I get my Ford Expedition back from the shop and can bring home decent lengths of lumber) and try to get her used to the idea of sleeping in the house.

Hopefully, she'll be alright perched in the bushes for the next night or so until I can get the rest of it built.

I've already bought a bale of pine shavings and I'll see if I can locate some food grade Diatomaceous Earth tomorrow.

As to getting a companion hen, I am a bit concerned that since it looks like she was being trained as a fighting bird that she may not be very nice to another hen which suddenly appears in the yard.

I may consider the idea that once she starts laying of swapping one of her eggs for a fertile one in the hopes that if she raises the chick then she won't be aggressive towards it.

 

[ozark hen]

sounds like you have things under control.

 

[PortageGirl]

Errrr... I'm not aware of hens being trained to fight. Of course that doesn't mean they aren't cause that's a world I'm pretty ignorant about thank goodness! I'm pretty sure it's the Cockerals that get trained though do correct me if I'm wrong, won't be the first time!!

Maybe the 10,000 and first time!!

It could be that she's a bit beat up because she was housed with a rough roo or just in a pen with other hens that was too small or in a stressful situation. Birds doo peck at each other when stressed or even just when working out their normal 'pecking order'. She could even have gotten scratched up when escaping wherever it was she being hauled around in!

Even grouchy hens need company though. They really are flock animals, and two can make a flock. Just my two coppers though.

 

[ranchhand]

You are a lucky person, being "blessed" with a hen who feels safe there, and she is a purty girl. Holly is a good name. You have gotten some eggcellent advice here- pay attention, and do what you can. Best of luck!

As a postscript, I have a RIR hen, who beat the tar out of my much larger rooster! Some just like to fight! But with time and patience, she is learning to settle down. Lots of patience.

 

[Sissy]

Congrats to you on your new found friend. and
Welcome. I put my box on a few bricks,to make for a warmer floor.
you are on the right track, Have fun.

 

[Luclin999]

Well I got the cinderblocks and raised the little hen house about 8" up from the ground.

Problem tonight is that she won't go into the house on her own and when I put her in there she just runs right back out and jumps back onto the perch she likes in the bushes.

It's supposed to drop down to 40 degrees here tonight with winds of 10-15 miles per hour with rain forecast for tomorrow morning and I'm really not sure if she should be out on a limb exposed in weather like that.