SlyDog
In the Brooder
Hello, I've been reading threads here for a few months now, and decided to join and get in on the discussions.
I've recently started keeping pet chickens and started off with 2 older bantams (Thelma & Louise) who came with the second hand coop I bought. They're gorgeous girls, but don't lay so I bought another bantam silky (Milly) who layed for about a month, and then decided to brood. It wasn't a great start to my chicken egg journey, so I thought, why not get a full size chicken! I found a nice Australorp pullet and after being dicked around by the seller he kindly gave me 4 fertile eggs when I finally got to pick her up (Tilly). Milly was still broody so she got sit on 3 full size eggs and one bantam. 21 days later and I now have Lilly, Maggie, Verna and the bantam is Mona. Mona came out a day late and seemed odd from the get go. Turns out she has no eyes at all, and is very stunted in her growth. Where the other 3 have thrived, Mona has grown very little and still fits in my hand at 8 weeks of age.
Mamma Milly has taken very good care of them all and still does, but has started to wander now, which isn't so good for Mona. I have been taking extra care of her - put a tray of pellets down and plop her in the middle, keep a small water dish in the same spot so she can find it and put her in and out of the hutch most days. I have so far kept the older girls separate during the day, but they all sleep together at night. I have to make sure Milly and the babies are settled, and Mona safe with them before letting the older ladies in or they will peck at Mona who is unable to figure out where to get away from them. I am worried that Mona won't grow any bigger and therefore not be able to mix with the others, and with our winter approaching she's not big enough to keep herself warm. It doesn't snow here, or get into the minuses, but it does get very wet and windy.
I do have a small burkes parrot, about the size of a budgie, in a large cage - do you think Mona could live on the ground of the cage while the parrot stays to the perches?
I also have 4 dogs so there's no way she can be an inside chicken without risk of being chomped.
Any advice to this newb? BTW - I won't cull her, she's happy and healthy as far as I can tell. Just a blind runt
I also can't tell what breed she is - any ideas? I thought perhaps a speckled sussex?
I've recently started keeping pet chickens and started off with 2 older bantams (Thelma & Louise) who came with the second hand coop I bought. They're gorgeous girls, but don't lay so I bought another bantam silky (Milly) who layed for about a month, and then decided to brood. It wasn't a great start to my chicken egg journey, so I thought, why not get a full size chicken! I found a nice Australorp pullet and after being dicked around by the seller he kindly gave me 4 fertile eggs when I finally got to pick her up (Tilly). Milly was still broody so she got sit on 3 full size eggs and one bantam. 21 days later and I now have Lilly, Maggie, Verna and the bantam is Mona. Mona came out a day late and seemed odd from the get go. Turns out she has no eyes at all, and is very stunted in her growth. Where the other 3 have thrived, Mona has grown very little and still fits in my hand at 8 weeks of age.
Mamma Milly has taken very good care of them all and still does, but has started to wander now, which isn't so good for Mona. I have been taking extra care of her - put a tray of pellets down and plop her in the middle, keep a small water dish in the same spot so she can find it and put her in and out of the hutch most days. I have so far kept the older girls separate during the day, but they all sleep together at night. I have to make sure Milly and the babies are settled, and Mona safe with them before letting the older ladies in or they will peck at Mona who is unable to figure out where to get away from them. I am worried that Mona won't grow any bigger and therefore not be able to mix with the others, and with our winter approaching she's not big enough to keep herself warm. It doesn't snow here, or get into the minuses, but it does get very wet and windy.
I do have a small burkes parrot, about the size of a budgie, in a large cage - do you think Mona could live on the ground of the cage while the parrot stays to the perches?
I also have 4 dogs so there's no way she can be an inside chicken without risk of being chomped.
Any advice to this newb? BTW - I won't cull her, she's happy and healthy as far as I can tell. Just a blind runt
I also can't tell what breed she is - any ideas? I thought perhaps a speckled sussex?
