Normal Feet or Scaly Leg Mites? Please help!

[fluffycrow]

I have a mirror in her crate right now and she does sit by it a lot. Unfortunately I won't have room for another chicken in my condo, but if she's not happy here I will find her a good home. I have a feeling though she will be very happy. My rescue dove coos all day but he coos for me now when he wants hugs and cuddles. He's happy. I got him squishmallows and he plays with them along with all his other stuffed animals. Patience is about to be gifted a stuffed chicken plushie that looks like her.

Can you share any photos of your setup? I'm saying this because *typically* what is appropriate for one chicken, can be ok for two

 

[PrettyChicky25]

Can you share any photos of your setup? I'm saying this because *typically* what is appropriate for one chicken, can be ok for two

It's not just that I couldn't have two. It's that I can't clean up after more than one chicken. I was going to find her a good home but she is already cuddling up to me. I wouldn't mind if she sat with me all day. I am committed. Four birds total is my absolute limit right now though and that's what I have.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

Any idea where she escaped from? It was likely a predator attack that made her leave, as chickens tend to love their home & flock. Her caretakers are likely very sad and think she is dead or in danger.

 

[PrettyChicky25]

Any idea where she escaped from? It was likely a predator attack that made her leave, as chickens tend to love their home & flock. Her caretakers are likely very sad and think she is dead or in danger.

I have no idea. She was in the woods. She had a bad case of coccidia and a leg that was almost broken. She may have loved her flock, or she may have come from a place with horrible conditions. I have seen no "Lost chicken" posters posted anywhere and I run a lot. Personally I think she escaped from a bad situation given her state.

 

[fluffycrow]

I have no idea. She was in the woods. She had a bad case of coccidia and a leg that was almost broken. She may have loved her flock, or she may have come from a place with horrible conditions. I have seen no "Lost chicken" posters posted anywhere and I run a lot. Personally I think she escaped from a bad situation given her state.

This is in no way a personal attack to you, but a serama, a breed that isn't used for eggs nor meat would not be found in a flock of someone who doesn't care for their chickens properly or loves them. Hope she works out in your home, but please keep in mind that chickens are social animals and benefit immensely from living with other hens

 

[PrettyChicky25]

This is in no way a personal attack to you, but a serama, a breed that isn't used for eggs nor meat would not be found in a flock of someone who doesn't care for their chickens properly or loves them. Hope she works out in your home, but please keep in mind that chickens are social animals and benefit immensely from living with other hens

I know where you are coming from and appreciate your concern. I once found two chickens walking around in a residential neighborhood and went all over the place to try to find the owner. Someone helped me track down him down and when I brought them to his door, I immediately regretted what I had done. It was clear the owner had not missed them and in fact planned to eat them. I was sick to my stomach over it because I realized they had escaped. Over the course of my lifetime I have known many people that had birds (parrots) and almost all of the birds were kept in dirty cages, never let out and were not fed nutritious foods. I don't mean to judge but unless I find some evidence that this bird is missed and loved, I will not go looking to send this bird back to where it most likely got sick. Not when she will be loved and cared for like family here.

 

[fluffycrow]

I know where you are coming from and appreciate your concern. I once found two chickens walking around in a residential neighborhood and went all over the place to try to find the owner. Someone helped me track down him down and when I brought them to his door, I immediately regretted what I had done. It was clear the owner had not missed them and in fact planned to eat them. I was sick to my stomach over it because I realized they had escaped. Over the course of my lifetime I have known many people that had birds (parrots) and almost all of the birds were kept in dirty cages, never let out and were not fed nutritious foods. I don't mean to judge but unless I find some evidence that this bird is missed and loved, I will not go looking to send this bird back to where it most likely got sick. Not when she will be loved and cared for like family here.

I agree with you, you don't need to go looking for that person, especially since you haven't seen anyone searching for a chicken! What I'm saying is that there really isn't much to eat on a serama, nor does it lay much. Furthermore, a person that doesn't take the best care of their chickens and only wants them for food of eggs (nothing inherently wrong with that, but when you don't take care of your animals that becomes a problem) wouldn't even know the serama is a breed, and that's why I believe it's someone that did properly take care of their chickens. I'm glad you see her as family, but I want to make clear the fact that she doesn't think of you the same way. I'm ABSOLUTELY sure she loves your company (she wouldn't be cuddled up to you if she weren't) but chickens are not parrots, they were bred to be food sources and food producers (fortunately or unfortunately, depends on how each person views it) or garden decorations or both. For those reasons, most chickens and most chicken breeds (obviously there are exceptions) don't necessarily see their carers as family, but rather the friendly food provider and living perch! Anyways, at the end of the day you know your chicken best, but as I'm sure you already know from keeping parrots, you sometimes can't go against nature. Hope this works out for you!

 

[PrettyChicky25]

I agree with you, you don't need to go looking for that person, especially since you haven't seen anyone searching for a chicken! What I'm saying is that there really isn't much to eat on a serama, nor does it lay much. Furthermore, a person that doesn't take the best care of their chickens and only wants them for food of eggs (nothing inherently wrong with that, but when you don't take care of your animals that becomes a problem) wouldn't even know the serama is a breed, and that's why I believe it's someone that did properly take care of their chickens. I'm glad you see her as family, but I want to make clear the fact that she doesn't think of you the same way. I'm ABSOLUTELY sure she loves your company (she wouldn't be cuddled up to you if she weren't) but chickens are not parrots, they were bred to be food sources and food producers (fortunately or unfortunately, depends on how each person views it) or garden decorations or both. For those reasons, most chickens and most chicken breeds (obviously there are exceptions) don't necessarily see their carers as family, but rather the friendly food provider and living perch! Anyways, at the end of the day you know your chicken best, but as I'm sure you already know from keeping parrots, you sometimes can't go against nature. Hope this works out for you!

I know what you are saying. I have a dove that I rescued from someone that threw him away in a cage, literally put his cage next to a dumpster in a housing complex. This dove coos all day, and I know he would like a mate. But the fact is that most doves on Petfinder (where I found him) stay there for a very long time. He is 16 years old, according to his leg band. He will be living out the rest of his life with us and just has to accept the fact that he's single. He has a stuffed animal which he treats like a mate but he asks me for hugs and lets me cuddle his face. (Personally I think he's living his best life!) Years ago, I bought my parrot another parrot of the same species and as soon as I took her out of the box I knew there was no love connection. I still have them and they tolerate each other. I tried! If for any reason I believe this chicken is unhappy, I will find her a new home. I'm careful but not cruel.

 

[fluffycrow]

Parrots are known for their complex social structures, very different from chickens though (and thankfully IMO

I know what you are saying. I have a dove that I rescued from someone that threw him away in a cage, literally put his cage next to a dumpster in a housing complex. This dove coos all day, and I know he would like a mate. But the fact is that most doves on Petfinder (where I found him) stay there for a very long time. He is 16 years old, according to his leg band. He will be living out the rest of his life with us and just has to accept the fact that he's single. He has a stuffed animal which he treats like a mate but he asks me for hugs and lets me cuddle his face. (Personally I think he's living his best life!) Years ago, I bought my parrot another parrot of the same species and as soon as I took her out of the box I knew there was no love connection. I still have them and they tolerate each other. I tried! If for any reason I believe this chicken is unhappy, I will find her a new home. I'm careful but not cruel.

)! Just as another question, serams, or bantams and bantams in general are known to go broody quite often. How would you deal with her going broody?

 

[FunClucks]

Thank you for your feedback and for your kind words about Patience! I already have her in a dog crate for right now while she is healing. (That was an upgrade from her Tupperware container. lol) I do have a playpen for her and diapers. I am also thinking of building her a cage so that her poop can fall through a grate for when I am not home to clean up after her. The pine shavings sound like a good idea to put in there if newspaper doesn't work. I also love the cat litter box ideas! I will try that. I just gave her a bowl of spinach and strawberries which she seemed to really like.

Commercial chicken feed is optimal for a laying hen, minimum 16% protein if you feed no treats, recommend 20% protein feed if you feed treats. You can feed a laying hen diet (which already has needed calcium in the formula) or all-flock diet with calcium (oyster shell) in a separate container. Either way, make sure there's a container of grit available free choice for her if she eats anything besides commercial feed (scratch, treats, bedding, etc.). My personal favorite is Purina Flockraiser (all-flock), but there are many other good options. You can re-feed her her own egg shells and eggs, either cooked or raw - it's very nutritious for them. Sometimes I bake my shells to dry them out for better storage, sometimes not. I make sure to crumble the shells, as I don't want my chickens to start eating their own eggs. A fake egg or a golf ball in the nest box can encourage them to lay their eggs there.

If you cuddle your hen by your face at all, please wear wrap-around safety glasses that chickens can't get around or past. Some chickens will randomly peck you in the eye. You may never think it will happen to you, or that you can avoid it, and your hen will never show any signs, but then they take you by surprise. Wouldn't want you to be injured. It does happen.

Your hen will need a rock of some kind (e.g. cinderblock) to sharpen/wear down her beak on, or it may over grow. They trim their own beaks a little each day as they grow out. Toe nails may need clipping if she doesn't wear them down on their own. If you set the waterer or feeder up on a cinderblock so she can eat at head height and keep the shavings out of the food/water, this solves both issues.

Stuff folks commonly use as chicken bedding. The first product, if you add some small amount of water, turns into sawdust, then is easy to scoop the poops out of. Hopefully I've linked the correct product for you. Other stores may have better prices. If you can avoid putting her on wire, that would be more natural for her - they love to scratch the ground to find food. If you use a solid floor and bedding, you can broadcast Scratch grains or pelleted food and let her go crazy picking them out of the bedding. It's hilarious to watch and one of the favorite things chickens do. If you do end up with wire at least one person has had good luck with 1/2"x1" wire. (1/2"x1/2" is generally too small for the poops to fall through, and larger, their feet fall through).

Good luck and happy chickening!

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