Hello, new to chicken keeping, I adopted an older retired bird (Astrolorp) and she hangs out with me in the garden. Super friendly, we chat, she lays an egg every other day or so. I did not get her for the eggs, just for companionship. The eggs are a nice treat.
Got a younger bird to keep her company as suggested by others. The younger chicken, (a Barnevelder) is about one year old and came from a small enclosed yard, about 20 birds in a 30’ x 10’ space. I have a half acre for free range. The younger bird laid an egg the first day she got here, she laid an egg the second day and three months later, she has never laid another egg. I feed them a wide range of fruit and veggies and meal worms. I keep pellets, laying crumble and fresh water out at all times. I give them scratch; I cook rice for them and pretty much bend over backwards to treat them, Grandma style. The young chicken “bows” to me, whenever I go into the yard. She is not molting. She just hangs around. Doesn’t seem at all uncomfortable. I don’t mind that she is not laying eggs, just wondered if it is “normal”.
Got a younger bird to keep her company as suggested by others. The younger chicken, (a Barnevelder) is about one year old and came from a small enclosed yard, about 20 birds in a 30’ x 10’ space. I have a half acre for free range. The younger bird laid an egg the first day she got here, she laid an egg the second day and three months later, she has never laid another egg. I feed them a wide range of fruit and veggies and meal worms. I keep pellets, laying crumble and fresh water out at all times. I give them scratch; I cook rice for them and pretty much bend over backwards to treat them, Grandma style. The young chicken “bows” to me, whenever I go into the yard. She is not molting. She just hangs around. Doesn’t seem at all uncomfortable. I don’t mind that she is not laying eggs, just wondered if it is “normal”.
