Poor Joan Jett-Need Advice

[Impress]

I was given a Golden Laced Polish today, she is beautiful but has been bullied her whole life. Her first coop, they tore her whole head crest off constantly, so she was moved to a lone coop. Her head crest grew back beautifully, until....the dog dug into the coop and tore all her rump feathers (except one lone feather) out. She is about half the size she should be at this age, she was a Spring chicken and she is barely bigger than my bantam chickens. A FOAF (friend of a friend) gave her to me, and I now have her in a rabbit cage in my bedroom to recover and hopefully grow back some butt.

Her relatives started laying in August, she has never laid, and I can see why, she has had it rough. Since she isn't laying, should I feed her grower to finish growing her out? I assume the other chicken bullies never let her eat, she is so skinny! What else should I feed her to get her growing good? Her head crest seems to make her blind, can I trim it a bit so she can see without harming her? Any other advice for my first Polish boofy headed ball of cuteness?

Thank you for any and all advice, she is my first Polish, and simply a darling, I want to do good by this poor little girl.

 

[froggiesheins]

Bless you for taking in this poor girl. There really is no reason why you can't trim her headfeathers if they affect her vision.
Do you know how old she is?? Stress/trauma will affect laying, so keep her happy and with a full tummy. As for foodstuffs, save-a-chick in the water/ tons of fruits/vegies,chicken food, scratch, BOSS, protien [such as yogurt/mealworms etc..] just shovel the food at her. Make sure she gets some free time in the sun everyday to stretrch her legs,preen,flap her wings, even if its under a window..... And tons of TLC....and in no time at all she should be good as new.

 

[Impress]

Thank you, I went to bed last night with a heavy heart because no one had replied, and I wake up to a reply! ^_^

Okay, super chicken diet 9000 will start today! Feather trimming first I do believe, since it took her a LONG time to find the food yesterday!

 

[froggiesheins]

P.S. check her over for lice/mites too as that can cause these type of smyptoms as well...but this is most likely a life of getting picked on.
FYI: Lack of protien and/of boredom will cause feather plucking within a coop.
Forgot to mention Oystershell calcium for strong egg shells.She should have it free choice......

picture of yer baby...maybe...?

 

[Impress]

Here is Joan Jett in all her poofy headed glory!

Here is her poor naked booty with the one remaining bedraggled tail feather.

 

[froggiesheins]

She is stunning!!!!!

I see what you mean about: WHAT EYES????
Her bum also looks like a chicken in molt.
What would our feathered friends do without us????

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

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she is georgeous. i dont like for hens to bully one another. i understand a little but to extreme UGH!

 

[SteveBaz]

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[Impress]

I trimmed around her eyes and beak and put her head up in a top ponytail (never thought I would have to buy hairbands for a CHICKEN!) and she can see now, and seems faintly surprised and spooked at, well, EVERYTHING. Now that she can see me, time to gain her trust and spoil her rotten with treats!

 

[rbaker0345]

There's a lady who sells some really nice diapers on this forum. Keep those nice wooden floors clean.