Rescued Road Island Red

[Stephen1152]

I rescued a Road Island Red. I am told she is about 1 1/2 years old. I found her in an old barn in the country with no food and water for I don't know how long. She was the only survivor. When I picked her up, it appears that she is coming out of a molt as new feather shoots are coming in. I looked under her wings and legs and eyes. She looks fine with the exception of some frost bite. I don't want her anywhere near my happy healthy flock so I have her in a dog Kennel in my shed by a window. I am going to deworm her even though her stool looks good. She is wild, but eating and drinking fine. She actually overall looks pretty good. Anything I should be looking for? How long should I wait before introducing her to my flock? Thanks

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Last year I found a RIR by my chicken coop trying to get in with my hens. Two weeks is a good time to keep her separated. Look for mites. During the winter they are really hard to find. If she was in a barn there probably had hay and Red Fowl Mites are in hay. Listen to the way she breathes. Breathing may sound different if there is a respiratory disease. Check her feet and legs for anything that might be swollen. Check for any open wounds.
It's Rhode Island Red. You spelled it Road.

 

[Stephen1152]

Last year I found a RIR by my chicken coop trying to get in with my hens. Two weeks is a good time to keep her separated. Look for mites. During the winter they are really hard to find. If she was in a barn there probably had hay and Red Fowl Mites are in hay. Listen to the way she breathes. Breathing may sound different if there is a respiratory disease. Check her feet and legs for anything that might be swollen. Check for any open wounds.
It's Rhode Island Red. You spelled it Road.

Thank you for your response. I wanted to update you and maybe ask you another question. I gave my RHODE Island Red a good inspection. I also gave her the first round of dewormer. She is very healthy and now very happy. So over the weekend I put her in the pen with the other four standing with them. Wow! They went at her like sharks. Particularly my Easter Egger. She is the queen. So for the rest of the weekend, I put her in a small crate in the coop. At first they circled and tormented her for hours. Then they calmed down a bit, but still don't like her. Are they ever going to welcome her? I am assuming until I see they show her no attention, I will keep her in the crate and try letting her out again. But the create is so small, I can't even fit water in there. (Otherwise she is in my shed in a larger crate, but still small) I am just worried that my Easter Egger is not very friendly at all and will never welcome her. If I touch one of the hens, she even bites me when I put them down. Thanks again.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

she won't ever be 'welcomed'. The good thing will be if she's ignored. But, this is going to be much harder for you, and your RIR, because all of their attention is going to be on her, there's nobody else to distract them. She's going to be an easy target. If you can, I'd try to get another hen, introduce the two new girls either to each other and then to the flock.

 

[Salman93]

Which dewormer fo you use and how much do you give them

 

[Stephen1152]

she won't ever be 'welcomed'. The good thing will be if she's ignored. But, this is going to be much harder for you, and your RIR, because all of their attention is going to be on her, there's nobody else to distract them. She's going to be an easy target. If you can, I'd try to get another hen, introduce the two new girls either to each other and then to the flock.

So I will never have a happy flock of 5. It will always be the four and her off to the side. I see what you mean about getting another, but I can't. I am not home a lot and they get taken care of, but they stay in the coop when I am not there. I don't want to make the flock any bigger than 5. I guess it is what it is. She is very happy now. I had the girls out yesterday so I gave her the run of the coop and all she did was take sand baths for hours. Thanks again.

 

[Stephen1152]

Which dewormer fo you use and how much do you give them

Sorry. Don't remember the name. I brought a stool sample to my vet a few months ago and they tested positive for roundworms. They had a bad case. So she gave me dewormer for dogs. But it is fine on hens too. Half a package then 10 days later the othr half per hen. It began with a P.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

The RIR I got is living with a flock. It takes about two weeks for a new hen to be accepted if that hen is not allowed to hide. It may help if you separate a hen from your four that is at the bottom of the pecking order and put her in with the new hen until they become friends then put them back together.

 

[Stephen1152]

The RIR I got is living with a flock. It takes about two weeks for a new hen to be accepted if that hen is not allowed to hide. It may help if you separate a hen from your four that is at the bottom of the pecking order and put her in with the new hen until they become friends then put them back together.

Wow. That's a great idea. I was thinking the opposite. I was thinking of removing the aggressive one but I like your idea better. Thanks.

 

[Stephen1152]

she won't ever be 'welcomed'. The good thing will be if she's ignored. But, this is going to be much harder for you, and your RIR, because all of their attention is going to be on her, there's nobody else to distract them. She's going to be an easy target. If you can, I'd try to get another hen, introduce the two new girls either to each other and then to the flock.

Another few things if you dont mind. I did notice now on one leg a lifted scale on her foot after I moved her cage into the coop. Could just be dry. I immediately took her in the house, soaked her feet and washed them with soap. I bought a bottle of Ultra Care Mite and Lice liquid spray killer. Poured it into a bottle and soaked both her feet in it for 30 seconds each, followed by a heavy application of vasoline. I did this two days in a row. I will do it a few more times. Think this will fo the trick?