Rescuing neglected chickens...help!

[77horses]

Alright gals and guys, quick update- the coop is pretty much ready, I got the new heated waterer and their feed set up. I did end up opting for a heat lamp, it’s brand new and I will make sure it’s secure (it also has a cage over the bulb so if it did happen to fall, the warm bulb wouldn’t be touching anything). I plan on only running it on the coldest days, not only to give them extra warmth but also extra light- both of which I think are super important for healing birds.
Here are some pics of where we’re at now:
Panoramic of the inside of the coop:

I think this set up will do for now.
So the game plan tonight is to get the birds at 6pm. It’ll be dark by then but unfortunately that’s the only time we can do because of work and such. Ideally I want to get them cleaned up and checked over before going into the coop- that means looked over, bathed indoors and dusted. If I were to bathe them, of course I would make sure they’re 100% dry before going back outside. That would probably mean being blow dried (on low) and hanging out in the house for a couple hours after getting a bath before going back outside. On the other hand, I also don’t want to stress them out too much- according to my coworker, they’re quite skittish, so they might not be the easiest to handle and will probably be a little freaked out being in a totally new, foreign location. So I might just skip the bath for now, even though I’d really like to get them nice and clean ASAP...what do you guys think? Bath or no bath, we will be dusting them in permethrin before they go into the coop for the night to avoid contaminating it with any lice/mites. Even though it’ll be cold and dark, fortunately we have a garage with a portable heater, so my SO will have that powered up when I get back. To avoid getting permethrin everywhere, I’m planning on putting it in a large plastic bag to keep it as contained as possible. Any suggestions for easy application? Like I said the birds are apparently skittish so we’ll see how well they do being handled.

 

[77horses]

Trust me, you’re better off without them! Less harborage for mites and lice and other nasties. Aside from the birds, the less you bring home of their current abode, the better. Sounds like the “vintage” coop I’m trying to remove birds from... best solution would be a can of gas and a match for the one I’ve got. With no chickens in it and careful monitoring to ensure no spreading to other buildings... a controlled coop fire in my case, and possibly the previous owner of yours from the sounds of it, would actually improve the coop!

Yeah I agree, it would definitely be an improvement for this coop by the sounds of it! I found some nice wooden box crates at the craft store that will be much better than their old nest boxes anyways.

 

[77horses]

Those chickens absolutely remember who kicked at them. A lot of birds can recognize individual humans, and will remember if specific humans do things they don't like. Corvids in particular not only recognize humans, but can communicate facial features to other crows so every crow in the area knows who to watch out for.

This is so true! Birds are incredibly smart in their own way, and they definitely recognize people! When I was a kid I had a pet rooster that I hatched in an incubator that I made myself, he followed me everywhere and lived in a brooder box in my bedroom (until he moved out to the coop because he got too big and started crowing lol), he had to go to a new home for a few years because of land ordinance issues (the neighborhood we lived in didn’t like roosters..) but eventually I got him back after moving to a rooster-friendly area and even after all those years he still recognized me as his “mama.” It’s funny, he used to chase everyone and everything (as roosters go) except for me. I miss that little guy.

 

[CoturnixComplex]

WOW! That looks so great! What lucky hens, I'm so excited for them. I'll be tuning in too to see how things turn out.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Your coop looks great! Can’t wait to see the lucky girls!
Get some mealworms and they will tame down in no time.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I am looking at your heat lamp......a couple suggestions if I may.....

That pinch clamp they come with is crap. Hook a chain through both handles and hang it from the ceiling UP HIGH.
You are trying to.make a warm spot not a hot spot.

If they are skittish they will launch and knock that down how it is now for sure.
That cage on the lamp won't stop it from causing a fire.
They aren't secure on there at all.

I am telling you these things out of experience.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

I am looking at your heat lamp......a couple suggestions if I may.....

That pinch clamp they come with is crap. Hook a chain through both handles and hang it from the ceiling UP HIGH.
You are trying to.make a warm spot not a hot spot.

If they are skittish they will launch and knock that down how it is now for sure.
That cage on the lamp won't stop it from causing a fire.
They aren't secure on there at all.

I am telling you these things out of experience.

It's............. STORY TIME! YAY!!!!

 

[CoturnixComplex]

Yeah, I'll add another voice to chime in saying watch that lamp. Make sure there's 0% chance it can fall or be messed with.

Yesterday, I had an old cord on an LED light SNAP, EXPLODE, and send burning embers in the direction of the bins full of pine shavings. If I hadn't been standing there my house could have burnt down. Heat lamps are MUCH WORSE. I might even get a baby monitor on that thing. That way you can watch your birds, too!

 

[Cragg Klefor]

Before I go collect rescue chickens the absolute necessities are:
Somewhere safe, dry and draft free they can call home
Secure, roofed and wind proofed, with a dry floor. Bedding is needed here, hay or straw do fine, but pine needles are probably better pest wise. I do not heat my coops - these girls come from a factory with round the clock heating. They do perfectly fine once they can get out of the wind/rain. In fact, they often still choose to be outside on wet, windy days, so once their coop is dry and draft free they have always done fine. I do fill a corner with straw as I feel it is warmer for them to snuggle into their first few days, which they do. I don't need to provide roosts for a few weeks as they do not be able to get to them until their strength builds. I need something to hold feed and water in, and a few nest boxes (depending on how many chickens I am taking, one per four seems fine). Cardboard boxes will suffice until something more solid and permanent is arranged. Hardware cloth is your friend. Cover all exteriors with hardware cloth if at all possible. They will need a run also of course, but initially you could put up a temporary run which would need to be supervised until something more permanent.
Feed, Oyster shell & Grit
My local layer feed is 16% protein and I want to give them more than that so I provide an 18% grower feed which I steep in water the night before. For the first few days I also give them greek yoghurt and tinned cat food. They love this and it can get their appetites going as they can be very fretful being in such a new world. It takes time before these girls will see tuna as a food source and not something going to eat them. They initially run away but after a few weeks they love tuna too. After the first week they get only chicken feed available always, and a high protein treat once a week. (I am strict with this. They have been through enough, I do not want to add to a weakened system by diluting their nutrients).
A Sick bay
This simply needs to be somewhere you can put a chicken if it is ill and the others are pecking at it. Blocking off a corner of the coop is perfectly ok. The move can bring out all kinds of things in chickens and the first few weeks are always a time of very close observation.
Poultry Vitamins
They need to build up their strength in the first few months. Once a week I add poultry vitamins to their drinking water.
Sudocreme
The rescue chickens I collect will often be partially naked. This causes pecking (and is mostly from pecking). Sudocreme seems to help - a lot.
Vaseline
Scaley leg mites always present to some extent. To Vaseline their legs now really helps before the problem gets worse.
Permethrin Powder & Spray
Lice and mites often a serious issue upon arrival. Dust each chicken as I am letting them into their new home. The spray is used 10 days later when the chickens get dusted again I spray the coop.
Dog nail clippers/nail foil
Overgrown nails (and beaks/crossbeaks) always an issue. I do this day one also - maintenance required.
Corid.
With my rescue chickens it will be their first time on ground, with yours, it will be new ground. So Coccidiosis is a possibility. If this strikes, you don't want to be going looking for corid, you'll need it straight away and time is of the essence.
Epsom Salts
The stress involved in the move can and does bring on egg binding and other reproductive disorders. An epsom salt bath (or many) is often required within the first few days.

The above are the things I use immediately on collection of the rescue chickens as I am unloading them. They get dusted with Permethrin, nails get clipped (they have been living on wire so terribly long nails), vaseline on their legs for the scaley leg mites, sudocreme on any bare, red or bloody patches, have wet feed ready and clean water with added poultry vitamins alongside oyster shell and grit (beside food so they can find it straight away). The Permethrin spray is for the housing, I don't use the spray on the chickens.

I hold off and wait to see if I feel I need to worm. I know depending on location and weather conditions this seems to be required in some places so a good broad spectrum wormer is probably necessary also.

The above is essential to me before collection. The following have proven to be essential at later times.
Electorlytes - lethargic chicken
Antibiotic Ointment - wounded-open to infection
Tylan 50 - respiratory illnesses
Amoxicillin - internal infections/reproductive disorders
Calcium Supplements - laying issues
B Complex vitamins - deficiency
Bandages
Gauze
Vet wrap
Scalpel (bumblefoot)
Sulfa powder
Manuka honey
For crop issues (which are many with chickens that have only ever had access to pellets and are now on the ground): this article has saved me, and some of my chickens! https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...d-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments.67194/
Also, on hand, I strongly recommend this forum. It should be on every chicken owners list of necessities. Even if you never need to post, you will so often find useful info either in the articles or within the forums.

As a final note, I tend to the 'essential' things I listed above straight away. I find it best to nip things in the bud, also, If you are needing to constantly upset the new chickens by trying to tend to these things over time in the first weeks they will be very skittish and afraid of you. Their priority when they see you will be to hide or get away. My advise is: do as much as you can, as soon as you can, then show the new girls you are someone who feeds them, not someone who upsets them. They will become really friendly really quickly
I am sure I have forgotten to mention some things, but I will think more about it and add to this post when anything comes to me. What an exciting time for you

My avator is my little rescue Dolly (she is a real little dolly bird). I took that photo in her first week with me. I will need to take a new photo and upload it. She is a fine bird and I am only her proud human around 5 months now!

 

[21hens-incharge]

It's............. STORY TIME! YAY!!!!

Not much to tell. I had some 8 week olds that got startled when I opened the coop door.
Mass panic, a knocked down lamp and guards that did not hold. The bulb did not break.

Since I was right there no fire either but a lesson learned.