Rogue Hen in The Backyard

[LittleRogueHen]

Greetings,
We recently bought a house that the realtor warned us, allegedly came with a "rogue chicken." We laughed about it at the time, but now that we've been in the house two months, we've come to realize, she wasn't joking.

There's a little red hen that hangs out all the time in the backyard, pecking around, eating bugs, cleaning up under the bird feeders and generally walking around like she owns the place. I have no idea where she came from, as there isn't a farm for miles, and we don't really have any neighbors to speak of.

Thing is, I'm worried about her. We have named her Maybel, and with winter approaching, I'm wondering if there isn't something we should be doing for our new friend. Should I build her a little coop? Try to catch her and bring her to a farmer? What do you guys think.

I have no experience at all with poultry, other than getting the turkey that flew through our window out the front door.
This house has crazy poultry, that's for sure!
Thanks very much in advance.
Ann

 

[Faye]

I say yes... get a little coop or build one.... it's cold where you are!!!

Think about gettin two or three more and you'll have eggs for breakfast!!!

Maybe the hobby found you?

Hope you can befriend her!!! lol

 

[purr]

yes yes build a little coop and get her 2 or 30 friends, and then you can build an egg stand and sell eggs to your neighbors and passersby

oh and

and pics we need pics

 

[SSO202]

Yes try and build something to give the bird shelter for the winter. You may have trouble getting the wild/domestic bird to use it at first, but with some coaching it will accept it. A couple more birds may help attract it inside as well. Good Luck!

Feel free to post and ask questions any time. You will surely get your answers.

 

[CarriBrown]

Try befriending her by tossing her tomatoes, grapes, rice, scrambled egg, etc. Before long, you'll have a new friend! She would probably also enjoy a rooster or another hen or two to run around with.
Sounds like you found yourself a new hobby! As funny as it may seem to some, chickens are great to have and they are entertaining, too.

 

[ZepChick]

YAY!!! Be warned, you may get addicted to chickens

 

[heyeddah]

That's how it all starts. You find a chicken at the bustop one day, then you name it, then you worry about it so you buld a house, then you want her to have excercise so you build a run, then you worry that she is lonely so you get friends, then the house is too small.. and it isn't until you start to build the big coop that you realize you are completely hooked and you never saw it coming!!!
The next thing you know yo are on this site all day long....
Good Luck and have fun

 

[setter4]

Hey...didn't Nifty say that the new BYC University shirts say "Every Yard a Chicken" in Latin?
Maybe Nifty sent this little chicken to NY as the beginning of a worldwide campaign!

Lucky you!

 

[CATRAY44]

Quote:
Oh my! I think you have the makings of the next "If You Give the Mouse a Cookie" book... but this version goes " If you give a person a chicken..."

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Quote:
Oh! Oh! I'm off to go start a thread in "Games, Jokes and Fun!" Thanks for the splendid idea!

To the OP: First of all,

!

I think CarriBrown provided some excellent first steps. Work on winning the hen's trust by providing some extra treats.

If you're considering building her a coop and keeping her as your own, spend some time here on BYC, ask whatever questions you like (as you can probably tell, the people here are very friendly and helpful!) and decide if raising chickens is for you. I say chickens because a chicken is a very social creature and would be happier with at least one or two other chicken friends if you decide to put her in a coop and keep her as your own.

Raising chickens is extremely fun and very addicting (have you ever seen a Silkie chicken, by the way?), and we'll all be very glad to encourage and enable/brainwash you in the hobby as much as you'd like.