Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Wishing4Wings]

Aw Debby, that is just so sad. free ranging is always a risk, but in the rain it's even higher. one of the main reasons why I don't let mine out even in a drizzle.

the above little hen is new to my flock. arrived today. she's the last of her flock, picked off one by one, by a hawk or a fox... poor pretty little hen... her previous owner is just too heartbroken to continue keeping chickens right now... she'll do fine, very sweet and tame. I want to put her with Brutus.

Pretty! Brutus will be happy. Is she black or some sort of dun or chocolate? How's she doing in her new home?

 

[lynnc1120]

A friend gave me one of his 1 year old RIR. Rosie is not sad anymore but agitated with the new girl. I just caught wind of a closed Facebook group that someone told me there was a post selling two chickens in the area. I messaged each of the administrators explaining my suspicions, and asking to post a return of the chickens, no questions asked. My girls are all "pure-bred" heritage breeds. Real beauties...

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Oh wow. 2 legged predators maybe. Hope you get your chickens back.

 

[lynnc1120]

Thank you!

 

[cheeka]

she's out free ranging and I'll try to get some pics in natural light. she's between chocolate and black. and sweet as can be. she laid an egg this morning. about half the size of my normal bantam eggs.
in certain light, her face and comb look black, but as you can see, it does have tinges of red. she's very interesting.

 

[BullChick]

Zero eggs today. Steven was mating about half an hour ago. (I just got a sudden urge to incubate eggs!

)

 

[Wishing4Wings]

MC, what does Jazlynn think of the chickens? Is she going to be a chicken wrangler some day?

 

[BullChick]

She seems to like them. I don't really think that her grandmother, aunts, or her parents have introduced her to the other chickens next-door. They haven't mentioned it, and I haven't seen it.
I was looking online for baby boots. $70-100!! I'm sure I can go to Walmart for rain boots when she needs them. I know she can't wear her sneakers. Most importantly, because her aunts aren't into being clean. I'm not risking contamination.
Then there is the fact that her shoes are still toys and if she has poop on them, it will spread everywhere!

 

[Debby27]

Hi Everyone,
Just a note to say we got 2 free girls from a friends mother last nite. Bless their hearts, the roo's had had their way with them....mean ol boys, while we were there looking them over they jumped at least 3 of the girls....alot of them were missing feathers or baldheaded. I told my BF that we needed to get the 2 that were the most beat up just because I couldn't stand seeing them getting jumped in the 15 min's I was there. And we don't who this woman talks to about chickies, but she clipped both wings on all her hens!!

So we have for Gladys a bald-headed RIR with clipped wings & the other girl is mostly intact with some patches missing. They did give us 2 eggs this morning!

So I guess they are not too stressed out with the move. I'm thinking they are just glad to get away from the Big Abe & Little Abe....the notorious hen jumpers....Gladys is wary around them...my BF just put them in with her yesterday.....I wasn't home to tell him to keep them in their crate till morning and then we would introduce them or not. Well I guess they got along ok, cause when I opened the coop door this morning there was no bloodbath or angry chickies....yay! They've never had treats other than stale cereal, so the peaches and bread I took them this afternoon was like heaven for them...LOL...they acted like they hadn't eaten in days....poor Gladys couldn't get in to snatch anything, I finally took her out with me and we had some one on one time together. BF is "getting rid" of the fox tomorrow with the help of some friends....we'll see how that goes. I have a feeling it's already moved to another den after he trailed her the other nite and found it.

Have a question though......how long will it take for Baldy to get her feathers back on her head and other areas & how long will it take for their wings to grow back out? I've read various posts and it's all over the place.....from weeks to months to never! and is there anything to speed up the process a little....i saw to add more protein to their diet, but worried that too much protein might not be that good for them.......any insight would be appreciated!

You all have a great evening & weekend!!!

 

[BullChick]

Too much protein too long is dangerous. Just like it is for humans. Right now, give them fish/cat food for good protein, and the feathers will come in faster. I don't know "how long" it will take, but I wouldn't fuss about the added protein for at least a month. That is my opinion.