So a few days ago while out at the coop I saw a teensy little banty hen peek around the outside corner at me. At first, I thought one of my Dutch had gotten out, but after a head count, realized this was NOT one of my birds. We tried to catch her but she flew like a bird over the fence into a tree top. We've been keeping our eyes out for her, because we have two big dogs in our fenced in yard that would love to have her for lunch if she flew back over.(Our chickens stay in the coop, and free range the yard when the dogs are put up in the kennel) Well- today she came back and has been hanging out in the tree that shades our coop. We waited for dark to come, and got a step ladder and a net and caught her. NOW what do I do? She looks to be an OEG or maybe a serama. Red earlobes, yellow legs, same size or a little smaller than my Dutch bantams. I'll post pics tomorrow. A few years ago, we decided we would never introduce anything to the flock we hadn't hatched ourselves or bought as day olds from a hatchery because we had a bad experience with buying some sick birds. BUT- I couldn't just let her get eaten by my dogs, or Lord knows what. Plus the heat index is 110 here today and what has she been drinking? After we caught her, I looked her over really good once we got her in the house. She looks to atleast be laying age because she's nice and red. She's got a decent breast bone so she hasn't been on her own long, or at least has been fairing well. No mites. Looks like she's got an old almost healed wound on her neck probably from a close call being out on her own. Her nails look like they've been clipped at one time. All in all she looks to be pretty healthy. But I have no idea what to do with her. I have Dutch bantams and I really don't want to mix her in with them. I have a pen of mix and match banties I could put her in...but I am so WEARY about older birds and sickness. She's in quarantine. Have you ever had "stray" chickens show up? What would you do?
