Stay with me, it's a long story

[SBFChickenGirl]

Love the coop. A friend would definitely be helpful. I agree with @puffypoo. Looks like Red Star, or a Production Red. It'll be easier to tell when she's got all of her feathers.

 

[Woytgirl]

Then she won’t necessarily need the heat lamp if she has enough bedding inside her house.

 

[Woytgirl]

Also I give my chickens extra scratch in winter, it’s a nice treat for them but it also helps them to stay warm.

 

[Chickassan]

Aww she's precious! Her skin looks a little angry, once her bugs are gone that will improve. I suggest high protein treats like mealworms and boiled eggs to help her feathers even further and high omega 3 treats like salmon or sardines to get her skin tip top. As mentioned her home could be raised a bit, make sure it locks proper too. She should not need any additional heat at your temps, and since you only have her if it gets sub zero i'd just bring her inside. Such a nice ending for an obviously sweet hen.

 

[4 Georgia Hens]

First off let me start off by explaining how i became mother to this one hen.
My neighbor, he is an elderly man has had, in the time I've been living here ( 14 months) a 10x10 dog kennel where he would house dogs, then chickens, then goats, and so on. So he had about six or so chickens and during the day he lets them out and they would always hang out in my yard all day laying in the pine needles under my 10+ pine trees in my yard. I would feed them my food scraps, i am vegan ( unless my husband kills it in the woods) so they were getting vegetables and during the summer i would freeze watermelon for them and they really enjoyed that.
Well over time the six chickens turned into five, and then four, then three until there was only two. My now chicken, her name is Sue was always the odd one out, the others would peck at her and she never had all her feathers on her back. So the two chickens stayed in my yard pretty much all the time. Then no one but Sue came over for a few days, and i didn't see my neighbor outside everyday like normal so i went to check on him and he wasn't home, so i asked our other neighbor and turns out he had had a heart attack and had surgery and was in rehab, this is all happening in the after math of a hurricane where out neighborhood was extremely messed up and we had no power for seven days. So it was just Sue i bought her actual chicken food and gave her water and next thing i know she is sleeping right at my back door every night. It was about ten o'clock one night and i felt bad for her sleeping out there with no shelter at all so i made a temporary box with an old cat litter box and she slept in it on her own after that.
So i then decided this is my chicken and i got her a home, i hope is proper, i feed her and give her water and i got some feather regrow food because of how her feathers have always been. We have formed a bond like I've never seen with a chicken. If i am lounging outside in my chair she hops up and sits on me and we just hangout. I love her dearly and i want what's best for her. My neighbor came home from rehab, i talked to him about Sue. He said i could have her and that she was old and wasn't laying (she has been laying for me) he also told me that something had killed the other chicken ( the last next to Sue) right outside of there coop. And we have coyotes very very close. So now that she is officially mine i want to take excellent care of her but i am having a few issues i don't know what to do or where to look... Thank goodness i found this website. Here are my concerns.
1. i noticed yesterday when she was sitting on me that she has some bugs, they are little white bugs, lice or mites i'm not sure.
2. what type of chicken is she?
3. Is it safe to eat her eggs?
4.She laid about six eggs for me and then yesterday her egg shell was soft and she ate her egg, today the same thing, is that normal?
5. Is her house good enough?
6. is the heat lamp i put up for her going to over heat her or cause a fire?
i have gotten the powder and the spray for the lice or mites and plan on using them Saturday as soon as i have the time off work. I know there is other questions i had but they have left my mind. If you have read this entire post, THANK YOU!! I just want to make Sue happy like she does me. Thanks for your help and Thanks for listening, Here are some photos * also i know i have a lot of grammatical errors, i'm in a rush so no need to tell me View attachment 1602933 View attachment 1602933

I believe that you have a Red SexLink! I have one who must be Sue’s twin! Good luck to you!!

 

[meaughtman]

Ya'll are awesome thank you so much for the feedback. I plan on getting the shed coop up and running as soon as possible. Even though she has lived outside for so long, I dont want anything to get my girl or I'll be heart broke . She's my familiar and I love her so.

 

[HeyHo]

What a lovely lovely story! That is one lucky chicken. Best of luck to you and Sue. She looks just like my Golden Comets. And keep reading everything you can on this site and post whenever you have a question! Everyone here is very helpful.

 

[andreanar]

It sounds like you would be wrecked if something killed her, so I will tell you to keep her safe there can be no openings anywhere in her coop. Nothing bigger than 1/4 inch. YOu can go to Lowes or the like, and get 1/4 inch hardware cloth and cover all openings with it. Critters will also dig under to get in. Everything loves to eat chicken!
She's a pretty girl and such a great story. Use Permethrin, either dust or spray, to get rid of her bugs. Offer her oyster shell and poultry grit in a separate bowl from her feed, she will eat what she needs. I definitely would not use the heat lamp, she doesn't need it, and its dangerous.

 

[DobieLover]

Thank you for adopting this girl and trying to do right by her.
I agree with others that your biggest concern is predator protection - you need to lock her up at night to prevent anything getting at her. Next would be eliminating her external parasites. You are already on the right track with nutrition.
There are lots of good articles here on BYC to read on coop features, from ventilation to roost and nest box placement and litter and poop management.
I am anxious to watch your and Sue's story unfold as you get underway making her new home and getting her some new friends!
Good luck to both of you.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

You don't need a heat lamp for her, and after those feather fixer feed is finished, you can just get her a bag of 'layer feed'...... with layer feed you don't need to buy oyster shells on the side for her as they already have enough calcium in it for producing strong eggs.