Stray chicken. What do I do?, and it’s been SO hot.

[HeatherMo]

I live in the country. I own 6 hens and 2 ducks that share a run. We have a large chicken factory across the street. I think they were exterminating their older chickens recently and one escaped. My husband noticed something white in the field a few days ago, and it just made it to my house last night. Which means it’s most likely been without food and water for a couple days, and it’s been SO hot. This thing looks rough, ugliest chicken I’ve ever seen. I felt bad for it and set out some food and water and it’s been hiding in my bush all day, occasionally eating and drinking. Im not sure if I should just leave it be and let nature take its course or to shoot it. It seems kind of cruel to kill it after it’s had a horrible life in a chicken factory and escaped a nasty extermination process (they cram them to the top of a box and gas them). If I leave it, something will eventually find it and kill it. Putting it with my birds seems like a really bad idea. It could be diseased but I doubt it, they vaccinate all their chickens and have to follow a strict code. What would you do?

 

[sumi]

Me, I'd take it in and give it a good home. That poor bird wants to live.

 

[ShannonR]

What kind of chicken is it, a laying hen?

Buy it some new friends and make a separate coop?

In all honesty, I would probably try to intergrate it into my flock if it isnt sick

 

[starri33]

I'm with the others, make it a good life, quarantine for 30 days and then integrate with your flock..

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Me, I'd take it in and give it a good home. That poor bird wants to live.

It escaped its predestined fate so that means it deserves to live.

OP I would quarantine for 2-4 weeks to be sure it isn’t acting sickly and then do the slow introduction method.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

I would rescue her personally!

 

[HeatherMo]

What kind of chicken is it, a laying hen?

Buy it some new friends and make a separate coop?

In all honesty, I would probably try to intergrate it into my flock if it isnt sick

I’m not sure, whatever breed is typical for factory chickens I guess! It’s all white. I’m not sure if it’s still laying. If they were exterminating it’s probably old and done or near done.

 

[chrissynemetz]

I would try to catch it and keep it in quarantine until you know it isn't sick, then integrate it into my flock

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

I’m not sure, whatever breed is typical for factory chickens I guess! It’s all white. I’m not sure if it’s still laying. If they were exterminating it’s probably old and done or near done.

It’s probably a Cornish-Cross. It’s a normal meat bird.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Actually, they usually do it at 2 yrs, and they have alot if laying left! Probably a leghorn!