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

[HeatherMo]

I posted in Michigan backyard chickens and someone very local says they will get her tomorrow morning! Yay!

 

[Fishkeeper]

I'm not surprised. Bad condition or not, that's a free laying hen. And those places have to keep disease out so it doesn't spread and kill off all their stressed stock (i.e. all the birds), so hopefully all she needs is food and sunlight. I'd be careful with the sun, though, so she doesn't get sunburnt.

 

[ValerieJ]

I posted in Michigan backyard chickens and someone very local says they will get her tomorrow morning! Yay!

I love a happy ending!

 

[AnimalmomSarah]

Save the babe!

 

[BigMoma3]

Oh the poor thing. Looks like they force molted the layer house to shock the hens into final egg production before gassing them. That’s common practice in the egg industry. Just take them off food and water for a week or two and they go into molt, once that happens they give them food again and they will lay real well for a few weeks and then they gas them.

This is exactly why I started my backyard flock! After coming out of the dark and finding out how factory birds were treated, I couldn't stand the thought of buying grocery store eggs anymore. I'm so glad you took the time to care for and find a good home for that sweet bird. Happy ending indeed.

 

[EggWalrus]

I just saw baited breast then it disappeared. What's that and where did it go? Did someone mean basted breast?

 

[21hens-incharge]

I just saw baited breast then it disappeared. What's that and where did it go? Did someone mean basted breast?

I have been online and popping in as soon as I get notified. I didn't see it.....

 

[Helloworld]

she came from a chicken factory
and she worked hard to get herself free. Thousands of chickens and she got up and ran for her life! And she crossed the road! Do you know why? Because she past your house and saw the two of you loving your chickens so much. ‘I want to live there’, she said and quickly made her plan. Have you ever heard people say, ‘ the one’s past come to us as an animal or whatever. First, she watched you under the bush, wishing you could get beyond her ugly self. You brought her food and water and that made her believe that you were starting to care. I bet she would love a place of her own, somewhere to recoup from her face being squeezed through the back of a truck and she can be watched away from yours. A little more time and you can talk to one another and see neither is not so bad. Save her and love her. It could be someone u knew. Those chickens are processed at 6 weeks? She just saw outside for the first time!
Keep her and she will be your best friend. I think she needs a bath and drying off and put to bed on the fluffiest bed lol.

I had to edit, lol, what if that was your mom or dad! I think my father n law is a fly. Lol My friend seems to come as a butterfly. Same one, following my sister n law for days. They don’t have older chickens... could you take your entire life living like that? Great now Im not eating chicken lol.

Ps....putting waterfowl with chickens is a no no. You risk salmonella poisoning to your chickens and the eggs your eating. It is picked up through mama if infected when eggs are laid. Ducks need water to eat then swallow too.

 

[sehfergy]

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?

i’d quarantine it for a few weeks & give it a home w/ my chickens. i’d let him/her live the good life. poor buddy.

 

[Spiritsmeadow]

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?

This is a heart-centered answer, but I would keep it. Her? life has been hell on earth, and often those chickens will regain their strength and perk up, realize they're free and fit right into your coop. If I lived near you (I'm in Colorado) I'd take her in a heartbeat. Poor thing, I'm all for "give her a chance". Which is, maybe, not what you hoped to hear but that's my 2cents. Bless your heart! Good Luck!