Wally's Journal - A Rescue Hen

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HomesteaderWife

HomesteaderWife

Free Ranging
10 Years
Apr 24, 2015
2,474
10,097
577
Alabama
On September 4th, 2020 our normal grocery shopping trip turned into a small rescue mission. In the parking lot of the shopping center, we pulled in and saw a chicken huddled in the shade under a parked truck on a hot day. No farms around, I told my husband if it was still there when we left that we would try to get it. We came out later and asked a few people who had been out there who said as far as they knew it had been running around in the parking lot all morning with no owner in sight. I realized upon cautious approach that it was a hen, and I knew we had to catch her because she was panting heavily and trying to escape the heat under vehicles. She kept running any time someone approached her and headed towards traffic, desperately trying to follow moving vehicles for shade. We could not leave her in this huge parking lot with no food or water, running around in the heat with a chance of being hit by a car. She was missing alot of feathers on her back and around her neck and wings, some molting but other under neck and such appearing to be old wounds later. The condition of her feathers was poor as well. My husband managed to finally catch her and we brought her home, with the help of another kind lady (thank you to this stranger) who was also helping us herd her around with a towel. Needless to say, "Wally" has found herself a new home.

I've never tried making a chicken journal, but she was a special girl and I figured it would be interesting to keep up with her. It would be nice to look back on, and maybe others would find it fun to follow her story along the way. Her updates will be made in separate posts, so just browse through and you can see how things are going!

Photos: Wally begins her quarantine while adjusting to human care slowly.
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Last edited:
September 17th, 2020-
Tomorrow will mark two weeks since Wally was rescued. She's nearly halfway through her quarantine period, and the slow process of introducing her will begin. She's opened up alot to human care and has finally begun a few vocalizations. For instance, at a distance the other day she noticed a hen going into the nest, and began a wild clucking fit. Her feathers on her back are finally growing back as well. We examined her for parasites initially on her arrival to not see any, and stool looks good as well. Eating healthily and enjoying a worm or two as a snack.

Yesterday, she had to be put in the big crate in the shop in case Hurricane Sally tracked towards us. (Our thoughts are with those impacted, and wishing everyone near the Gulf well.) This was not a happy moment for her, as she had to be handled and was displeased about it all. I just wasn't confident about her outdoor quarantine enclosure in case of heavy rains and high winds. Today she'll be going back outside to her enclosure until next month (barring any more bad weather) before we try to slowly include her with the other birds.

edit: The move back outside was easier! She was squawking a bit but very happy to be back to normal. She was very easy to handle.

Photo: Wally before moving back outside after hunkering down!

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