What age is this hen?

[raydraws12]

I rescued her from a parking lot where she was living under cars for 3 weeks and I'm wondering what age she is and if she looks underweight? The area where I found her is a notorious animal dumping ground yet the property owner does nothing about it. She's a bit skittish but a very sweet hen. I just want to make sure she has the best life possible. The image where she is on straw is the cage I had in the yard while I set up a quarantine coop and that cage is 2ft by 4ft. It was left open if she wanted to come out but she stayed in there and chose to just watch me. The last picture is her looking around at part of the back of the 20ft by 10ft quarantine coop. While she's in the quarantine coop, we plan on building a more permanent coop and I'm wondering what size would be best for 2 more hens in addition to her? And should they be the same breed? I was told she's a barnevelder. Also, if she is underweight, what food and supplements should I give her to help her grow?
Sorry for all the questions, I've never kept hens before, I've only petsit hens for family friends.

 

[MountainWoman73]

I think she's either a barnevelder with a different comb type for some reason, or an Easter egger/olive egger with barnevelder in the mix. It's hard to tell age, but she looks young and her comb is red, so she should be laying eggs once she gets over the stress of the move. Chickens couldn't care less what breeds their friends are, but she would like some friends as soon as you can get them.

I don't think this is the case, but if that bird is smaller than an adult (hard to tell from the pictures) , it's just possible that it's an Easter Egger cockerel at about 15 weeks, just before the saddle feathers would start to grow in. That might explain why someone dumped it. But if it's adult size it's for sure a hen.

 

[SilverBirds]

It's difficult to tell the age of adult hens over the age of 1. She looks like a dark Cornish (not the hybrid meat kind) even though her legs are an off color. Could be because of poor breeding or her being malnourished.

When you say your coop is 20ft x 10ft, is that the actual coop/shelter where she sleeps or the run where she's out during the day? A 20ft x 10ft run is great for 3 hens, though you could comfortably fit about 10. A good general rule of thumb is 10sqft per bird as the minimum in the run, but bigger is better. Depending on your location and how much time they will be spending in the actual coop you'll want at least 5sqft per bird, which doesn't include nesting space. If you live in a climate where they may need to be locked up with food in the water in the coop for multiple days, you will want to give them more floor space.

You can feed her an all flock feed with oyster shells on the side or a layer feed.

You do not need to get hens of the same breed.

 

[raydraws12]

It's difficult to tell the age of adult hens over the age of 1. She looks like a dark Cornish (not the hybrid meat kind) even though her legs are an off color. Could be because of poor breeding or her being malnourished.

When you say your coop is 20ft x 10ft, is that the actual coop/shelter where she sleeps or the run where she's out during the day? A 20ft x 10ft run is great for 3 hens, though you could comfortably fit about 10. A good general rule of thumb is 10sqft per bird as the minimum in the run, but bigger is better. Depending on your location and how much time they will be spending in the actual coop you'll want at least 5sqft per bird, which doesn't include nesting space. If you live in a climate where they may need to be locked up with food in the water in the coop for multiple days, you will want to give them more floor space.

You can feed her an all flock feed with oyster shells on the side or a layer feed.

You do not need to get hens of the same breed.

Their run/coop is left open during the day but I lock them in at night. Theres 4 nesting boxes too. My father made it himself and my yard is fenced so they get free roam of that during the day. I was told on another thread she's a barnevelder, does that sound right?

 

[raydraws12]

I think she's either a barnevelder with a different comb type for some reason, or an Easter egger/olive egger with barnevelder in the mix. It's hard to tell age, but she looks young and her comb is red, so she should be laying eggs once she gets over the stress of the move. Chickens couldn't care less what breeds their friends are, but she would like some friends as soon as you can get them.

I don't think this is the case, but if that bird is smaller than an adult (hard to tell from the pictures) , it's just possible that it's an Easter Egger cockerel at about 15 weeks, just before the saddle feathers would start to grow in. That might explain why someone dumped it. But if it's adult size it's for sure a hen.

Thank you so much, I just want her to be happy and get healthy! She seemed to have a rough start!

 

[MysteryChicken]

She is a Dark Cornish bred for egg laying.

 

[MountainWoman73]

She is a Dark Cornish bred for egg laying.

You're absolutely right. I didn't know that breed til just now.

 

[raydraws12]

She is a Dark Cornish bred for egg laying.

I've heard of them being meat birds.. How big and what color are their eggs and how many do these lay a year? I'm only finding the meat variety online...

 

[SilverBirds]

I was told on another thread she's a barnevelder, does that sound right?

No, she has a pea comb. Barnevelders have single combs. She looks like a dark Cornish.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I've heard of them being meat birds.. How big and what color are their eggs and how many do these lay a year? I'm only finding the meat variety online...

Cornish Cross are the meat birds. Dark Cornish are different