What breed is this?

[pokx3]

Good Morning everyone.

Like a month ago we noticed a chicken in the backyard. I didnt worry much because we have neighbours with chickens.
But im starting to think it didn't come from this specific neighbour i was thinking because they have a huuuuuge piece of land and his chickens are pretty far away from where i'm at.

anyway, long story short, there is now a chicken living with us. I have like a cluster of banana trees that she (i think its a she) made here home. I really like watching her do her "chicken stuff" , she seems happy, I put water, i bought some sunflowerseeds with some crunched corn and I throw like 3 hands full in the morning and 3 hands full later in the day like at 3-4pm.

The rest is up to her, she feeds off of bugs and grass and whatever there is in the ground.

I have attached some pictures of her, can anyone help me identify the breed? Or is this a wild/feral chicken?
Can anyone tell the age? Is it looking good?

Thanks.

 

[JedJackson]

She's an American game fowl hen. Looks quite healthy, but it's a shame she's all by herself as chickens are social animals.

 

[pokx3]

She's an American game fowl hen. Looks quite healthy, but it's a shame she's all by herself as chickens are social animals.

Thanks for the reply.
I forgot to say, she can fly very well too.

About her being by herself, what do you suggest? Get a young rooster and release him in that spot?

 

[JedJackson]

Thanks for the reply.
I forgot to say, she can fly very well too.

About her being by herself, what do you suggest? Get a young rooster and release him in that spot?

I would first ask around and see if she belongs to anyone nearby. Maybe ask them to describe her, because some people won't tell the truth.

The problem with getting another chicken is that it likely won't be self sufficient like her. Another may join her in time but otherwise I might leave it alone in this case. She is practically wild.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

I have attached some pictures of her, can anyone help me identify the breed?

That is an American Game hen.

Or is this a wild/feral chicken?

She is likely feral, if she does not belong to anyone. A chicken cannot be wild because they are a domesticated species, that would be the wrong terminology to use. Feral is the correct word because wild means "living or growing in a natural environment; not domesticated or cultivated."

Can anyone tell the age? Is it looking good?

Age is difficult to tell with chickens that are more than a year old. Of course, if they are very elderly then they will look more rough.

 

[pokx3]

I would first ask around and see if she belongs to anyone nearby. Maybe ask them to describe her, because some people won't tell the truth.

The problem with getting another chicken is that it likely won't be self sufficient like her. Another may join her in time but otherwise I might leave it alone in this case. She is practically wild.

thank you for the suggestions.
Im writing this watching the moves..now that you said gamefowl i notice when birds and pigeons come to get some feed, she goes in attack mode..she lowers the head and charges at them like a t-rex would

now i realize what you guys like about chickens, not just the eggs but they have character!

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

thank you for the suggestions.
Im writing this watching the moves..now that you said gamefowl i notice when birds and pigeons come to get some feed, she goes in attack mode..she lowers the head and charges at them like a t-rex would

now i realize what you guys like about chickens, not just the eggs but they have character!

Gamefowl aren't the only ones to chase off other birds from they food, I have an Easter Egger Bantam that won't hesitate to charge and raise her hackles at the cardinals and sparrows that steal the chicken feed. But it is true that gamefowl are more aggressive.

Chickens definitely have their own unique personalities. Being one of the most intelligent birds in the world, it is not a wonder as to why.

 

[JedJackson]

thank you for the suggestions.
Im writing this watching the moves..now that you said gamefowl i notice when birds and pigeons come to get some feed, she goes in attack mode..she lowers the head and charges at them like a t-rex would

now i realize what you guys like about chickens, not just the eggs but they have character!

They do, and they're fun to raise. I bet she appreciates the food and water you're giving her.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Thanks for the reply.
I forgot to say, she can fly very well too.

About her being by herself, what do you suggest? Get a young rooster and release him in that spot?

I wouldn't doubt her being able to fly very well. The vast majority of chicken breeds do fly very good. Only a handful of breeds cannot fly well, and that is due to being bred to be excessively heavy for meat. The recorded top chicken flight speed was 70 mph.

I wouldn't suggest getting a young rooster and releasing him. That might give stress to both the rooster and the hen.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Any updates? Have you given her any new flock members so she doesn't end up depressed? Take note of the fact that one rooster and one hen doesn't usually work out very well. Most roosters breed a lot, so the correct ratio of roosters to hens is 1:10 in order to decrease the chance of one hen getting over-bred. It is also good to have a stable pecking order, which this ratio does keep.