Foster Chicken

It so happens that one of the Chickens I'd given to a neighbor was not doing well.  She seemed to be broody but then was also breaking the eggs.  In that flock with one bird really laying, egg broken egg was a tragedy.

If offered to take the problem bird in for a few days.  She was clearly weaker than the other birds, pecked featherless on her neck and back and terrified.  Clearly so.  Clinging to me whenever she got a chance.  She arrived in a box and I decided to put her in a bigger box and put that box with its open but protective cover in the coop with my birds.  I would bring her food and water separately.

I describe my birds as pretty laid back.  In the summer, they will hang out with us (humans of all ages, an occasional dog, the cat etc) and be very calm.  They take the noises and commotion of our back yard in the city in stride - even the occasional skunk or raccoon at their pen doesn't put them off laying.  They get ruffled when a dog isn't chicken friendly and when the local hawks (Coopers and Red Tailed) come by to dream.  They run into the coop and seem fine.

It was a surprise to me when this one, weak, bedraggled hen-in-a-box set them into a hissing fit.  Jurassic hissing.  Growling.  I was impressed, maybe even a little scared.  Who knew such foul sounds could come from fowl?

I stuck to my guns and after a week or so I let the recovering hen out into the coop - this didn't go well either.  She was getting beat up at a rate that wasn't fair.  She liked being out to get her own food and water but she would end up buried under a table or in a corner under a nestbox when the others were allowed enter.  So back in the box she went.

I ended up sending her home in a box.  She had more feathers and was stronger.  But I think she will always be a weaker one that will need a little bit of protection from the other birds around her.  Word back is that she is doing OK but not laying yet - I think she has to put on more weight to get back to laying.

We'll see but I will be much more careful about introducing new members of the flock from now on.