Chicken pics! I showed the one of her butt so you can see what happens when a hen is forced to sit in one spot for it's entire life. It is much better now than it was when I first rescued her.
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Chicken pics! I showed the one of her butt so you can see what happens when a hen is forced to sit in one spot for it's entire life. It is much better now than it was when I first rescued her.
Thanks Liz, that is one healthy and lucky chicken! I hate to see the trucks here in NC filled with chickens heading for the Sanderson farms chicken plant. Seeing them makes me want to never eat chicken again, but I always do. I sure understand why some people want to be vegetarians. I had Tofu for lunch today.
Barb
Aww she is a sweetie! This must be heaven compared to her previous life. You have a very kind heart Liz.
Patty
The thing about supermarket chicken is that it is so cheap and so easy. We don't even think about it once been a live animal that was raised in inhumane conditions. But I buy it, too. I bought all the stuff to slaughter and process chicken but I just don't have the guts. If I did, I'd have a meat flock in addition to my layers.
You just gave this chicken a new home. It seems like she's enjoying the safe environment in her new home. What a lovely Chantecler chicken that you have there.
Thank you, Bella. If I hadn't rescued her she'd have been spattered on the highway. I know by looking at her that she is happier and healthier.
I thought I lost her to a predator again. She slept outside somewhere for 2 nights in a row. It's those dang roosters. The days are getting longer, it's be warm and there is only one thing on their mind. It's so bad that some of the hens have bald places on their backs. Poor little sweetie doesn't stand a chance. In fact the last time I saw her before she disappeared she was running away from a rooster.
Finally, late this morning I looked in the chicken house and there she was. I guess she got hungry and decided that it was worth dealing with the roosters to get a full belly.
Al, sorry I’m so late in replying. I wish I could have a rooster here but our town won’t allow them. Idiotic if you ask me.
My Hens are louder than a rooster when they sing their egg songs. It’s a stupid rule and likely caused the death of one of my Hens! Roosters watch the sky and alert at the first sign of a hawk. Unfortunately this town has forgotten its agricultural roots. Liz, I too bought Heavy Breeds only thinking that would help. Sadly the hawk never even tried to carry her off he just killed her and began eating her right there on the ground. I read that they hunt small game by swooping down, carrying off their prey and lifting them high up in the sky then dropping them to kill them then eat them. Not so in this case for sure, my Hens are Huge!
Anyhow, I enjoyed reading about your rescue chicken.
I lost two this year to a red tail hawk. Last one hit her right inside the coop doorway and ate her there.. picked away at the head, neck and upper breastmeat. Such a shame. I now have both my coops locked up and the girls are not happy.They have their runs but Im not letting them out in the yard until spring and the leaves are out for cover.
Usually we dont get red tails in our yard as we have breeding pairs of red shouldered hawks in the area. These are less likely to hit big chickens.I havent see my red shouldered around so that may be why the red tails are such a pita this year.
al
YES. I’m in north CT and we are seeing numbers of red tails like I’ve never seen in my life! We have bald eagles, cooper hawks and I swear a saw a Golden Eagle fly over my neighbors property. It looked like a tereadactyl! (Sp?)
Funny you mention it ate at her head. Same with mine, he took her eyeball first then started at her head. Her body didn’t have a spot of blood. We are doing exactly the same as you. Our girls are stuck in their run until Spring. I’m hoping by then the cover is better and the Hawks will have plenty more prey to choose from. Our Hens are Not Happy stuck inside but I can’t risk losing another.
Liz,
I meant to mention that we’ve got a few Colombian Wyandotte as well. Nice Breed.
Mine are actually Light Brahmas. I looked up the Colombian Wyndottes and they look identical. The only difference I can see is that the Brahmas have feathers on their legs.
Liz do you have problems with hawks or just the ground critters where you are?
al
Last year the hawks were bad. I had a hen with 2 little chicks and the chicks were both taken. I also had an adult hen scooped up. I saw it with my own eyes. 2 days later she showed back up no worse for the wear. I figured that she was too heavy for him and he dropped her and she was able to slow her decent by flapping her wings. She still would have landed with a big thump. I couldn't believe that she survived.
This year except for 1 brutal cold week it has been warm here. The hawks must be finding more tasty prey. I haven't even seen any flying overhead.
Even the ground critters haven't been a problem this year. I never set a trap for the one that was taking my hens last year because my dogs run free, too and all I would have caught is my own dogs.
Maybe Pip will be your critter catcher. Ha ha
Patty
It would be bad news for her if she tried to tangle with a coyote. I wouldn't want her to try to take on a fox either.