Red Rosie, the Rescued Chicken

Ok, I know, I have a bunch of chickens already. I told you I need a 12-step program for chickens, and until I find one, this is what happens...

I was surfing the local animal shelter today (I used to volunteer there and I like to check up on what's new). I happened into the "Barnyard Buddies" section, and darn it, there was a chicken. There was also a rooster. The local shelter is the Animal Rescue League of Iowa (www.arl-iowa.org) but don't go there if you want a chicken - only if you want a rooster. Why? Because I could not leave without the chicken. She is my rescue.

Poor, dear, sweet Rosie was debeaked at some point. She is a sad little creature. Her comb and wattles are very faded. She is incredibly skinny and scraggly looking. She sticks her tongue out all the time. She is very easy to hold and sweet natured. She is molting (I think). She was picked up downtown in a bad part of town with the rooster, as a stray. She wasn't claimed and was named "Chic" but I re-named her Red Rosie.

I thought she was an RIR, but now I'm not sure. Any guesses? Why would anybody so brutally debeak this chicken? It's horrible! She has a permanent little hole in the middle of her beak. She looks like she's whistling. She had lice when found and has been treated. I am quarantining her for now, of course, but hope she can cope in the normal "pecking order" since she cannot peck.

I would love to hear guesses on her breed, advice for rescued chickens, advice on the quarantine thing (30 days?), advice on introducing her to the flock, and any other advice on getting her back up to health. Right now I have her on chick crumbles and dandelions. Should I give electrolytes in the water?

Many thanks, from me and from Red Rosie. I do love her so much already.
Claire

Red Rosie's beak

Beak and comb, which is single and pale.

I had her in this cage for about 5 minutes while setting up her proper enclosure for quarantining. I took these pics to get an idea of her feather color. Please do not think she is stuck in this little cage. She is not. It was extremely temporary. I just didn't want her to run away!

Last one. Poor girl. She is SO skinny. Her breastbone is all poking out. I really hope she will pull through quickly and get healthy and robust.

Oh how horrible ! for her. Poor thing. She is lucky to get you for a new mom.

Maybe New Hampshire? Or Red-Star or one of the other red-sexlinked? They debeak in commercial batteries--pretty brutally. But some people think all chickens need to be debeaked and do it themselves.

In one of my British chicken books they discuss how awful battery chickens look when they are rescued--but how quickly they recover with love and care. I know Red Rosie will have a wonderful new life now.

This message was edited Aug 19, 2008 10:54 PM

I guess it's possible she might have come from a battery - we have enough of them in Iowa. She would have had to either escape or something, because they don't presently adopt them out like they do in the UK. Plus, she was found wandering with a rooster.

So you don't think she's RIR? I will have to look up New Hampshire and Red Star now.

Don't think it is a New Hampshire. Mine are all red, but as the started to lay thier feathers lighted up a lot. Red Rosie looks to have white in her wings and none of my New Hampshires have that. Just a guess, but would rule out New Hampshire. I would also look into red sexlinks.

Sheila

I had a sexlink bunch of chicks and they tried to peck one another to death! They tried to eat their rear ends out. The next ones I ordered I had them debeak them. Half of them died because they couldn't eat. Never again! They debeak because of canabilism (SP). You'll have to be sure she can eat the food you give her. That's probably why she's so skinny. Good luck with her! If you get her laying pellets she should come around pretty quick!

I wanted to cry when I saw her little beak like that. I'm so glad you found her. Keep us posted!

you will be a good mommy, she is in good hands now.

She's on laying pellets mixed with chick crumbles right now.

I thought the debeaking for cannibalism was not near as harsh as her beak. I mean, I have a picture in my books of how to debeak, and it doesn't look like her at all. It seems like hers was pretty brutal...

This morning she got a large serving of cottage cheese and she is devouring it. She also got some grapes that I had cut open for her. She loves those too. She seems to be eating the chick crumbles. I gave her dandelions but she doesn't seem to eat them. Maybe she can't. I will try again but I'll cut the leaves up into little bits.

Any advice on introducing her to the rest of the flock?
Should I give electrolytes?
Claire

I have one that her little beak is broke, looks like a jagged fingernail. She is not having any problems eating at all. Maybe this could have happened to her.

what a dear you are Claire!

i would get some chicken vitamins to put in her water, cut up the dandelions, and if she still an't eat them, make a tea from it [Molly can tell you how]

have you considered a prosthetic beak? i am not kidding... otherwise i dont' think she will make it with the rest of the flock. wish you could have gotten the rooster too, so she wouldn't be so lonely...

Rosie is the perfect name, she will be quite the hen when you get her feeling better...

Oh My!

So many chickens to rescue and so little time! A very big THANK YOU to Claire for helping dear little Red Rosie!!!

Now, once you get this little pullet going, you ought to consider rehoming her where she would be the only hen. Perhaps getting her rooster would make her happier and also easier to place. I believe they were wandering because they were dumped! She cannot eat well enough to lay, nor can she protect herself in her poor botched beakless condition. And she kept trying to fly out of her pen for safety even with her wings clipped.

Honestly though, there are so many chickens that the CF must tend to, that I depend on folks like you, and many here on this forum, to spread the word. And so my words are often brief and to the point, but no "sternness" intended...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CF

She is such a sweet thing. I will get the vitamins going in her water when I get home this evening. Do they have prosthetic beaks? Where do you get one?

Difficulties re: the rooster:
1) The area of town they were found in is fairly well known for cock fighting among the illegal immigrant population in that area. Thus, I suspect the roo is a fighter.
2) The ARL has a policy on adopted animals of no breeding, which I fully support and understand, but that would mean if I did get the roo, I can't house him with her (or I have to get him neutered...do they even neuter roos if you ask?) because I signed the contract that I would not breed her, and I am true to my word on these things.

I rather suspect she was a "brood mare" so to speak for raising fighting cocks. I could be way wrong, but they were nowhere near anywhere agricultural, and that area of town has a problem with that issue.

Here's a thought - once we get the bigger coop finished (this weekend) and once we move the current flock into it, maybe she could go by herself in the Eglu? But I could set up the Eglu next to the enclosed run of the other coop so she would be able to "be with" the other chickens but not be attacked by them. Could I house some gentle bantams with her? Maybe silkies or some low-aggression breed? It would be awesome if she would go broody on me - I could use her with chicks from the other hens! That would give her a good task and hopefully keep her busy and happy.

Claire

She looks a little big to be a game hen. My ex raised them for years. The answer to the breeding problem is....just don't hatch out any eggs from her!
Game hens are never debeaked. In the chicks I had, the person who debeaked them didn't know how to do it properly, and that's why they died. Looks like that's what happened to Rosie! She should get along fine with the other chickens when she gets better. Just make sure she gets her fair share of food!!

I don't think she looks like a game hen either--but they may have used her for some other reason. Cock fighters are pretty sophisticated in their breeding programs--but a lot of people like to have chickens around because they grew up with them just subsisting on what is available--which most dual purpose hens can't really do. She may have been ill-used, but not with the intent to hurt her.

I just noticed that your hen has an obvious theme song. Maybe if you sing that to her she settle in that much more quickly. Everybody likes a theme song.

Red Rosie, the rescued chicken
Had a much foreshortened beak
And if you ever saw her
You'd know it didn't make her meek

All of the other chickens
Used to laugh and call her names (BOCK)
They never let poor Rosie
Join in any chicken games

Then CMoxon came to town
Lookin' for a friend
Rosie with your beak so slight
Come back home with me tonight

You finish

All of Claire's chickens loved her,
As they laid their eggs with glee,
Red Rosie, the rescued chicken,
Now you've found your familyyyyyyyyyyy

(Super theme song Grownut!! Thank you!!!)

It kept popping into my head every time I read the thread title. I couldn't hold it any longer!! Glad you like.

What a wonderful thing to do! I know Rosie will thrive and be happy with your family.

I just lost my two lovely roosters to coyotes, Iowa is a little far to go and adopt the lost rooster, but it is tempting!

My husband shot a coyote just an hour ago - it was in the woods close to the barn, and our dog, Gunner, took off after it and chased it across the field, and my husband was able to get a shot off with my 22 and kill it.

I have no idea how many coyotes are out there, but gosh, I'm so mad they killed both Rocky and Sequel!

So sorry to hear of your losses Beth. I can't imagine how you must be feeling.

Would you go to Kansas City for a rooster? I could adopt him and go there for a weekend - I love visiting KC. Plus, I'm about to get 3 roosters I need to find homes for (a friend is moving to Colorado) and I have some roosters who are about 5-6 weeks old. Crosses between Black Australorp and barred rocks.

Claire

We are only about 25 or 30 miles from Kansas City - we are about 10 miles West of Leavenworth, Kansas.

wow, sound slike the CF is at it again! IN KANSAS NO LESS!

Claire, chickens can't have babies without a little help from you LOL... and they are not the game fighting type...

love that song grownut!

tf

Beth - I know that the friend who is moving to CO has a Light Brahma and a Barred Rock Roo. His other one I don't know the type. The Roo at the shelter is a nice looking bird also. He can be found here:

http://www.arl-iowa.org/aspx/generalcontent.aspx?pid=1

If that takes you to the main page - just go to the adopt-a-pet category of "barnyard buddies" and he is the only animal in that category. The pic on the site isn't the greatest. He has lovely greenish feathers in his tail.

If you would like him, I will adopt him and bring him to you - I didn't realize how close to KC you were - so I could just meet you at a location of your choosing in Easton, or I can bring him to your home if you like and if you give me directions. Likewise with any of my friends roos - I will be looking for homes for them. I couldn't do it this weekend but I could do weekend of August 30/31 or on September 7. The 6th I can't do because I am adopting 3 seramas and they are coming to Des Moines that day for me to pick up!

My mixed breed chicks are too young to know which are roos yet so you'd have to wait for those ones!

Claire

Here is a pic of some of the variation in Rosie's feathers. She seems to have some lacing on her rear back/tail feathers. Her hackle feathers are quite dark in comparison to her side/leg feathers which even include white.

Here is a picture of one type of red sex-linked hybrid. The general description is of a pullet with generally light red feathers with either some white feathers or white "under feathers". It is a very popular cross for egg production. They go by several names including red-star--some hatcheries have developed their own strains which the give a proprietary name. Could Rosie be one of these?

http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/product/red_star.html

Catscan - certainly looks like a possibility. I found some other pictures of red sex link pullets from Googling. The only difference I can see between most of those pictures and Rosie is that she has not got the white tail feathers that most of them seem to have. But, she might just have lost a lot of her tail feathers due to her currently poor condition. I am hopeful she is actually molting and not just losing feathers for some other reason. I think I'll assume that she is a red sex link for now, because she doesn't seem to fit RIR or other breeds. I am hoping she will fill in after molting with more feathers and also get back some weight on her. She is so bony right now. It is weird to hold her compared to my other chooks - she feels unnaturally light for her size. She also seems kind of small (even with her skinny frame) compared to my partridge rock and barred rock girls.

yep...

I think she's a sex link, too. She looks like the ones I had, but their leg and belly feathers were white. Little red hens with white underwear!

She definitely has white belly feathers. A lot of them are really matted on her belly so I trimmed a bunch of them. She looks better now and the dust baths help too. Probably too much information here, but I was pleased to see that her stools were really large and normal looking today. That means she's eating! Otherwise not much would be coming out. Her first day she was a bit runny. Anyway, that also means that she doesn't have any kind of digestive infections.

She sounds like a "sil-go-link". Silver-gold. They're excellent layers, many double yolks!

She hasn't laid yet. Of course I don't know how old she is. Maybe someone got rid of her because she stopped laying? It doesn't matter to me if she lays or not - I'm glad to give her a good home, regardless of her eggs. But if she does lay, it will be a fabulous bonus! I will go look up the silver gold links.

She doesn't look to old, give her laying pellets. They lay BIG eggs!

I'm not sure if she can manage the pellets with her beak. She's on the crumbles right now but I will test with pellets to see if she can eat them. It would be great if she was an egg layer!

Hi Claire--did you see this link?

http://www.the-coop.org/wwwboard/discus/messages/15/5132.html

Interesting - that particular hen has more white to her underside than Rosie does.

This link shows hens that look VERY similar to Rosie.

http://www.centralhatchery.com/chicks.html
(top right picture)

So she may be a Sil-go. Or she may just be a red sex-linked. I am not 100% sure.

Sil-gos, Cinnamons, and Red-Star are all named red-sexlinked. It is confusing.