# Bird rescue - Is this a chicken ??



## REDDEV1L (Nov 27, 2008)

One of the neighbours just brought this to the door, as apparently we 'look after birds' 
Their cat had brought it into their garden and having 3 or 4 cats, they didn't want to keep it.
(It looks unharmed but we're no expert... it won't shut its trap tho.. lol)










Looks to me like a chicken but dunno.
We've got layers mash (for my roaches) so thats whats in the saucer at the mo but they need chick crumb apparently ?

Any info tips tricks and etc greatfully received.


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## Beardy Boy97 (Dec 13, 2011)

I would say definaetly a chicken. It needs to be fed chick crumb and needs to have heat


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

As above, get rid of the cat food and it needs to be in a brooder. A modified viv will do the trick.


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## spottymint (Oct 3, 2010)

Yep, some breed of chicken/bantam.

It's probably calling as it misses it's clutch mates/mum. If a cat got it, it would seem it would have been in a garden with it's mum.

It needs chick crumbs with additional heat, even if it's a light bulb suspended above a box.

Try advertising to see if the owner is local & he/she can return to mum.


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## REDDEV1L (Nov 27, 2008)

Cobbled together something quite decent I think :lol2:

I'm guestimating she's about 2 weeks old (from pics/vids online) so current temp is 32'c which is inline with what i've read. Sound about right ??

Going for some crumb when the old lady gets back from hospital but 'HENrietta' is munching away on the layer mash in there (And chucking it about as you can see... she'd only been in the box 10 mins when I took that pic!!!) but she was very unsure of the mini mealworm... she pecked at it a few times but thats it.


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Looking good. The mash will be ok for a day or two. I'd say that chick is less than 2 weeks. Probably only a few days. As for temperature, if the chick is spending all it's time in the heat, turn it up. If it's spending all it's time in the cool turn it down. I would definitely change the paper to wood shavings which will keep it warm and stop it's legs from splaying and becoming damaged although paper towel is better than newspaper - more grip. Also just be careful that the chick doesn't walk through the water and become chilled, you can raise it up to neck height if possible. As for that it will be lonely, so unless you can find another chick or two (why not? It could be a new venture for you, chickens are amazing animals to keep) it would be best for it to go to someone with chicks if possible.

One more thing if you can use a ceramic or infra red bulb that will be better as the chick will be able to sleep undisturbed at night and stay warm.


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

can't you find its mother? surely not too many of your neighbours have chickens and one seems to have a hen missing a chick!
bloody cats .. I'd like to see one take my goslings from two hissing adult geese :whistling2:


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Pouchie said:


> can't you find its mother? surely not too many of your neighbours have chickens and one seems to have a hen missing a chick!
> bloody cats .. I'd like to see one take my goslings from two hissing adult geese :whistling2:


It'd take a brave cat to cross any of my chooks or ducks! Especially the broodies, I have a CCLegbar cock who attacks my dog!


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## SilverSky (Oct 2, 2010)

i agree, find its mum, it'll be much better off, it needs to snuggle into its mum and siblings, chicks shouldn't be alone.


and i'm sorry to cat owners but this is one of the many reasons i hate cats!


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## sam n mushu (Jun 4, 2012)

awww hope you find its mum, so cute.

before our ginger moggie died a month ago, he used to sit in the back garden with the dog and the 4 chickens we used to have lol quite a site to see, and none of them were bothered by eachother


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Thing is guys, Mum may not take it back. I agree it should be with other chicks but after a few days Mum may kill it.


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## Pouchie (Feb 9, 2008)

Its unlikely she would notice an extra chick placed under her as they can't count and just take anything when broody! lol they cant even tell the difference if you put ducklings under instead...

That said I artificially incubate and raise chicks for a living and they do great with an electric hen or bulb and chick crumb. Mum does a better job but its not like a mammal that is raised on milk. Then you can never replace the mother! In the case of this chick - you can easily replace the mother.

Just figured it would be easier for the op to return chick to its flock.


By the way on the subject of companionship? I was recently given a drake who was taken from the wild as a tiny duckling and raised on his own in a back garden. I took him and put him with three females and he is now a fully fledged duck. He knew he was a duck and knew how to be around ducks. I am sure this chick can easily integrate into a flock when grown on enough to take the pecking order.


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Pouchie said:


> Its unlikely she would notice an extra chick placed under her as they can't count and just take anything when broody! lol they cant even tell the difference if you put ducklings under instead...
> 
> That said I artificially incubate and raise chicks for a living and they do great with an electric hen or bulb and chick crumb. Mum does a better job but its not like a mammal that is raised on milk. Then you can never replace the mother! In the case of this chick - you can easily replace the mother.
> 
> ...


Ducks are more welcoming than chickens, but it will go back to a flock when off heat - chickens can be brutal to newcomers until the pecking order is established. I still disagree with broodies taking chicks back, they can't count but they know their chicks. I've had to take chicks from broodies if they need treatment and had them kill or drive them away when reintroduced. Also if a broody is particularly useless I've tried to put the chicks with another broody and sometimes they accept them but often they well peck and chase them away.
This even happens with careful introduction. Putting the chicks in at night helps a little.

More than anything I've had broodies attack other hen's chicks. That's why I think they don't take well to intruders.


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

The local cats are no match for my Brahmas, even with the cock now departed the remaining hens will easily see them off, I even sat and watched the two of them face down a mangy looking fox yesterday, it was more scared of them than it was of me!


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