new birds

[Tudor Bell]

A stray hen turned up at the stables where I keep my horse. She is very friendly, obviously been handled. Some livery owners didn't like her so I was asked if I would take her. She's settled in well and is laying. Because I don't know where she's from or how she was kept,I'm dubious about using her eggs.How can I check what she's laying is edible?

 

[chrismahon]

Hi Tudor Bell and welcome to the forum. The only time her eggs would not be edible is if she has been on medication. Some drugs have an egg and meat withdrawal period so eggs can't be consumed or the bird eaten for a specified period. That period is specified by the drug manufacturer or the vet and would be a maximum of 28 days but usually 7 or 14. It is most probable she has not had had any medication at all, but if you want to be sure wait the 28 days. So that will be 28 days from when she turned up at the stables. Crack one into a bowl now, as some hens do lay the occasional rogue egg. We had one that on very rare occasions laid an egg with no membrane around the yolk, so the yolk and white mixed when the egg was opened. We have had thousands of eggs from our chickens and only two as described.

Personally, I'd be eating the eggs now and enjoying them.

Next problem is what to do with her longer term. She needs secure dry accommodation or she will fall victim to a dog or fox. She will also like company perhaps, but that isn't always the case as we have had several hens perfectly happy with just us for company. Could be she escaped from wherever to be on her own? Any idea of her breed?

 

[Marigold]

HiTudor Bell and welcome from me,too.
Well done for taking on this hen, she certainly sounds in need of care. As you say that she is friendly and seems to be someone's pet, have you been able to put up posters locally about her? It's quite possible her owner is having sleepless nights worrying what has happened to her and whether a fox has killed her. We had a similar case on here recently, where someone took in a stray hen, looked after her temporarily, and then succeeded in finding her grateful owner.
I wondered if you had found the link to the main Poultrykeeper website, see the bottom of the page, also here http://poultrykeeper.com/ which has lots of helpful info on keeping chickens, in case you haven't had any before.
As Chris says, her main needs will be a secure coop and run, and also she will need to eat layers pellets, which you can get at any agricultural store, and also at Pets at Home if this is nearer to you. She will need a supply of grit and oystershell, in a pot to pick at when she needs it, and of course clean fresh water. If you can't find her owner and do decide to keep her, you might like to buy a proper poultry feeder and drinker as these will reduce spillage and contamination when she scratches. Check her over carefully to see if she has any parasites. Look under her tail around her vent, and under her wings and round her neck, checking for small white eggs or dirty- looking feathers. She may also need worming.
Don't worry about eating the eggs, if she appears bright and healthy I think they're just her little present to you as a way of saying thank you!

 

[Tudor Bell]

Hi, thanks for the welcome and advice. No-one has made any enquiries in or around the stables, and I'd certainly return her if her owner can be found. As for breed she's a 'brown hen' and is locked away at night with my other chickens.I keep a small number of Pekin Bantams but am still quite new to the keeping chickens game. Love the forum, I've learnt a lot from it. By the way the bird was christened 'Margaret' by the stables staff.

 

[Marigold]

That all sounds good, lucky Margaret! From your first post it wasn't clear whether you had kept chickens before, and you didn't say you already had some. It sounds as if she's an egglaying hybrid, probably an Isa Brown or similar, which would help account for her continued egglaying throughout a period which would have stressed most hens into stopping. Also she may be quite young if she hadn't showed signs of slowing down with the days getting shorter and may go on laying through the winter. Did the other hens accept her OK?

 

[Tudor Bell]

Hi Marigold, the other hens gave her an odd look as she's bigger than they are, except my Bantam cock bird who tried to show her who was boss. She wasn't going to be intimidated by a bloke however, but now shows some respect. She's definitely a loner; always seems to be at the other end of the paddock to the others and the last to go in at night. There haven't been any fights -yet! I think she is accepted into the 'flock'. She's a bit thin - I can feel either side of her breast bone when I pick her up but her feathers have improved; she was a bit bald around the base of her tail and behind her comb. I'm not too concerned as she's eating well. What breed is the picture with your post? I got a couple of new Bantam hens recently and one was sitting on eggs. The two which hatched are definitely not Bantams! but do look like your pic. They are now 6 weeks old - another learning curve; I've never raised chicks before except for my runner duck buts that's a different story.

 

[Marigold]

My avatar picture is Marigold, my Buff Sussex- beautiful, but a bit dim and always going broody. I've had her since she was a chick, along with her friend Nutmeg, who is a Cream Legbar, much more intelligent and top hen now the two of them are the oldest in my little flock.