The Rescue Chicken

I work in an information center.  People expect us to have the answers to all their questions, even if it is something we don't usually deal with.  Friday presented one of those moments that temporarily stumped the panel.

A woman showed up to the door with a plastic container.  She explained that she found an injured bird in her yard and didn't know what to do with it.  The authority figure she encountered told her to bring it to us.  Hunkered down in the container was a beat up, black bird.  Feathers were missing, and it looked thoroughly miserable.  It wasn't a game bird, and it didn't look like a songbird.  Suddenly, I realized what the ridge down it's head was, and announced that it was a chicken.  That's where the problem comes in.  There are agencies that take care of game birds.  We could probably find someone to take care of a songbird, or any of the other birds around here, but nobody is going to take care of a chicken.

The poor lady was practically dancing around with impatience, as she had to get to work, and she really needed to get this bird off her hands.  So I volunteered.  We got an empty paper box from the back room, transferred the bird, and took it into the center.

Further examination revealed that Chicken Little probably had an encounter with a dog or a coyote, as there were puncture wounds on both sides of her body, near the wings.  She had a couple of other places where small bits of skin were missing, as well as a lot of feathers.  She looked really pathetic.

We've been treating her with a spray antibiotic, and she's looking considerably better, now.  You can see where feathers are still missing, but she's preening and the remaining feathers are fluffy.  She doesn't look nearly as bedraggled as when we brought her home.

The current problem is going to be integrating her into the flock, as the ladies are quite a bit older than she is.  We've got an idea, and are in the process of researching it.  I'll keep you posted.