Front Porch Chicken

Have I caught your attention yet? I know I'm long overdue for an entry and what an entry to come back on. Front Porch Chicken, I'm not talking about friends bbq(ing) chicken on the pit. I guess I need to start at the begining of this story.

Part 1-

I believe this story takes place back in December (way before the artic blast made it's way to Texas). Typical day, out feeding the critters and watching all the chickens run to the gate to greet me as they see me walking up with the blue feed bucket. I've learned that if I throw a handful of feed over to the side, the mob runs to the feed allowing me enough time to get in the gate. As I stand watching the chickens run from one spot of feed to another; maybe thinking a different spot offers something different to eat, I notice one of the younger pullets getting pushed around. This little gal is barely standing and is trying to get to food but is being pushed around by the older hens and the other pullets. I grab her up and decide to take her away and see if she'll make it a few days alone with her own food or if she's just not going to make it.

For a month plus this chicken is living in a pet taxi on a bed of hay with her own water and food - posh life I'm talking about. I notice that she's eating but she's not gaining any weight (must be nice right?) and see what I think is some type of tumor on her neck. I later found out that she has a digestive problem - new food, add some grit problem solved. The artic blast hits and it's colder than, well you know and we decide to bring her in the house (pet taxi of course not having her run loose). Needless to say this chicken becomes very healthy, very alert to people and just waiting for the right weather to put her back with the others.

Part 2-

February 12, 2011 - the day the sun came out and it was a beautiful day. We let the chickens out of the pen to get out and stretch their legs. This is the perfect time to bring the chicken back with the others and they'll never know. For those who don't know, once you remove a chicken from the group if you just return it to the pen, the others will pick on it not remembering it was part of their group in the begining. With all of the chickens out running the property, they won't notice a "new" chicken coming in.

Towards the evening, I decide to go out feed the critters and try to get the chickens all in the pen together again. I start walking toward the pen carrying the blue feed bucket and they all start running towards me. (Note this is the only time I totally feel like a rock star) Feed in pen - Chickens in pen. Wait! On the other side of the property I see the "new" chicken looking at me as if to say "I don't go in there". I start walking to her, she starts walking me to and then it happens. Our Great Dane comes running like a Throughbred horse and runs right over the chicken. I hear this sound that I never knew chickens could make and see her limping as fast as she can to the corner of the house.

I walk over to her and notice her leg is sprang. Great!!! What does this mean you ask?

It means the chicken is back on my front porch living the posh life again. She is eager to greet us when we come home and at night she roosts in the window looking into the living room.