# Retired Hen



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

My Mariska is almost 10 years old. She stays in the same area most of the time because she can't walk. She needs to be lifted out of the coop. Now the rooster has targeted her as "easy". I hate to take her out of her element, but I have to think about how to arrange things for her.


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

What about a fenced in area ,this way she is still with them but the rooster can't get her?,still in the coop or run


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Why can't Mariska walk?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Yes I did give her half a protected pen.

She's a Jersey Giant that's almost 10. Big bird. Either her legs have gotten old, or her heart. If she wanders away in the back yard, she takes a few steps then has to rest. Hubby has been lifting her out of the coop in the morning and she has maneuvered the small steps I made her to get in. So she's just old. I wonder if I should give her her giant friend. Mariska will be stuffed full of yummies every day. I'll watch her about being lonely. She's in the center of things with the other's chicken feed right near her. So she might like being alone and feeling safe.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Have you thought about giving her an aspirin?May help with any pain and inflammation and thin her blood a little to make it easier on her heart.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

You have a good point there. I will try it!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

My almost 10 year old Mariska who barely walks laid a big egg yesterday! What a girl!


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

seminolewind said:


> My almost 10 year old Mariska who barely walks laid a big egg yesterday! What a girl!


No pic? I've never seen a Jersey Giant egg.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I'll have to see if we ate it or not. Usually they are big and long.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Well Thor is in his own area and my senior hen is out and happy. Today she had her second favorite treat- Guiness in a small cup. Yum!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

chickenqueen said:


> Have you thought about giving her an aspirin?May help with any pain and inflammation and thin her blood a little to make it easier on her heart.


The aspirin worked well! Instead of not walking to the house at treat time, she now makes it to the house and back! And she is very very talkative. I have no idea what she's saying but her expression is happy.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I'm really glad it helped!!!


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## Recoveryman (Mar 28, 2017)

chickenqueen said:


> Why can't Mariska walk?


It might be the Guinness...


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Recoveryman said:


> It might be the Guinness...


LOL! If it was I'd be buying her cases of the stuff! This is my Guiness/wino here


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## Recoveryman (Mar 28, 2017)

These birds do the darnedest things! How did she ever get to drinking beer? I never had chickens before and one out of my 12 has taken to me. When I go into the coop she is right there and if I put my hand down she walks up so that I can scoop her up. She will roost in my cupped hands or walk up my arm to my shoulder and want to roost there. I feel like Captain Hook the pirate. I think she must be been watching TV again! And likes the parrot!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Awww, that's so sweet. I used to sit outside after dinner with a glass of wine and she insisted that I lower the glass to see what it was. Turned into a wino. This past week I have been sitting out with a glass of Guiness and she wanted to try that too, and liked it. She does not like coffee.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

That's hilarious!My exotic birds love coffee and soda.George came from a beer drinker and I'm sure he's been drunk before.We don't drink much so he's been sober since he's been with us,poor thing.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Recoveryman, I had 2 Polish that would sit on me all day if they could. But they are gone. I do have a Houdan hen who's a psychopath. She cries and follows me around and wants to be picked up and carried. But also pecks at me. She attacks me all the time. If I hold her I have to keep my face behind her so she can't peck me.


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## Recoveryman (Mar 28, 2017)

seminolewind said:


> Recoveryman, I had 2 Polish that would sit on me all day if they could. But they are gone. I do have a Houdan hen who's a psychopath. She cries and follows me around and wants to be picked up and carried. But also pecks at me. She attacks me all the time. If I hold her I have to keep my face behind her so she can't peck me.


She needs to be threatened with "I think we're having chicken for dinner"


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

The two sisters never put up any struggle when picked up.


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## Recoveryman (Mar 28, 2017)

They look like a pair of Vegas show girls with those feathers on their heads.
My wife loves them ! What breed are they?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Those are my Houdans. I had one more that was older. They are a bit bigger than Polish and have fluffy feathers. They are all tame and not flightly, pretty mellow. One is the psycho who loves to be held and loves to attack and peck me, like she can't make up her mind.


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

Your houdans,are soooo beautiful


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Beautiful birds Karen, eye candy!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Hubby said Mariska is acting quite spiffy out there this morning. That aspirin is really helping.


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

Aspirin definitely helps. I saw my house hen improve dramatically with aspirin


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

One Houdan girl has decided to go broody. Go figure.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Now for the past month or two Mariska stands in front of me and talks away. She's never done that. I wonder why. Any idea?


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