[nerdle]

Events overtook me - I was offered a hen of unknown origin/age/breed/laying ability and I fell for her as she is so affectionate/tame and wasn't welcome in her flock.  I brought her home.

Housing and foxproofing will happen but my first thoughts are how is she health wise?

I'm going to treat her scaly leg with vaseline and surgical spirit and worm and dust her for mites.  These pics may reveal a lot about her health - any comments?

[compostqueen]

Get the housing and fox proofing done without delay

She looks perky (we can only see her head)  If you treat the scaly leg, worm her and dust her for mites that's a good start.  Have a look in her feathers to see what's in there, if anything.
You could put the mite powder in her dustbath and nest box if she doesn't like it 

[nerdle]

Horrendous scalyleg!  Will be interesting to see 'before and after' photos...  Or could this be old age?

She live in my 'lean to' and roams the garden under my supervision at  the moment - she's quite safe.

Thank you for your comment.

[compostqueen]

If the scaly leg is very bad she might need a trip to the vet

I wouldn't leave her in a lean-to as the fox is sure to call.  I only forgot to shut mine in once and that was it 

[joyfull]

that's not horrendous - I have seen far worse scaly leg.

[diamond_lil]

Hi

The scaly leg isn't bad at all. It can make the hen completely drippled but do keep up with the vaseline to make sure the little blighters are well suffocated. You may also find painting all your roosting poles with linseed oil stops them in their tracks. Scaly leg mite is very pernicious and very catching. Just got back from house sitting for my brother in France where we found that one of his girls had it badly (I think she arrived with it but it wasn't diganosed) and she passed it on to all the rest. Trying to convince the cockerel that he needed his legs treating was interesting to say the least!

[nerdle]

Thank you for the linseed tip. Just made her perch today and dusted it with with mite powder not knowing what else to do.

Kate

[Sassy]

Well done for offering her a home. Do you have other chooks? They do need to be with their own kind. Good luck

I have just seen your other post. So you were considering chooks anyway! You will find they are addictive, there aren't many folk on here who still have the same number they started with - they all have more!! Good luck 

[nerdle]

That may well happen but lone free ranger seems fine for now.  Lets  see how my garden copes with one hen.  I'm hoping the freedom and food/interest rich environment will compensate for not having hen friends.  She has been bullied so she may be content.

Kate