How to Feed a Captured Feral Chicken?

[madwomn]

I recently purchased a blue pearl English bantam pullet from a guy who thought it was funny that the chickens he ordered from Germany had all but one been killed by red-tailed hawks. He wanted rid of her because he thought her color made her a target. I bought her because his operation was just south of abuse - about a hundred birds of all breeds and sizes running loose with no food and little water on an unfenced dirt lot on the edge of town.

Yup, I would have taken them ALL, but I live in the middle of that town with six very quiet illegal bantam hens. There's being sly, and then there's complete idiocy. I know which side of that line I like to walk on.

Here's the difficulty. This bantam is W - I - L - D. She was living under brushpiles and sleeping in the trees. Living in my isolation cage - which is roomy, quiet, and outside - is awful for her. She has NO idea what chicken food is and has hardly eaten at all in the week I've had her. She has pooped, and she drinks, and she's not droopy (though who could really tell, because she's bat-crap crazy) but I'm trying to decide whether to put her into the big cage with the other girls so she has some friends and can see them eat. My other girls free-range in my yard, but we're about to have a couple of weeks of crappy weather, so it's the ideal time to coop-train her and cement the group.

Is she going to starve if I keep her in isolation for three weeks? I've tried all the things my other girls love, and she turns up her beak.
Should I put her in with the others? She's not sick and doesn't have mites or ticks or other communicable diseases that I can see.

Thanks for your help. You guys saved my Belgian Danvers girl and I hope you can help me again.

 

[FireTigeris]

I'd leave her in isolation and offer scratch corn in a tiny bowl, if she eats that mix the corn and chicken food...

If she is still pooping she is eating...

Not sur how else to handle this, good luck- hope for many great replies your way.

 

[Pinky]

I agree, if she's pooping, she's eating. Just keep offering her food.

You can try to entice her to eat with bugs/worms. This will get her to trust you if you are willing to try it.

 

[TaylorFlock2013]

I don't know if you have tried anything other than regular food/scratch, but my chickens n chicks has always gone crazy for watermelon n other fruits, try sweetening her up a bit by trying some fruit!! And Good Luck!!