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What to do with my fluffy/feathery friend?

5 replies

bronze · 07/08/2009 23:56

The other day my friend from up the road came round clutching something carefully. Her cat had brought her in a chick and she was asking for my advice. Shes just inherited some chickens and I knew a couple had chicks so I had assumed it was one of them to start with.
Anyway unwrapped the poor little shivering thing and got it on a wheatgerm bear to warm up. Bathed the cut on its back and finally looked at it properly. It looked a bit like a quail. Something seems odd though. A) where would the cat get a quail from B) if it was that big (still tiny but...) it would surely have some wing feathers. No feathers must be a couple of days old max.
Anyway you'll be pleased to hear hes chirped up (literally) and I've had a bit of a google and am thinking he may be a pheasant chick.
They're having their kitchen done so I said I would keep him til its done. I haven't told them my suspicions yet. What do I do? Do we bring up this chick which may be a pheasant (or even partridge) and where I go from there (dh says dinner)

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Kayugaduck · 08/08/2009 07:54

You'll be lucky if it survives as usually puncture wounds from a cat's teeth acts as a poison. Also birds often die from shock.

Wild birds in captivity are usually stressy so if it survives and you hand rear it you could release it (for the fox to have as dinner) or cull it when suitably fattened and have it as your dinner.

bronze · 08/08/2009 10:05

hes been here about 4 days now. I would put him at a about a week by his feather growth. Its a feisty little thing. Started giving it meal worms on top of chick crumb and scattering food. Going to try and get it outside as soon as possible and limit human contact to give him best chance. I think I'll release him and see how it goes. If the fox gets him then so be it but I'm going to try and give it a fighting chance. No idea why I won't let DH cull him I think its because hes a one off

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Kayugaduck · 08/08/2009 18:00

There is a 'good' way to cull. Go in the henhouse at night when all asleep. Place hands firmly (but not too firmly you get cramp) around neck until bird goes limp and then the shudder (in death) starts.

It is quick and there is no distressing flap of wings or calling out.

bronze · 08/08/2009 19:41

Oh I don't have a problem with the actual act. We do our own chickens for the freezer. I think its more to do with the fact that hes an individual so it makes it very hard to not anthropomorphise him.

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Doodle2u · 10/08/2009 11:04

Ah, sure I'd try and rear him. He/she has made it this far Bronze. If it's soooo young, it'll be domesticated by your administrations already.

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