Painful learning lessons on the homestead.

Left to Right: Mango, Spots and honky

It seems like just yesterday I picked up my chicks and was excited to start a new chapter "Hawk Free". Looking at this picture now I suppose I should have known that I had two sick birds on my hands. It has been a very stressful month dealing with sick chickens.

The only chicken left in the picture that I still have is, Honky, the white chick, and she is enormous and healthy.  She is a pullet not a bantam, meaning that she is a large girl. She still sounds like a baby but is already bigger then my adult bantam hens, I keep looking for spots thinking that my tiny favorite girl will peak out around the corner to run into my arms like old times... but alas... it's Honky.

When picking chicks you are supposed to look at their eyes, skin, lift up their wings and look at their feathers. I was too busy looking for friendly, and docile birds, which I suppose means... sick bird.

Mango's legs are very pale in the picture and she never grew. Spots, was so little and frail, she must have gotten pecked in the eye, and was stunted from the large doses of antibiotics needed to save the adults.

Honky is the picture of perfect health. They say to look for yellow legs ( although a silkie should have an extra toe and black skin). So not in all cases are we looking for yellow.

I was playing with spots one day when I noticed that she had one eye closed and was starting to weave her head a little. I opened her eye to find a large white dot on it, and it was all foggy. She was blind in that eye, and she was disoriented. I sat with Mango and Spots in the yard while Ron sat in the middle life guarding the chicks. I got up to get a drink of water and Spots came running after me... "Where ya going?" She said in her little voice... I picked her up in my hand and she promptly plopped herself into my palm and went right off to sleep. She was always looking for a place to sleep... another sign of sickness maybe? I put her back in the coop and said goodnight to her, she went in and immediately heard a squawking... little spots came sliding down the ramp and was chased out by Regina... the head of the flock. That's not good either.... If birds are kicking the weakest link out, that is also a good sign of sickness. They won't even let her sit on the perch at this point. I picked her up gave her a kiss on the head "well I still love you no matter what little one" and placed her on her perch. That was the last I saw of her. I had left the gate open by accident and in the morning all the chickens were roaming, and Spots was gone....

Last night I came home after teaching riding lessons and without even saying hello to my family I made a bee line to my special girl Mango to see how she was doing. "Cheep Cheep! Mango" Not a sound. Shit.... I touched her, and she normally wakes up and gives a soft cheep cheep back as if to say, "Damnit mom!! I was sleeping what do you want now?!!!"
Nothing....She was cold.... and it was 85 degrees out. I picked her up, my hands shaking...She gave out one last cheep and her cold claw wrapped very slowly and limply around my finger.... She was still alive, but barely.

I was startled by the hubster who quietly walked up behind me and placed a warm gentle hand on my shoulder. "It's time I think... scooter" I nodded my head and said a few words in my head and kissed her head and told her I would see her again one day on my Noah's ark of other pets waiting for me. I showed him where I wanted her to sleep... and he took her out of my shaking hands, and told me to go inside.

I came out this morning to pay my respects,  and there was a tiny American flag placed at her headstone. Appropriate seeing as she put up a bloody good fight for me.

As always, I am a little devastated by my weeks journey of death, but it's a learning lesson. I now know to quarantine new birds. Wait till the weather is really warm to clean the coop out. Use a larger grade of shavings. Get medicine into the sick birds faster, don't just wait around for three weeks waiting for them to die. Kill them if they are in pain and there is no light at the end of the tunnel, don't just keep them around because you want them around. AND.... I suppose, don't love them... it hurts too much when they die on you. The last part is impossible....by the way. No matter what.... chickens will pull on your heart strings.

In sickness and health

Mango holding on to her life support. 

I'm in a morally tight spot today. I took Mango my chicken off of life support. Meaning, that I have stopped the antibiotics, I stopped feeding her my power green juice and water, and have left her to her own ways.

This morning she did not speak to me when I said "GOOD MORNING MANGO!!"

Ron (my sheep dog cat) sat outside all night howling.... the same howl he comes to me with when watts is up from his nap and screaming to get out.

Ron has not left Mango's side... he sleeps right next to her and only comes in to eat. I don't quite understand the relationship except I think Ron may think that this is another baby that is clearly sick.

Anyway, I couldn't take it any longer. I can't let her die.... I should really just snap her neck and get this over with, but Ron and I can save her.... I just have to feed her, and she will be up and at them again. Who cares if it is a huge pain in the ass, and that it takes a lot of work. She gets better and it's because of my force feedings.

I picked her up and inspected her... bone thin, she hasn't been eating enough.... She is starving.

After lots of research I have determined that she has something called crookneck. It normally happens with the breed "Silkie" which is the breed of my "Fluffy girl"

Mango is not a silkie. Silkies get this disorder because they have a soft spot on their skull.  All it takes is one sharp peck to the skull from another bird and bam, the neck goes in between the feet, and they start walking backwards. It's neurological.

This could be what Mango has, but I'm not a vet, and for some reason it seems that chickens are hard to diagnose because they are tough little bastards that refuse to act or show sickness.

I'm going to become a chicken clucker (like a horse whisperer only with lucks instead of whispers) and  I know I can save this bird with lots of diligent care. Who cares if she spends the rest of her life walking backwards with her neck all screwy. I have better conversations with her than I do most humans. AND... Ron told me to "DO SOMETHING!, Quick"

It's morally wrong. This bird may be suffering, and I am letting it go on much longer then it should. I am also defying nature. Yet, look at those parents that lost two kids that were really sick... they just prayed for them to get better and did not take them to the hospital and the kids died, and now... the parents are on trial for watching their kids die without giving them medical attention.

I could go to jail..... I HAVE TO SAVE THE DAY!


Anyway, to make a long story short.

I injected Mango, my speechless girl with my green juice and some water. The food is in her gullet being digested. After a half hour I put her on her back and held her claw... her foot wrapped around my finger tighter and tighter as the food passed into her body. And then.... a squeak.

and a purr.....

My girl was coming back to life in front of me. I massaged the bottom of her foot and noticed it turned from white/blue to yellow. The color of health.

She was still in there somewhere.

"Mango my sweet girl.... are you still in there? Mommy is here"
a very week "cheep cheep.... purrrrrr"

What a compliment.
A real purr.... that is only given amongst baby flocks as they snuggle in together under the heat lamp at night.

This sucks.... to be honest. I just wanted some chickens to lay some eggs. I hated birds before this... they are so complicated, and hard to take care of. They have crazy bodies, and personalities.

My whole life I had animals that would just drop dead the minute I brought them home from the pet shop.... Dozens of fish, hamsters, Guinea pigs, rats, cats, dogs, rabbits, chinchillas... are buried in my backyard....

AND now... my curse is that I get very sick animals that just wont die.
All for a stupid purr and some conversation, and the look of gratitude and devotion.
And Ron giving me the look of desperation to save his new friend. I can't take it! I'm special, this bird is special, and Ron is special, we are a bunch of special need idiots bonded to the hip!

It's wrong.
I know it..... Maybe someone should just snap my neck out of this ridiculousness.

Natural Devastation and some simple pleasures

Here are places not to live. Notice that New Jersey and Pennsylvania are in the clear? That's because I don't want to die today! 

Oklahoma was hit hard by a tornado. It touched down for 40 minutes and mowed down 20 miles of homes, two schools, and a few hospitals.

The biggest tornado in the world hit around the same place in 1999.

As always it is horrible.... but.... if you know that this place is hit hard by reoccurring tornado's... wouldn't you invest in a better shelter? or better yet... move someplace that doesn't suck?

California.... known to have earthquakes because it is sitting on a fault line is a good example of a place to kiss your stuff goodbye. When you live near the water, it is going to flood at some point. If you live below sea level, same thing. You don't have to be smart to know what the weather is going to be like.  Why would you risk your children's lives living there, or risk losing your entire life's belongings?

It's really dumb. Your setting yourself up for major stress, and heartache.

Anyway, I'm truly bummed out by the news as usual. Watching my species work hard to clean up a mess that could have been avoided.... (just don't live there!)

So here is something positive.

Ron is currently outside guarding little Mango. He refuses to leave his post and when the adult hens come over to peck at her he chases them away. He is a compassionate cat. That's an oxymoron. Felines are horrible killing machines. Not Ron though... he is like a sheep dog.

Some more good news?

Giselle my project Thoroughbred horse had her first adjustment from a chiropractor and got some acupuncture. The vet noticed that she had a tattoo from her racing days. I looked up the tattoo and found out that Giselle's name was Miss Bobbie Socks. She was born in Oklahoma on St Patty's Day. She won two races, and had 16 starts. We even found a You Tube video of a lady riding her in their backyard.

I rode her last night for the first time since the adjustment. She stood on the cross ties, she was much more calm. But... she still hates me on her back, and bucks at the canter. So, she basically just hates people on her back. I think she was hurt by humans... and does not want us monkeying around on her.

So it was a happy moment to see her finally relax on the cross ties... but very disappointing to see that she still sucks to ride.
However! Raven also sucked the big one, and one day she just turned a corner and is now a saint. I can only hope for Giselle's sake that once she builds more muscle and trust we can dance.

AND one more thing to celebrate while my TV exhausts terrible news our way....
Watts is almost completely potty trained! He poops and pees on the potty!

The news sucks. I'm thinking of getting rid of the Internet and TV. I don't know how I would write to this blog though....

And with that I have to go because Wattsies little world has come to a skidding halt because he can not... I say CAN NOT get his socks on by himself.

I wish I could throw a tantrum over socks... oh to be two.

Ron watches over Mango because he's a sheep dog.

Mango...

Things are looking up??

My baby chicken mango is still alive... she's not really improving... but she's alive.

I'm learning a lot about chicken conversations. I have long conversations with Mango, especially at night right before she goes to sleep... I make a sound, and with her little head upside down and tucked under her she manages to peep back.... three peeps is a good sound. A loud one peep seems to be a "I'm thirsty!, or "I'm standing on my head!" or... "I'm stuck in the corner again!" The best sound is a purr sound they make.... it almost sounds like a cricket... this is a sound they make to each other.... as if they are gossiping about a neighbor. I try desperately to get Mango to make that sound for me... but she won't... because she knows... I am not a chicken or an equal.

My family came over this weekend. All of them pretty much were like, "Is that a bird?" She is so screwed up that she doesnt even look like anything. just a round lump of feathers. "Yup she's in there somewhere....."

I'm just waiting for her to die at this point. I have stopped force feeding her.... I just make sure she has food, fresh water and is comfortable. I have stopped the medicine. She is eating and drinking when she gets up enough energy to do so.

I have been documenting her by video. If this bird lives, I will be writing a long article about her and submitting it to backyard chickens. I may even make a cape for her to wear, along with a gold crown. I'm not kidding. It will be a miracle if this bird pulls out of this tail spin.

 I just went out to check on my other birds. They are Ok... some of them are improving. One even laid an egg! The first one in a week. I have stopped the antibiotics on them too. I feel like a weeks worth of high dosage is good enough.

As I went to feed my chicks, Spots came running up to me. She is my speckled Sussex.... She is so soft and sweet. She's my youngest and smallest, yet has the best personality. She just wants to be held. I picked her up and she immediately plopped her little body down in the palm of my hand as if it was a warm nest. She closed her eyes and chirped enthusiastically for me to stroke her feathers. Now, after so much time spent with Mango, I know that the sounds coming out of this bird are pure contentment.

I suppose I am becoming a chicken whisperer. I know how to hold them, talk to them, and even how to look at them.

Now, if only I had this magic talent with humans.

Sick birds, Rain and Flowers

I dropped Watts off with my mom yesterday for another sleep over. I was able to clean the entire house in under two hours. This is definitely my happiest time... when I am surrounded by cleanliness and order. I tend to freak out and get very agitated by slop, mess, untidiness, chaos, noise..... I wonder if I'm slightly Autistic?

Most that know me would say "YES!"

Anyway, I went out to check on my birds this morning.
Little Mango was sitting on the ground with her head on backwards... they are kinda like owls... they can turn there heads around .... its a freak show.

At first I thought Mango fell off the big bird perch and broke her neck... but on closer inspection I think she is close to dying from sickness... she is trying so hard to breath and is definitely trying to get something off or out of her throat. I might as well be ringing her neck... she does this seizure like motion weave with her head.

I brought her inside, put her in a diaper box, gave her a stuffed animal to hang out with, and put a heating lamp on her... she appreciated it all. She just wants me to stay with her and stroke her and hold her head still. She seems the most content when I support her head, so she can take a peace nap.

The vet was on his way here.... and then I received a phone call that he had an emergency and he would have to reschedule. I told the lady on the phone that I too had an emergency. My birds are in risk of not making it through the night.

Rogue is also extremely ill. She was sleeping in the mud today, AND let me pick her up and put her in a Tupperware container with some dry bedding. She is currently sleeping in the shed, away from the other birds. She too likes me to stroke her head, and talk to her....

Birds are intelligent creatures. They have feelings, and they are masters of communicating with their eyes. They have almost human eyes, with expression. You can really see through them if they are happy, sad, sick, or mad. Birds also like to hide the fact that they are sick... which is why if they are acting sick... it is much worse then they are letting on. They are tough bastards!

So while waiting, I cleaned the house, and to cheer me up I picked some flowers. Purple Iris's are growing in the garden now. I picked them along with some lilacs and used some of my Hosta leaves to fill in the rest. It certainly cheers me up on such a shitty- rainy gloomy day.