finding the words

I have been struggling to find the words to convey the loss of our dear Chickina.  She passed away last week, in the care of a very thoughtful team of veterinary specialists. She was kept comfortable while being administered medicines that we had hoped would turn her around.


Her closed eye was the window into a deeper problem.  It is believed that she succumbed to Marek's Disease, a virus that travels via wild birds.  Some birds have a stronger tolerance to it than others.


Monday, the remaining members of the flock were moved into individual dog crates and the coop was steam cleaned. The chickens went to the vet's for a check-up and preventative meds.  Roo, the rooster got a pedicure.  He's very pleased.    


It is one thing to loose a pet to illness, remembering her in conversation.  But to share it, with you my friends, in writing is new to me.  Please forgive my silence.  I had not intended to be away from my newly created blog for so long.

an update

Chickina is the daughter of Feathers and Little Putt; I think.  


They are who she looks like.  We hatched a clutch of eggs four years ago with one rooster and three hens contributing their eggs to the effort.  Feathers (The Roo) Little Putt, Henny Penny and Lady Hen.  Sadly, Feathers and the latter two hens are no longer with us.  They now keep company with our former dogs, cats and canary.


Like any pet, caring for chickens does involve dealing with a fair share of health concerns.  The tricky thing is finding a vet who will help navigate these issues.  Sadly, most veterinarians are not taught to think of a chicken as an individual.  They are considered a unit of the flock.


To me, this is preposterous.  Each one of our chickens has a distinct personality, displaying an amazing range of expression.


As our current Roo watches over Little Putt, Mrs. Kravitz and Johanna in the coop, Chickina rests in her temporary abode in the house.  She's a quiet girl and appreciates being talked to and cared for.  Her eye seems worse, with a film of white covering the cornea.  But we have been told that that is part of the healing process of eyes.  She is due to see the vet tomorrow for a re-check.  We are so fortunate to have this professional guidance.  


In answer to the query, rather than share a picture of Chickina now, I would like to do so when she is reunited with the flock...hopefully very soon.

there's a chicken in the house

It is inevitable that, come wintertime, a chicken or two opt to come into our house.  Perhaps opt is not the right word.  They are brought into the house only if there is an issue that threatens an individual or the entire flock. 


The first few winters we had chickens, I would fret about their unheated digs and sigh relief when the rooster would crow, sometimes as early at 4:30 am.  I didn't mind.  They were still alive. 


Last winter, when temps were predicted to go below 10 degrees F, I couldn't stand the thought of opening the coop in the morning to find a flock of frozen chickens stuck to the walls of their nest boxes.  We piled straw onto the solarium floor 6" thick and brought them in.  Ofcourse, we removed all furniture and plants, except the tall bamboo and a gigantic fern.  Not toxic, the plants could offer something for the chickens to hide under.   


Come spring, they were rehoused into their proper coop.  Come summer, I had the coop retrofitted with a heat pump. 


Most recently, Chickina presented me with an eye, slammed shut.  She still had interest in food and kept up with the flock, but I have learned that the wait and see attitude that I use with myself, as well as my dogs, cats and husband, doesn't work with birds.  It usually goes from bad to worse very quickly.


Fortunately we have a Veterinarian close by who will see an individual chicken.  Chickina was sent home with a course of eye drops and an oral antibiotic, to be administered twice a day for 11 days.  She needs to be kept separate from the flock until she gets better, so she is in the house.  


She's in an extra large dog crate on a table out of the sun, full of fluffy straw and her favorite foods.  She's good about the medicine and I think enjoys the extra attention.  Stay tuned!  

tending to the chickens

It is a still and chilly afternoon, here in Rhode Island. The sky is gray and the chickens refuse to come out of the coop. There is a blanket of snow covering where they usually range. In better weather, they'd be scratching throughout the garden, in search of insects and tasty little bits of leaves.

I keep chickens (4 hens and 1 rooster) because I am keen on cooking with the freshest of eggs. I have a passion for growing our own fruits and veggies, so the chickens are a great fit. Lifting a few warm eggs from a nest box in the morning is a wonderful start to the day!

Over the years, the chickens have proven to be a great asset to me as a gardener as well. They are bantam hybrids; miniature chickens. Their feet are small and gentle to the plants. They fluff the mulch, aerate the soil and rid the garden of some of the nastiest of pests; japanese beetles, for one.

They are comical companions in the garden too. Whenever a new hole is dug, they are never too far away. They insist on inspecting each hole, no matter how large, for bugs before any plant goes in!

During winter, I supplement their grains with fresh fruits, veggies, shredded mozzarella cheese and cooked fish. Sardines are a staple, but they relish the leftover salmon and swordfish whenever it is available. They need extra protein during the lean months as the worms slumber underground.

For now, well fed, they'd rather fluff their feathers and settle into a fresh bit of straw for a snooze.