Last weekend, Aaron and I finished the chicken coop, and put the two dozen pooping machines outside. (and, as a side note, Aaron and I worked quite well together on chick-u-topia, as we so appropriately named it) It's a good thing, they are much easier to care for. . .in other words, no poop in my basement. . .when they are outside. Plus, they LOVE their new space, they fly all over the coop, in their awkward new-wing flight patterns.
We soon noticed that one of the Ameraucanas is quite smaller then the others, and having a hard time passing stool (what we call a "blocked vent" in the chicken community) this is usually a sign that the chick isn't going to make it. Well, I'm certainly not going to let a blocked vent ruin my streak of "perfect mama hen" care. So, for the last few days, I've been giving Nova (yes, we've named quite a few of the chickens- and yes, after all the girl names that we like, and have no other opportunity to use) warm baths twice a day, and hand dropping a mixture of yogurt, molasses, and olive oil into her beak- three times a day.
Each morning, I go to check on the chickens, fully aware that I might find Nova dead. Every morning, she's still kicking around. This morning, her little vent actually looks pretty good (well, as good as a chicken ass can look, right?) so it seems as though the chicken doc is actually doing a pretty good job.
If this chicken doesn't make it, I'll tell you, it won't be for lack of trying!
About Me
- Coldwell Family
- Deering, New Hampshire, United States
www.acornacresfarm.com
2 comments:
nice job momma hen!! I played doctor to one of our chickens that survived our killing spree last april. She had a nasty gash on her toe and I didn't want it to get infected so I would bath it in betadione and epsom salt and than bandage it....did this for about a week..she didn't lose the toe and she could still use it!
You have me laughing! We have chickens too...funny how attached we can get to them! I love them so much!
So did Nova make it?
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