Woke up this morning feeling chipper and happy. It's Friday!!! Got The Native's up for family prayer and headed out to let The Girls out and feed them.
Last night when I'd closed up The Gypsy Wagon it was late and dark. I didn't do my usual counting of heads. Just closed the door and ran back into the house. This morning, when I went out to The Gypsy Wagon I found this little girl sitting outside of the nice warm box where The Girls are kept at night. She was on the ground with her head tucked in the corner and not moving. Bad sign.
I picked her up and started to really worry. Her comb was all shriveled and black, her eyes closed, and the rest of her red little face had lost it's vibrant red. It too was almost black.
I ran Alice into the house and told The Native's we had a problem. Levi: We should say a pwayer.
We did. And then I ran to the Internet. Sick chicken. What do I do? What in the world would we do without the Internet and it's wealth of information??
Isolate the chicken, put her under a heating lamp, keep her warm, and in a quiet place. Done! Shove Pedialite down her throat........ okay. They didn't say 'shove' but that is what I did. I got a syringe and started to drop Pedialite down her throat and then........... she crapped all down the front of me! Not a nice firm chicken doo doo! Pure water stinky icky DISGUSTING nastiness that went all down the front of me and on my bare toes.............. !!! Nice!
Henny Penny's chicken is sick. Henny Penny doesn't want to go to school. She's upset. I tell her I'll take good care of her Alice while she's gone and not to worry. Keep saying little prayers.
I get myself cleaned up from the chicken doo doo mess and bring in the dogs from going potty outside. I notice that Daphney's backside is covered in............... YUP! She's sick too!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
We have pets why?????
So, sick dog on towel in kitchen tied up. Sick chicken in kitchen under heat lamp in box. I swear today is Monday and the calender is lying to me...............
P.S. You can see from the second photo that Alice is perking up! The color is coming back into her comb, she's looking around, and guess what??? I just gave her some pellets and she ate a few! This day might just turn into a Friday after all............ One can hope!
Addendum: We lost Henny Penny's chicken yesterday morning. It was a sad sad day for Henny Penny. And the dog, she goes to the vet tomorrow...... Hopefully what she has can be fixed with a daily pill to help her with bladder control. If not............ I don't even want to think about or go there.........
Wow! It does sound Monday-ish. Here's hoping that all goes well in the animal kingdom and that both "patients" recovery fully. Who knew you'd need a degree in veterinary medicine to be a mother?! I agree with your wondering about what we all did before we could send a query off to Drs. Bing and Google...lol...
ReplyDeleteI hope that Friday returns for you in glorious fashion. :-)
Good luck with your poorly animals - I hope they both get stronger as the day goes on. You could try this for Alice:
ReplyDeletehttp://forum.backyardpoultry.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7975135
it's called the rickets diet and I've used it a few times to perk up a poorly chicken, it works well to give them their strength back.
hope the day improves xxx
Oh, Dr. Rachel, you have had your hands full! Surely everyone will be on the mend soon!
ReplyDeleteHi I just found you blog. Very nice. I was looking through the archives and saw this post with Mr. C playing the piano. Do you or your son remember the name of the piece? Or anyone else on here? I play the piano and would love to get the sheet music for this. Thanks!
ReplyDeletehttp://rubowhappenings.blogspot.com/2011/03/gift-for-you-and-gift-for-me.html?m=1
Wow, that does sound like a monday :D I too know the feeling of "Pure water stinky icky DISGUSTING nastiness" all down the front of me. NOT FUN. but you already knew that :)
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your kind words and help. The chicken, Alice died yesterday. Not a good day for Henny Penny.. a very sad day for her.
ReplyDeleteOh poor Henny Penny. It's always hard to loose a living creature that you've cared for but she had a much better life than if she'd have been a battery hen. I hope Henny Penny is ok xxx
DeleteShe's having a hard time. She's quite distraught right now. The white dog is 'her' dog and I just took her to the vet this morning because she is still not well so of course Henny Penny is scared out of her poor little mind and heart that she is going to lose yet another pet.......... and I hate that there is nothing I can do about it! Argh! Angst!
DeleteHer little Alice did have a good little life. We are grateful for that... Thank you Julie for your kind words and love. XXX000
Hope the trip to the vet was ok and you got some good news. Love to all of you but mostly to Henny Penny - such a hard time to go through xxx
DeleteWe are waiting for blood test results. The vet said she'd call us today so we'll see! I'll let you know when we find out.
DeleteSo sorry to hear. Give her my love and an extra hug.
ReplyDeleteI will and thank you Mindy!
DeleteOh, Rachel. I've shed tears over the loss of several chickens, as have the children. We lost Eldest's and my favourite hen last year. STILL makes me teary. Please send my hugs of condolences to Henny Penny, and yourself. (Can you hug yourself?)
ReplyDeleteAnd your dog, is she well now?
Hugs...
A person can hug themselves but it is most wonderful that I have Kristen to give me a hug. :)
DeleteOur dog is doing okay. We are still waiting to hear back from the vet on her blood work. There is definitely something wrong.
Of course, why wasn't I thinking of assigning Kristen to pass along the hug from me?
DeleteSo worrisome when our animal friends are not well. We have a call into the vet now as well, for our suddenly limping, youngest horse. And the more-elderly-than-we-thought pony who is losing weight. So, yeah, we have pets WHY? So worried.
Precisely. Why oh why indeed??? Gut/heart wrenching and pocket book draining.
DeleteI do hope your four legged critters are okay. Hope it is an easy fix!!! Do keep us posted.
So sad about Henny Penny's chicken, but you certainly gave it your best shot. BTW, my friend has two chickens - one named Henny and the other named Penny. Tell THAT to your lovely lassie.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how animals can win our hearts . . . and break them, too.
With the loss we've had lately, I'm thinking we don't need anymore pets for awhile. :D My heart can't take it when The Natives hearts are broken.
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