Easter Chicken

Eight months pregnant, in a dress, but I can still get dirty!

On Easter Sunday after coming home from church, I checked on our sick chicken.....

It didn't look good.

She remained sleeping, head tucked under her wing and had slow steady breathing.  The rest of the flock still looks great, and are acting like vicious piranhas anytime you approach them with something in your hands. That was my only sigh of relief.

I contemplated what to do. Antibiotics are out of the question because of its negative affects on what it could do to this hen. Should I just let her rest? After two days of not eating, surely this hen will not have the energy, and then-- that would be it. Should I wake her up, force feed her? It felt cruel, but to not do anything would be crueler. 

I went out there, still in my dress, gloves on and grabbed her out of her cage.  The poor thing was so weak that she put up no fight. I put her into the middle of the yard where it was sunny to warm her up while I got some food ready for her. She could have just fallen asleep again if I let her, unaware of her vulnerability by being in the open yard with no protection.  This hens situation was pretty dire:(

I mixed plain yogurt with her mash and water, and got it to a consistency that she could easily swallow.  With gloves on I laid her down, opened her mouth and started to drop the liquid dinner into her mouth.  Luckily she didn't aspirate, and swallowed the stuff reluctantly.

I got a good number of spoonfuls in when I gave her a break.  I walked away to leave her alone for a bit to watch her, and lo and behold- she started eating the mash on her own......

This was good.

Yesterday- same plan. Except this time, I didn't have to feed her. She ate alot. And all on her own.

This morning, after removing the covers off her crate to let the sun in- again she started eating on her own. Again.

Her eye is still swollen- but not worse. She still looks a little weak, but her tail feathers have popped back up again. ( When chickens aren't well their tail feathers will be down, much like a dog tucks its tail when its in trouble or scared).

I'm feeling hopeful and grateful that this gal just might make it!  Today since it is pretty sunny I will let her out into the yard today to see if she will scratch up some bugs on her own. 

This is good news. And it came on a Good Day.

this chickens name is now Easter.