Well the very sweetest chicken in the world has survived. She has survived a dog attack, a prolapsed vent, surgery, then an adhered egg, with the rest of egg pieces floating around her abdomen. She made it through her second surgery, and is doing very well. Even though the vets kept telling us she probably wouldn't survive, this is a chicken who really wanted to live.
Alice is so glad to have her back. When she stayed in their cage all day Thursday, Alice kept going over and talking to her all day. Friday when she decided to fly out on her own, Alice clucked loudly for about 20 minutes to celebrate. They haven't separated since. To see them walking together, eating together, contending for treats, taking naps together, and sleeping together, and just plain loving being together is really something special. Did I mention that I loved chickens?
I didn't mention the surgeries before because I thought people would make fun of me for spending so much money on a chicken, but I couldn't really consider not doing it. I'm just grateful for the great vets here. Thank you all for all your good wishes a year ago when she was attacked by the dog. And all your advice and good wishes last summer with her prolapsed vent. Have a great New Year All! Claire and Alice and I wish you all well.
Claire's story
oh how wonderful. I would never make fun of taking your chicken to the vet. I feel the same way about all my animals. I spent 85 dollars taking a 20 dollar goose to the vet but in the end still had to put it down. The healing was causing scar tissue to press on the nerves and making it paralized from the neck down
Well Claire cost $1.25 when she and her sisters were a day old. One died the next day, but the other two have been inseparable since. Birds really do bond. Alice has just ignored us since Claire came back. She usually follows us around and jumps up on our lap and cuddles, but now she just want's to be with Claire . Pretty special.
When they were about 3/12 weeks old, Alice was having a contention with a squirrel over some sunflower seeds. They both seemed to be enjoying it, but the squirrel decided she really wanted those sunflower seeds, so decided to attack Alice. Claire, who hadn't been paying much attention at all to this, all of a sudden, actually in about 1 second, ran over and joined the attack on the squirrel. They chased that squirrel all over the yard. It was just too much for Claire that Alice would be attacked by a squirrel. The audacity. As long as Alice was handling it, fine, but when she was attacked back, well that was just too much.
They really are something else.
All animals are a gift from God and and its our responsibility to take care of them,I would never make fun of you for taking such good care of your chicken,I have had special chickens in my life to.Your chickens are very lucky to be living with you
I am amazed that you could find a vet who would take chicken-health seriously. Such lucky girls!
Believe me, I would never make fun of anyone who spent money on surgery for one of their pets. Even if it was a chicken.... Many happy returns on the new year!
This is the one place you can be amongst like kind... we would all spend that much if we could! I doubt you'd get a negative response here!
Wont get a negative response from me!..lol..
Elle, I think that is a such a wonderful start of a new year. I agree with all the statements the others have made. It just makes me very proud of you, and what a wonderful story of a hen who wants to live. I also agree about the bonding. I think it is so cool that you found a vet who cared enough to operate...WOW ELLIE, I love that story...Haystack
Elleisn,
To date I have spent about $400 on the rescue rooster that turned out to be a hen. She is currently on diaretic pills 2 x daily. Which requires cutting the tiny pill into 4ths and then putting the resulting powder into the chicken somehow. Fortunately, Monty is a survivor and is always ready to eat. We were lucky to find a vet who is used to treating chickens (among other birds). Do you have pictures of Claire and Alice?
Deb
Ah pills twice a day. That's fun isn't it?
I do have pictures of them, but I haven't been able to figure out how to post them yet. Technology isn't exactly my strong suit. But I do have some good pictures, and the next time one of my computer savvy friends come over, I'll try to get them to do it .
We were lucky to find a good vet. Our usual vet was out of town on vacation, so their office recommended one in Golden who was a bird specialist. Lots of parrots and Claire.
It was pretty amusing to have a chicken in a big dog crate and everyone else had their birds in these little boxes or cats in little travel crates. The question "Is that a chicken????" constantly coming my way. Monty is a less than beautiful chicken, but she's WAY better than she was when we first got her.
Yes, Claire got all the attention at the vet's office. We didn't have her in a crate though. We just held her in our arms, with a towel, and a hand full of baby wipes. Monty sounds like a wonderful chicken. She's very lucky.
That's my new motto: Have chicken, will travel, armed with poopy wipes.
Monty is not so mellow as to be carried. She would insist on riding on my head or shoulders. Which would result in me using "head and shoulders" to clean up afterwards.
lol
LOL too funny!!
oh how funny.
Of course somebody could love a chicken like any other pet and think it's great you helped them. Cute story about being in the waiting room.
I agree, we're responsible for them and have to do whatever we can do to make them comfortable and happy. You are so lucky to have a Vet that will treat chickens!! The Vets here laugh at the thought.
Sometimes the sheer absurdity of it all (dog, cat, 4 chickens currently living in the garage, 2 teenage girls and a computer geek husband) is all that keeps me going. sometimes I think I need a shrink, but then I go and play with the animals and I'm fine....
:)
LOL we have some of the same absurdity going on here. It's the little things.. Life is good.
Sad day. Monty fell (actually, it was more of an escape jump) while we were trying to give her the evening pill (yesterday) and hit hard. At first we thought she'd dislocated the leg, but a trip to the vet and xray showed that it was badly broken inside the upper part of the leg. There was nothing we could do. Lovely Monty is now frolicking in Chicken Heaven, eating all the corn and worms she could ever want.
We will miss her ugly cute face and attitude.
Deb
I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. She knew she was very much loved and safe and is up in Chicken Heaven smiling down and putting in a good word for you and yours....
I'm so sorry about Monty. After all you did to care for her, she had a good life because of you.