One Sick Chick

Just a quickie post for now. I've gotten rained out of weeding this morning. Bummer. :-) I'm going to go out and do some errands while it's raining, so that I can work in the yard as soon as the rain is over. So many things on my mind today, so many things that need to be done. It's hard for me to prioritize, as evident by me sitting here blogging!

Helen is a sick little chick for sure. She still hasn't really moved at all. She just sits. See that pic on the top? That is her in the yard while I was doing yard work. I kept her with me for company. I kept talking to her, petting her. I've been singing Beyonce's "I'm a Survivor" to her, and dancing, trying to cheer her up.....good thing that her eyes AREN'T open!!! That red stuff on her chest isn't blood, it's strawberry juice, that is about all she has been eating. I crush up some strawberries for her and feed her. I've tried oatmeal, etc, things I've read about on chicken forums, but she won't take it. Last night I picked her up, and she felt like she was on fire. She was SO hot. She was so lethargic, laying on her side and breathing a bit heavy. I decided to put her down, and I was saying my goodbyes to her, and well, I just couldn't do it. I decided to give her two more days to see if she recovers at all. My friend brought over some Amoxicillin and I gave that to her twice, and I'll be darned if she didn't seem a BIT better this morning, looking around a little, peeping, and eating well. I'm holding out hope. I know some of you may think I should take her to a vet. I don't mean to sound cruel, but we just wouldn't do that.

I carry her around like this alot. I'm not sure if it is good or not, maybe she isn't getting the rest she needs like that. So now I've left her be on the front porch in a cozy chair. I had to separate her from Anne, because Anne wouldn't give her a minutes rest. She kept forcing herself under Helen, and chirping. It's almost like Anne has had a nervous breakdown. Sometimes I sit Helen next to Anne, outside the cage, and it seems to settle Anne down. I must say though, that today, Anne seems like a normal chicken. She's calmed down.

I still shudder to think what's happened to these poor birds. The horror they've seen! Those stinkin' raccoons coming in there like a thief in the night, stealing them one by one. The only thing I can think of being scarier is if they were dressed like Colonel Sanders. Pure EVIL I tell you! We set the trap again last night, but didn't catch anything. I thought for sure one of my knuckle headed cats would be in it.

I've been writing a coon killin' song. Imagine me out in the garden, pulling weeds, edging, with a sick chicken on a towel next to me, singing a bluegrass song about killin' coons. Oh ya, that is how I roll.

Thank you for all your sweet comments and emails. I'll respond to them all just as soon as I can.