Chicken Chatter

It has been a week now that Snacker has been sick.  I started the antibiotic the very next day I noticed symptoms.  She has gone from bad to worse.  I have been treating all of the hens with an antibiotic that you put in their water.  But to be sure that Snacker is getting it, I am giving it to her three times a day through a baby medicine dropper.  She has gotten worse every day.  I have been so sad.  I have wanted chickens forever.  I got Snacker from my brother, and I LOVE her.  I have spent the majority of my time since then, outside with them. Watching them, feeding them, talking to them.  I just can't believe she has gotten so sick. The explanation that makes the most sense, was from a friends sister who has lots and lots of chickens.  She said that since Snacker was the only chicken, she has not been exposed to other illness.  When the new ones came, she caught something from one of the others.  Usually meds work.  But this hasn't gone so well.  Last night, after giving her meds, and cleaning her up, I put her in a clean box with nesting material in the bottom, and locked her inside another smaller cage, which was inside the coop.  I didn't want anyone else bothering her.  She could barely hold her head up.  I fully expected her to be gone when I got up this morning.  I woke up several times last night wondering what I was going to tell my brother.  To those of you reading this thinking, "IT'S A CHICKEN!"  well, yes, it's a chicken.  But it's not JUST a chicken.  It's Snacker.  She follows me.  She loves to sit in my lap. She likes to be petted. She comes to the front of the coop as soon as I approach, so she can come out and follow me around.   So I am taking care of her, as well as I can.  Hoping!  She hasn't layed an egg in a week. She hasn't eaten in a week. But today, I was able to get several doses of medicated water down her.  And maybe, just maybe, she will live.  I sure hope so.  Her new name will be Super Snacker!
In the mean time, the baby chicks are growing so fast.  They are feathering out more every day.  Noah has named his "Ham" and Hannah named hers "Chickas" and Claire had help naming hers, and it is "Sammy."  So we have, Hammy and Sammy, and Chickas.   They are getting so big that I had to move them to their new digs.  The pack N play that I used when the grandkids were babies.   Works perfect!   They are actually in the white ice chest with a heat lamp overhead.  The mash and pine shred are in the front of the pen.

I keep them in my sewing room.  I have a lock on the outside of the door so no one can get in there and leave the door open.  Ducey might be overly interested, so we keep them locked in there. 

Here is Noah checking in on Ham, and the rest.

And this is what I got when I asked him to smile!

Silly boy!!   This morning after I took care of Snacker, I noticed an egg on one of the roosts.  I knew it wasn't Snacker's because she was locked inside a separate pen last night.  I got closer and realized it wasn't a typical egg.  Since the new hens haven't laid yet, I didn't know who's it was, or if it was their very first or what.  But I have heard of eggs being laid without a shell.  This was not exactly that, but the shell was very soft, like puff pastry.  It felt like it would crack if I touched it.  In fact when I did touch it, it left a dent.  So I got a pie plate and just scooped it onto the plate to save it for Greg to see it too.  It was weird!!!

It seemed like it was a jelly egg.  When Greg got home, we wound up giving it to Ducey in his dinner.  The egg was broken easily, not cracked, but more like torn.  The contents looked like a normal farm fresh egg.  Bright yolk, and clear white. And it was a very large egg too.  I am anxious to see if there is another one tomorrow.  And I sure hope Snacker has turned the corner now, and will be showing signs of improvement. 
Hoping that soon, our hens will be providing us with an array of multi colored fresh eggs, just like these.

These beauties were given to me by my neighbor whose sister has a farm and many, many laying  hens.  I am thinking quiche this week, for sure!