| Lately I have been limping and hopping rather than walking like a normal chicken would do. Ever aware of our every movement, Human looked at my foot in the daylight and noticed a small brown spot, no bigger than a millet seed on the biggest pad on my foot. She determined it was a malady called Bumblefoot and put me back on the ground. It was the time Human calls night. All I know is it was dark and I was resting comfortably on the roost, having given up on the broody bit, when Human came in with her light and grabbed me! Alarming as this is, I submitted to being carried into the house and placed in a bucket of warm but shallow water. After a few minutes Human took me out and wrapped me in a towel. She then turned me onto my back and looked at the foot. With a sharp metal poker, she prodded and squeezed at the spot until it bled a little. Then she put some oily medicine on it and wrapped my foot in a padded bandage. Finally Human took be back to the coop and placed me into the nest. I can't wait until morning to see what is on my foot and avoid Human lest she try this again! Bumblefoot:www.firststatevetsupply.com/poultry-health/bumblefoot.html | |
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| The weather has changed from blasting hot to comfortably cool. Human likes it better too and has been out with us in the morning working her veg garden and clearing up all of the fallen leaves.
I have gone sort of broody finding it more comfortable to sleep in the nest at night instead of on the perch. The others perch separately not touching or even on the same rung.
Zena is the most active following Human around hoping she will uncover a bug or two. Kate gets washed at least once a day and while she is not improving, she is growing. Emma has done some molting, normal for us this time of year.
Doris' rose bush is struggling. Roses are hard to grow in the desert. Hopefully Human will keep it going so it can get established before next years heat starts again. | |
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| Human has come out to check up on us at odd hours of the night. She shines a light in our eyes, most annoying. Kate used to sleep inside the playhouse. Now that Doris is gone, Kate has moved up to the lower rung of the outdoor perch. Zena is on the top rung. I have taken over the roof of the playhouse and Emma now perches on a piece of wood that somehow came loose on the roof and is now sticking out at an angle. This places Emma over all of us! No doubt Human will fix that piece of wood as it seems to serve no purpose in our sleeping arrangements. Emma continues to pester Kate and has now taken to chasing Zena away from tasty snacks that Human provides. To see a small bird tugging at the wing of a bird 5 times her size amuses Human. After the trauma of yesterday, it is nice to see Human not so sad. Kate continues to need daily bum washings. She is growing but ever so slowly. She is a lovely little pullet and Human goes to great pains to see that Kates gets extra rations.  Kate - September 22, 2009 | |
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| The days pass one upon the other and my tales have been slight. We eat, hunt, get into things that Human would rather we did not and our lives are full. Rather than recount the past days and nights since last I wrote, I will instead, tell you of the now in our lives. Human cleaned out the coop putting fresh straw and re-arranging the perch sleeping arrangements. Last night she came to bid us good night and found Doris in one of the nests. As it was nearly dark, Human, knowing we do not normally lay in the dark, put Doris on the perch inside the playhouse with Kate. Doris has not been laying for some time, not unusual in the hotter parts of the summer, but has on occasion dropped an egg from her nightly perch; also not uncommon. She has been eating well, chasing down the scraps of food that Human tosses to us and generally being a fine example of a healthy chicken. She has had a kind of cough as though something was caught in her throat. This morning when Human let us out of the cage, Doris was not in her usual place by the gate wanting out. Human went into the coop and found Doris under our perch, dead. There are no obvious signs of distress, nothing to indicate the cause. Human has opted not to dissect Doris nor have her examined. Knowing the cause would not help Doris and as we seem to be fine, what is the point? Human carefully wrapped Doris’ limp body in a pretty pink cloth. Human is naturally quite upset. Doris was such a sweet natured girl. We have a spot in the yard where a rose bush brought from the Avalon House has not survived so Human is digging a deep hole there and will plant another rose to honor our hen sister.
In our own way we too are unsettled by today's event. Cawing and bak-baking, Zena and I have erratically gone about our morning rasorial ritual. Zena is quite loud and Human thinks she is calling for Doris to come out of hiding.
Doris
Avian Diseases
http://www.afn.org/~poultry/virus.htm http://www.afn.org/~poultry/syndrome.htm | |
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| Human came into our yard this morning and enticed Diane to come and feed on the patio wall. Then, without warning or ceremony, Diane was picked up and shoved into a small box! Not liking that one bit, Diane tried to get out but Human was ready with tape and the box was sealed up. There were air holes in it so Diane was fine. Human then told us that Diane was going to a farm in Laveen where there are other Guinea hens, chickens, peacocks, ducks and a turkey. One acre of trees in a grassy meadow. Sounds like fowl heaven!
As the hatching hen, I don't feel any sadness over Diane's departure, just means more food for us and a lot less racket! Our flock is unbalanced now. Kate has no one to pal around with. She sticks closer to me now but I'm busy and am not really interested in chick-sitting. Zena, Doris and Emma are relentless about harassing Kate. Unless Human gives Kate special attention, she does not get any of the food scraps that come our way. | |
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| Yes, it's still summer at Villa Petra. Hot nights and hotter days. Kate and Diane are growing fast. I am no longer their prime food hunter, they are on their own! Diane gets picked on by Doris and Emma but is faster than they are and gets away without bloodshed. Kate is another story! Human brought Kate back outside and the poor little thing is such a 'special needs' chicken. Still pasty on her nether end, picked on to the point of a bloody comb and so skittish that she seldom gets any of the treats Human tosses out for us, Kate resorts to eating too much grass thus exacerbating her digestive condition. She gets a good bottom washing several times a day and then Human takes her aside for a dose of antibiotic water and chick-grow food. Diane has quite a loud 'buckwheat, buckwheat' sound so Human is certain that Diane is a female. She is always hungry and quite the bug catcher. If the noise keeps up, which it will of course, Human will send Diane to live on a farm someplace where noisy fowl are tolerated.  Kate and Diane at about 8 weeks old  Diane in her adult spotted feathers | |
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| The cruel desert sun has been beating down on us most unmercifully. Human allows Diane and I into the veg garden, a sanctuary of cool green delight. We start at the zucchini end of the garden and exit by the native tepary beans. Doris buries herself deeply into the mint plants. Zena and Emma hug the outer wall of the patio beneath the plumbago. Human turned on the misters today. So rather than us baking, does she intend to boil us instead?! She added an umbrella so that there is more shade in the misty plumbago area but still the temperature makes us pant. Even the nighttime does not cool down enough for us to be comfortable. Kate though, has lived these past few days in the luxury of Human's coop. Fed only chick starter food and electrolyte water, poor Kate is still trying to digest the too much grass she ate last week. Several times a day, Human washes little Kate's reddened vent in warm soapy water then applies a soothing aloe salve. Human and Kate cheep-cheep at each other, while Dog watches silently hoping for a chance at the chick food. Tepary Beans:azteparybeans.com/basic-information/the-history-of-tepary-beans/ | |
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| Who has time to write while raising 2 curious chicks?! Diane is quite able to fend for herself hunting bugs and seeds along with the rest of the flock here at Villa Petra. She can fly too. Human tried to clip her wings but did not get them short enough to curtail Diane's ability to fly up 6' in the air! Kate is still experiencing pasty bottom. Human tried to get her cleaned up several times but not cured. So yesterday Human took Kate into her coop for a good scrubbing. Kate screamed so loud I could here her out in the yard. Both Diane and I squawked back for a good long while but Kate was not let back out with us. Human is keeping her caged inside so she can keep an eye on what Kate eats and maybe get her innards more regular. Lucky Kate as the outdoor temperatures have gone up to chicken boiling stage! Human has set up the misters again which does make the ground nice and cool but none of us really like to stand under them. The coop is hot at night and now that Diane can fly, Human put up another perch so we all can be out of the little house and not on top of it! Color Genetics of Guinea Fowl:http://www.guineafowlinternational.org/articles/genetics.php | |
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| My two charges are growing fast, I can barely keep up. Diane is fearless, chasing after Zena to share with a gecko or piece of bread. Kate is not so bold. Both of them now know the sound of Human coming out of her coop and fly-hop to the back of the patio. Human, in her role as the 'pink vending machine' obliges with snacks. She sits on a chair and picks up Kate who squawks until she sees the food in Human's hand, then she dives right in. Diane flies onto Human's lap and also eats vigorously. Of course I have to join them to make sure all is well and grab a bit of food for myself. I take them for walks across the yard several times a day. There are very few bugs for us to eat so Human comes out and offers chick food.  Kate is developing a comb and her barred patterning  Diane is still rather brown  Dog watches but does not chase, Human scolds her if she does! | |
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| Little Kate, at almost 4 weeks old ate her first gecko! I captured it near our secluded outdoor pen and was about to share with my two charges when Kate grabbed it out of my mouth and ran to the shade garden. This tasty morsel was about 2 inches long, that is, after Kate ate off the tail! She then did as any adult chicken would do and that was to peck, shake and nibble until feet and legs were removed and eaten. Diane and I tried to get at her but were thwarted by one of Human's fences. Before we could get through or over the fence, Kate had swallowed the rest of the tiny lizard whole, head and front legs going down last. Human stood watching astonished that such a tiny chick could devour a whole critter so quickly. Me too as gecko is a very tasty meal and I got no part of it!
These two are growing up fast. Diane can fly straight up 3' and often can be seen fly-hopping after me across the lawn. Kate still requires my warmth and the comfort of my nearness throughout the day. She too can fly a bit but not like Diane.
Pecking order issues are kept at bay because the older hens seek the shade of the red bird of paradise and don't bother us too much. Human stirs things up in the afternoon with bread snacks and then the beaks are poised to insure that the little ones must eat last. | |
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