15. A Tale of two Chickens

30th December 2013

A Tale of Two Chickens

Despite our best efforts 'Rosie' has relapsed. While the rest of the flock grow fat and strong she is wasting away before our eyes.  

It was time to bring out the big guns and take her to the vet. 

People have mixed reactions when you say you are taking a chicken to the vet but I maintain that she is one of God's creatures and a baby to boot with hopefully a long and happy life ahead of her. Besides if she is a hen she will pay for her treatment sixfold in eggs.

Wanting to minimise Rosie's stress and to show the vet the difference between Rosie and the chickens of the same age in our care, we packed both Rosie and her sibling 'Fluffy' into a crate and headed to the local veterinary surgery. 

Not having made an appointment we were prepared for a long wait but I had a feeling that time was not on Rosie's side. 

Finally after a few hours it was our turn to see the vet. We weighed both chickens(now 10 weeks old), Fluffy  weighed in at a healthy 900 grams while little Rosie tipped the scales at just 400g! However it was when the vet took her temperature that both of us realised how grave things were. Rosie's temp was in excess of 42 degrees centigrade and out of the range of the vet's thermometer. The vet said she didn't know how the little bird was still alive and that it was highly unlikely she would survive the night. She also said that without our nursing she doubted our Rosie would have made it so far.

Rosie, like many of the little things raised here on the Nook, is a fighter and I am hoping she like the other 'little things' I have nurtured will beat this and go on to thrive. At least we know that we have done everything possible to save her. 

Fluffy(left) at 10 weeks is a vocarious forager and is healthy and plump. Rosie(right) at 7 weeks has hardly grown at all.