FarmerDenise's journal - full on harvest time = busy, busy, busy

[FarmerDenise]

Here are some pictures of my little Butika

 

[punkin]

bbh, I used to have a house chicken. She was rejected by the momma hens and had been beaten up by them. So I took her into the house and nursed her. One sunny day I put her outside in a birdcage, so she could be with us and also get some nice sunshine. I had gone out back to hang up the laundry. When I finished I went to check on her and found her laying on the floor in the middle of the cage with her scalp missing. I freaked. I had been taking care of this little chick for a week, taking her everywhere with me and now this! I took her into the house. cleaned the wound and let her rest. She recovered. But ended up with a severely deformed beak. The beak got more and more deformed the older she got. I had a great vet who helped me with her. I used to take her in once a month and he would trim her beak for me for $10.00.
This chicken would sit on my shoulder. Since she couldn't eat very well she didn't grow much. Eventually I had to tube feed her. She would sit on my shoulder and watch tv with me. At about 8 o'clock pm she thought it was bedtime and would find me and get on my shoulder and talk into my ear. I think she was telling me to go to bed. It was difficult to watch tv, what with her chatter right in my ear. I would also take her everywhere with me. She would just sit on my shoulder. She came when I called her. She was always excited to see me, when I came into the house.
She would often be outside with us and if she got scared she would jump onto our back.
She died just before she was one year old. I really miss her. She was my little buddy. She was better than any dog or cat combined.

Awww . . . such a sweet story.

 

[keljonma]

Great story and pictures! It is so hard to lose one after you've become buddies.

 

[FarmerDenise]

It sure is. Butika has a special place in my heart, next to very few others.

 

[TanksHill]

FD, glad to hear of all your doings. You are sure good to all your critters. I love hearing about your dehydrating. I usually just do fruits. this year I am drying fresh herbs and miscellaneous veggies as well.


Have a great day.

 

[Dace]

How did the poor thing get the head injury?

I am still giggling about bringing your chicken along for a visit at someone else's house...sounds like you are talking about a dog!!

 

[FarmerDenise]

I am pretty sure a blue jay attacked my chick (Butika) when she was scatching for goodies at the edge of her birdcage and got a hold of her scalp.
My friends thought it was a strange request also, when I would ask, if I could bring my pet chicken. But then they learned to accept it. Everyone who met Butika, thought she was really amazing.
I didn't go anywhere without her. I had to feed her every two hours or so. I was able to go to do things without her, only if it didn't take more than 2 1/2 hrs. It was important to keep her crop filled, so she could gain weight. I was trying to get her up to two pounds. My vet was going to do surgery on her beak, once she was 2 pounds.

 

[Farmfresh]

FD

You do sound a lot like me as well. I had a Modern Game hen that had been attacked by dogs and severed a tendon on one of her legs. She held the useless leg out in front and hopped quite happily about as a pet for many years. I think she had another name at first, but Hoppy is what stuck. You should have seen her perched on her one good LONG leg. She was really a sweetie and was a friend to and protected by my Husky/Shepherd dog, which was a sight to see as well.

 

[FarmerDenise]

Ff, I bet it was a great sight to see your Hoppy with the dog.
We had a white ameraurana hen that was friends with our black lab. They slept and ate together and looked after each other. The dog was pretty old and every now and again, the chicken would peck at the dog, checking if she was still alive. We did the same thing.
People don't realize the personalities chickens have and that they are quite loving.

By the way, I posted this on another thread. Easter died yesterday in my arms. I suspect she had marek's. I wanted to get a necropsy done, but the state doesn't do that anymore. They ran out of funds

 

[Dace]

Sweet story about your Butika, poor little thing was lucky to have you to care for her!