Tough Chook

[Bob Pacey]

Just a little story about how you should never give up.


last Friday I arrived home in the dark about 7 30 pm to find a note on my door to say that a friend had brought her dog over for a visit and it had attacked one of my beautiful hens.

It is under the hutch out the back They said.

Well apart from being pissed off I rushed out expecting to find a dead hen but found nothing.

I can tell you I searched for about two hours to find her but no trace and I Know she had crawled away somewhere to probably die.

I gave up but when back out with a torch later as I could not sleep thinking of her and found her lying under some low scrubs, she was a mess half her back chewed and the would covered in ants and flies. I took her inside and washed her off in the sink and got rid of most of the ants.

She is a gentle girl used to handling so just sat there through it all and even had a drink when I offered water.

I kept her in a box overnight expecting to find her worse for wear or dead the next day but no she was still with us but the wound had been fly blown and maggots were evident. I patiently clipped her feathers and picked them out with tweesers and washed the wounds out with peroxide.

I put her out in the yard to see if she could walk and she immediately hobbled all the way down the yard to get to the coup to lay an egg ( even though it was not fully developed ). Tough old chook but still knows her job .

I had to go to work Monday so left her in a box with food and water and when I got home she had escaped and had obviously been walking around the kitchen ( left quite a few deposits for me to clean up )

I kept her inside for a week and hand fed her as required but she did start to feed herself after a few days.

When I got home this Friday at 3 pm she was a bit brighter and the wounds were dry and clean so I put her out with the other hens for a pick and she was happy had a dust bath making little clucking noises and as it got dark made her way to the coup and up onto the nesting box where they roost.

Today she is out there hobbling around and fighting for her food but seems to still expect me to hand feed her ( bloody women ) I may have created a monster.

Looks like she may be ok but not sure if she will lay again.

Never Never never give up .

Bob ( the Chicken Whisperer ).

will see if I can post a picture later.

[Heather]

What's her name?

I feel a bit like that tough chook some days. All I need is someone to hand feed me!

Heather

PS Very well written Bob - maybe you should branch out into story writing.

[Bob Pacey]

Her Name Heather ( Chook Chook ) of course.

and even if she does not lay again she has a home for life.

Bob

[Neville Briggs]

Is that what they call, a tough old boiler ?

[Bob Pacey]

Hate to see any animal suffer Nev but despite my son saying knock her on the head she is only a chook I was glad I gave her every chance.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Poor old girl - but she is repaying your kindness Bob and I am sure she loves you in her own chooky way. So glad you helped her - she didn't deserve such harsh treatment from that bad dog - but not all dogs are cat or chook safe and what was the dogs owner thinking allowing an unleashed dog into someone else's yard. I hope you gave them a bollocking - I sure as hell would

[Bob Pacey]

Update Chook chook is fully recovered and although she has a slight limp and a wound on her back she started laying again today ( knows her Job ) she is the first one at the back door in the morning and ready to fight for any scraps.


Was touch and go for a while but as I said I gave her every chance and she took it.



Bob

[Maureen K Clifford]

So pleased Chook Chook is on the mend and OK and good on you for giving her that chance Bob - every life is precious and chooks are wonderfully loyal little pets.

[Shelley Hansen]

Good old Chook Chook! As a chook lover from way back, I can really relate to this, Bob!

Must be a poem in there somewhere!

Cheers
Shelley