Hello!
So happy to be a new member here at BYC!
A couple of years ago, a tornado blew through my area and damaged my neighbor's chicken pens allowing a few to escape. The most beautiful rooster I'd ever seen appeared in my back yard and decided to hang around and I fell in love with him.
I've been a pet sitter for more than twenty years but, had very little experience with chickens. Also didn't want my neighbor to think I was trying to steal their roo so, I let him free range thinking he would eventually find his way home through the woods like the others.
One day, I came home to find him near death. His head had been mauled and many feathers torn out. It broke my heart to see him in that condition so, I began nursing him back to health until he was finally good as new. I was amazed that he was able to come back from the horrible injuries he had sustained. I don't know what happened to him after that because he disappeared once he was well but, I like to think that he did make it back home.
That was all it took for me. I was hooked and knew that I had to have a chicken family of my own so I found and bought some Dominiques (at least that's what I was told), a young cockerel and three pullets.
Fast forward and, due to bad neighbors who don't keep their dogs put up, I was down to one rooster and one hen. Knew I had to replace the hens for both of their sakes but, couldn't find any Doms locally and they were sold out at all the hatcheries for many months. So, I ordered an incubator and began saving my hen's fertilized eggs.
After reading and researching, mostly on BYC, I put in six eggs and thought I'd be lucky if half of them made it but, to my surprise, all six of them hatched and are now three days old and doing well.
One of them had curled toes and splayed legs and wasn't able to stand up on its own. Thanks again to BYC, I was able to boot it's curled toes and make a brace for it's little legs and its now running around with the others with no problem. Don't know what I would have done without all the knowledge and vast experience I found here on the forum. Thank you all so very much for helping me throughout my chicken journey!
So happy to be a new member here at BYC!
A couple of years ago, a tornado blew through my area and damaged my neighbor's chicken pens allowing a few to escape. The most beautiful rooster I'd ever seen appeared in my back yard and decided to hang around and I fell in love with him.
I've been a pet sitter for more than twenty years but, had very little experience with chickens. Also didn't want my neighbor to think I was trying to steal their roo so, I let him free range thinking he would eventually find his way home through the woods like the others.
One day, I came home to find him near death. His head had been mauled and many feathers torn out. It broke my heart to see him in that condition so, I began nursing him back to health until he was finally good as new. I was amazed that he was able to come back from the horrible injuries he had sustained. I don't know what happened to him after that because he disappeared once he was well but, I like to think that he did make it back home.
That was all it took for me. I was hooked and knew that I had to have a chicken family of my own so I found and bought some Dominiques (at least that's what I was told), a young cockerel and three pullets.
Fast forward and, due to bad neighbors who don't keep their dogs put up, I was down to one rooster and one hen. Knew I had to replace the hens for both of their sakes but, couldn't find any Doms locally and they were sold out at all the hatcheries for many months. So, I ordered an incubator and began saving my hen's fertilized eggs.
After reading and researching, mostly on BYC, I put in six eggs and thought I'd be lucky if half of them made it but, to my surprise, all six of them hatched and are now three days old and doing well.
One of them had curled toes and splayed legs and wasn't able to stand up on its own. Thanks again to BYC, I was able to boot it's curled toes and make a brace for it's little legs and its now running around with the others with no problem. Don't know what I would have done without all the knowledge and vast experience I found here on the forum. Thank you all so very much for helping me throughout my chicken journey!
happy to hear the little one with the curled toes is ok!
