Rooster rescued from a coyote, using Manuka honey

[Sunshine Flock]

It occurred to me that I haven't posted an update in a while.

Henry and his flock are doing well. He's molting and looking like a Smart Car version of his former self, so once he regrows his tail feathers, I'd love to film him foraging and running around with his three sons before they move to their new home.

You've only seen a de-feathered Henry here in this discussion.

It's remarkable that he's showing no signs of the October 11 coyote attack from last year. He couldn't crow, couldn't walk, wasn't eating. The boy has made a remarkable recovery.

He has also survived a wildfire and the heartbreak of having been left behind. It's a story I'll write about someday. You think you've got an evacuation all perfectly planned until a nightmare unfolds right in front of you and suddenly that perfect plan needs a last minute adjustment, but there isn't any time.

Thankfully, some cowboys and a volunteer firefighter rescued Henry and his flock and delivered them to a beautiful horse farm in a nearby town, where they enjoyed the daily taunting of a Japanese Bantam rooster and other farm critters.

And then, just recently and ongoing, the bears happened, most likely wildfire refugees. Our chickens are still here, but our neighbors' were killed.

As for Manuka honey, the primary healing medicine in Henry's recovery, I've since used it on multiple wounds (me, cats, dogs, husband), all with remarkable results. It's my understanding that pure raw honey of any kind is a powerful healer, not just the honey obtained from bees that frequent Manuka bushes.

One year and counting and the dang bird lives. I don't know if I'll be able to say that tomorrow or a year from now, but then again I can't really even say that about myself.

Cheers and g'night.

 

[micstrachan]

Thanks for the update!

 

[coach723]

Thanks for updating! So glad Henry and the flock survived!

 

[microchick]

Henry rocks! Such a wonderful story of love and survival for that bird and his flock. Looking forward to seeing pictures of him.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

God be with you, your family, and your flock.

 

[Kiki]

Henry pictures, please.

 

[Birdinhand]

yay Sunshine Flock is back! great to hear the update. just an incredible story start to finish!!

 

[Sunshine Flock]

More Henry news for you.

I adore the boy's three sons and really wanted to keep them. But with seven hens it wasn't a good idea to have more than one Henry.

Larry, his brother Daryl and his other brother Daryl (from the Bob Newhart show) were wonderful companions, to me and each other. Sometimes I'd call them The Earls, a regal name for such dapper little roosters.

Well, thanks to my neighbor's help, they were delivered to their new homes a couple of days ago. The largest Earl, also known as Larry, went to a local acupuncturist and herbalist and her family. They raise organic foods and on the way home fed him homegrown greens.

The smaller Earls are now living on a beautiful ranch with twelve hens and some miniature horses.

I couldn't have hoped for a better re-homing experience for them. Regretfully, I didn't take a family portrait, but here's what that might have looked like.

Carla

 

[Sunshine Flock]

Okay, well here I am several months later, and this time I have actual photos of real life baby Henries.

Two hens went broody at the same time. Hortense the Under Chicken wasn't allowed to keep her eggs. The others kept crowding into the nest with her, adding eggs to the clutch and rolling hers out. It finally occurred to me that any eggs left with her could end up cracked and the growing chicks harmed, so poor Hortense won't be a mama this year, since I'm not set up to isolate her in a separate pen.

Meanwhile, Gertrude the Head Hen (and Henry's wife) took over the three eggs Hortense was minding. She's the one that hatched out five Henries last year, three of which were roosters. Yesterday we heard soft little chirps from inside the egg capsules, and today we woke up to one hatched chick and two more on the way.

The one that hatched took a few steps toward me and nipped at my finger, and then he craned his neck slightly to get a better look. That's exactly how Henry behaved as a newborn. With the patterning on the chick's head I'm pretty sure he's a rooster. I was able to find wonderful, loving homes for the boys last year, and we kept the two girls. Hopefully I'll be able to re-home all of them this year.

None of the eggs we hatched out are from Henry's daughters. I think people are comfortable hatching out one or two generations from the same rooster, but it was easy not doing this since his daughter's aren't full grown yet and lay smaller eggs.

The second chick that hatched today is too fresh to be able to move around much. She's weak and just wants to be under Gertrude, and the third is slowly chipping out a hole in her egg house.

Because of the summer heat, we didn't want to let them sit on eggs. But they wouldn't stop sitting in the boxes, even though I kept removing eggs, so I gave in and now we've got ourselves three brand new Henries!!

 

[coach723]

That is so sweet! Love a happy un-ending!