Snailmouse

About three years ago I ended up with two little hens. They were left in a cat carrier on a balcony of an abandoned apartment, starving and filthy. A friend climbed the balcony, and grabbed them. She contacted me thinking they wouldn’t survive, but I had rehabbed a couple of birds she’d found in the past so I said bring em on down, that’s how Eliza (lavender splash Orpington?) and Loretta (light Sussex) came into our lives. We built them a beautiful house, heated floors, nest boxes, sand baths, jungle gyms and various levels, with cameras in the coop and out in the yard so we could watch them for entertainment and also keep an eye. They thrived, laid wonderful eggs and loved their new spoiled city-chicken life. For two years they happily roamed my backyard, my neighbors loved them. Last summer Loretta became very sick and despite my frantic research and desperate attempts, she died in my arms (sour crop I believe was the final straw but due to her rough start in life I’m not sure of other underlying conditions.) So Eliza was alone. We had to seek out a friend. I found someone who was selling several heritage breed young hens, and sent me photos of a few to choose from. I fell in love with Amber, apparently a blue laced Orpington. (I don’t know if that’s actually what she was) I explained how critical health was as I had gone through such a traumatic experience losing Loretta, and was assured this little one was in fine form. Photos seemed to back that up. My boyfriend lives two hours north so he picked her up along his weekily run to my house. I was stunned when he arrived with her. She was not only much younger than I was told, she was emaciated, filthy, one side of her face covered in swollen lumps and she didn’t even appear to have an eye. I tried contacting the seller, no response. Three months of vet trips, antibiotics, and surgery to remove the masses in her face, and she finally was healthy, recovered like a rock star, doubled her weight and she and Eliza started to sit together and become friends. Eliza never caught anything from Amber and I know how lucky we were about that. Amber did well for the next two months then out of nowhere she started walking oddly and falling over. Sitting on the ground doing nothing, while Eliza ate her food and began picking on her a bit. So back to the vet. He said she had an ear infection, although I saw no real signs of this, and she was back on antibiotics. I made her a hospital bin and kept her inside. For four weeks she was medicated, after the first week I saw no improvement. Her legs stopped working completely. I read everything I could. I tried boosting various vitamins, she was on stress-aid in her water, every possible “home remedy” I could find providing it didn’t cause any harm. Her neck was frozen and I found tumors on her body. She lost all the weight she’d put on and became constipated. I gave her enemas, fed her with a syringe trying to keep her hydrated. She lived on the couch and tolerated everything, washing, blow drying, bum cleaning etc. I spent a ton of time with this little bird and she was very comfortable being handled and trusted me. I did everything I could to save her... she died in my lap last week and I’m completely devastated. I lived my life by this birds schedule, and now Eliza is alone again. She’s in perfect health, but definitely bored. The hunt begins for two (I don’t want any lonely chicken situation ever again) young hens, and i need to find ones who are heritage breeds, mellow, and most importantly vaccinated for anything possible. I’m located in southern Ontario Canada, toronto and anywhere between toronto and collingwood. If anyone has recommendations, would like to share in an order from a poultry breeder, please contact me, or if you have any lovely ladies who deserve a pampered life, hit me up. Thanks for reading, I’m not sure how to use this forum yet but I’m working on it. Xox