Chicken Lady to the Rescue...again *Update-she died :(

[Short Rooster]

Thank you so much for the help you give. I hope all goes well for you and your babies.
Have a great day and God Bless you and yours.

 

[ZooMummzy]

Thank you

They give me so much more than I ever give them

They are my therapy most days.

Small miracles this morning: Miriam is getting stronger and even cleaning herself now. My other paralyzed Silkie was on both her legs this morning after just one vitamin treatment! She has curled toes on one foot that I need to make a boot for, but I think she's going to recover. The other chick with the infected tail area will be able to go back out in the flock by Monday. Right now, I'm off with my daughter to pick out a little friend for Miriam

 

[bantybev]

Bless you for caring for the little specail needs guys!

I have 3 of my own right now and I know how much time and effort goes into taking care of their dissabilities.
I went into TSC Thursday to get a bag of flock raiser for my adult bantams. Of course I had to look at the chicks they had

, as I could hear them all through the store. I had just gotten myself 11 babies the previous Saturday and had no intentions of getting anymore. I just wanted to make sure there were no silkies (I have not been able to find any of them when I got the others and REALLY want a couple silkie babies). So, anyways....there was this one little chick with obvious splayed legs in the bin getting trampled by all the others. He was just brought in that morning and was definately only just born that day. He was just crying his heart out and I picked him up to dip his beak in the water. The sales clerk said she had done that earlier, but he probably wouldn't make it, as she didnt have time to give him the attention he obviously needed and that I could take him if I wanted.
I already had 2 at home with issues. One with a respiratory problem that gasps for air and sneezes and one I am nursing, and afraid won't make it due to a bowel blockage, or something, as he is not pooping. These two are in seperate brooders, being hand fed, watered, fed vitamins, and several other treatments I have spent the past several days researching on line to try to save their sweet little hearts.
I did bring him home (how could I not??) I am tring the bandaid therapy to start and hand feeding, etc with him.
When my husband came home from work the first thing he said when he say the newest handicap chick was "You didn't give TSC your phone number did you?"...

Thank heavens I have the time, as these little guys are very time consuming to care for. I have a wonderful, supportive husband and family who understand my empathy and need to care for any creature that is unable to care for itself. I have nursed orphaned baby squirrels, opossums, chipmonks, birds, kittens, and bunnies. The baby chicks are new for me, but I research as much as I can about their illnesses and injuries. I try my best and hope to save these little guys, but if not, I think they know they were loved and passed more comfortably than they would if left at the store.

Bless you and your efforts. I understand.

 

[chickennoviceken]

Congratulations on your successes with the little ones. I have seen firsthand the love, compassion and devotion you show these little guys. It's because of you that I am even interested in having my own one day. Keep doing what you're doing. You are an inspiration to so many, none more than me.

 

[ZooMummzy]

Quote:
Bless you for doing the same thing!

They do take a lot of time and energy but they are so worth it. The first year I had chicks ever, my feed store gave me a splayed leg little banty that sounds a lot like the one you just got. The chicks were dragging it around by its foot and it would have died. They didn't have time to deal with it so I scooped it up and took it home and named it Quincy. I tried the bandaid and curled toe boots with it but it never recovered use of its legs. However, it does get around just fine in its cage and I take it outside under supervision in the nice weather. She lays eggs and gives me so much love. This is the thread with her photos and story. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=53673

Last year, they gave me a splayed leg Australorp I named Hope. She was about 3 weeks old and never recovered either, but the same thing, gets around great on her one good leg and lays everyday. Her and Quincy are cage mates now and get along great. They sleep together and play together in the cage and outside. Hope was outside for awhile with her friend Faith I also took, but she started getting picked on so I had to bring her in. I don't know how this little one will do but I'm going to try and see if she will go out with the flock eventually, but if not, she will have a forever home inside with lots of love

Obviously, lol my feed store does have my number

They actually set them aside for me and keep them till I come in. I don't care though. I'd rather try to save at least one chick than just turn my back. Like you, I have the time and energy to put into them so I figure why not.

Good luck with your little ones and I hope you find your Silkies! I got my first Silkies last year at my feed store by accident. No one knew what they were and didn't want the ugly things with 5 toes! I scooped them up immediately along with two Frizzles that no one wanted either. Silly people

 

[ZooMummzy]

Thank you again for all the kind words and thoughts. Little Miriam died this evening. I knew earlier today things were not going to end well since she had stopped trying to eat and drink even with my help. Her will to live simply gave out. I think she probably had a lot more wrong with her than just blindness too. I have comfort in the fact that I did all that I could and that she didn't die in the feed store bin. I bought her a little friend yesterday - Cecily, a week old Barred Rock - so I'm going to the feed store in the morning to get her friend. She never left Miriam's side and is now walking around crying in the cage. I hope a new buddy will perk her up

This is a picture of Miriam.

 

[chickennoviceken]

Even a novice like me knows that you did everything you could to pull little Miriam through. It just wasn't meant to be for her to stick around with us. My heart goes out to you.

 

[strega78]

Sweety you did your best and thats all you could have done. At least she was well cared for and not alone or was not pecked to death by others.

 

[redrocketrooster]

RIP Miriam. Thanks for taking care of her, I'm sure she loved you for it.

 

[Karen_at_LittleBrook]

So sorry to hear that she didnt make it, but what an incredible person you are for doing all that you do for those sweet, helpless creatures. All to often, these tiny creatures are given up on and considered "disposable" or "put out of their misery" before being given a good chance. Your story is inspirational. I have never been one to believe that because we are human beings and "have domain over the animals" that it was up to us to play God and decide when something should die... unless all is lost and it is the only humane thing to do. Around my place, that even goes for spiders in the house! They get captured in a cup and taken outside lol. Years of being an EMT has taught me to never give up on life, because miracles happen. Ive seen it in humans and animals. Keep doing what you are doing! The world needs more people like you!