Mildred is our rescued Christmas miracle, a sweet, older Speckled Sussex girl we got from a horrible situation. She was bleeding from being feather-plucked bald in the backside, was anemic, skin and mucous membranes very pale, not able to stand on her own for very long, nor walk with badly infected foot. We brought Mildred into "Chicken Hospital" in the house in a newspaper-lined Vari-Kennel dog crate for several days. My fiance syringe-fed her a warm babyfood for hand-feeding parrots, we treated her respiratory & foot infections with antibiotics and antiseptic black drawing salve foot massages, and soon she was well. Now she's been brought back outdoors, and slowly, successfully intergrated into our tiny flock. She's never free-ranged before, so she's astonished at the exploration & foraging possibilities!
While Mildred was indoors in hospital over Christmas holiday, she spent time in my lap for salve appluication for her foot, and I gave her Reiki treatments each time. She got snacks of live, wriggling "Superworms" after each salve/Reiki treatment, once she could eat and drink on her own. My fiance and I gave her lots of love. Here's sweet Millie on Christmas Day on my lap, about to get her foot massage with salve.
I'm not sure if Speckled Sussex are really all as sweet, friendly, and people-oriented as Mildred is, but now that she's well & outside free-ranging happily, she wants to hang out near me. In fact, she stands right between my feet in the grass and sings! I sense that perhaps she might want me to pick her up. If so, do hens like anything special when held gently? I read that some enjoy their wattles or neck gently stroked. Ideas to make her feel cared for if she should wish to be held?
Oh my goodness, what a sweet, chatty, singing, LOVE she is!
While Mildred was indoors in hospital over Christmas holiday, she spent time in my lap for salve appluication for her foot, and I gave her Reiki treatments each time. She got snacks of live, wriggling "Superworms" after each salve/Reiki treatment, once she could eat and drink on her own. My fiance and I gave her lots of love. Here's sweet Millie on Christmas Day on my lap, about to get her foot massage with salve.
I'm not sure if Speckled Sussex are really all as sweet, friendly, and people-oriented as Mildred is, but now that she's well & outside free-ranging happily, she wants to hang out near me. In fact, she stands right between my feet in the grass and sings! I sense that perhaps she might want me to pick her up. If so, do hens like anything special when held gently? I read that some enjoy their wattles or neck gently stroked. Ideas to make her feel cared for if she should wish to be held?
Oh my goodness, what a sweet, chatty, singing, LOVE she is!
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