Diary of a Crossbeak: Support for Special Needs Chickens and their Keepers

[brittfish]

Update on Cinnamon:
We picked up a bag of the Kaytee baby bird formula and mixed it with pedialyte and tube fed her that twice daily (70 ml each time). She didn't like the tube feeding but we skipped one meal and she was so listless it was worrisome. We tried "waiting it out" only giving her pedialyte plain but she just wasn't eating. We think her beak was too sore. So we did the formula. She started eating her mash on her own as we offered it just in case and ate like she never stopped yesterday and again this morning!! We are so happy. We are still keeping her inside because it is very cold and has been rainy outside and it seems like she lost a substantial amount of weight over this past week. She doesn't mind we have a roost in the closet for her and she enjoys hanging out with us during the day. Going to make a cage for her when we are not home that will keep her in the living quarters and occupied. She just poops too much to be wandering around when we are not home to keep up with it. We love her and are so pleased she's doing well. Check her out on you tube. Search cinnamon the cross beak house chicken

 

[artsyrobin]

Update on Cinnamon:
We picked up a bag of the Kaytee baby bird formula and mixed it with pedialyte and tube fed her that twice daily (70 ml each time). She didn't like the tube feeding but we skipped one meal and she was so listless it was worrisome. We tried "waiting it out" only giving her pedialyte plain but she just wasn't eating. We think her beak was too sore. So we did the formula. She started eating her mash on her own as we offered it just in case and ate like she never stopped yesterday and again this morning!! We are so happy. We are still keeping her inside because it is very cold and has been rainy outside and it seems like she lost a substantial amount of weight over this past week. She doesn't mind we have a roost in the closet for her and she enjoys hanging out with us during the day. Going to make a cage for her when we are not home that will keep her in the living quarters and occupied. She just poops too much to be wandering around when we are not home to keep up with it. We love her and are so pleased she's doing well. Check her out on you tube. Search cinnamon the cross beak house chicken

sounds like you are doing good with her, you might consider a dog playpen, that has worked here for broodies

 

[calichicken]

sounds like you are doing good with her, you might consider a dog playpen, that has worked here for broodies

Good idea and beautiful momma and babies

 

[KelsiNS]

Well, our farm laid our mascot, Chewi to rest this morning.
She was one year, seven months old, never laid an egg, and required special care every day of her staggeringly short life.

I adored her. She greeted everything with an enthusiasm I can only hope to have about life, and her favorite thing in the whole world was getting to come inside. And food. My god this chicken loved food. Bananas, mushy cucumbers from the garden, applesauce, yogurt, fruit and veggie purees, and spaghetti noodles. She never knew she was different, but she knew she was special and she KNEW she was the favorite. She was the smartest bird I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and she will be deeply missed.

 

[artsyrobin]

I am sorry but you id a wonderful job with her! There is just something about crossbeaks that makes them very special!

 

[calichicken]

Well, our farm laid our mascot, Chewi to rest this morning.
She was one year, seven months old, never laid an egg, and required special care every day of her staggeringly short life.

I adored her. She greeted everything with an enthusiasm I can only hope to have about life, and her favorite thing in the whole world was getting to come inside. And food. My god this chicken loved food. Bananas, mushy cucumbers from the garden, applesauce, yogurt, fruit and veggie purees, and spaghetti noodles. She never knew she was different, but she knew she was special and she KNEW she was the favorite. She was the smartest bird I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and she will be deeply missed.

I am so sorry for your loss

But blessings to you for giving her such a wonderful life

Those chickens that steal our hearts bring such happiness to our lives!!!

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

I am so very sorry for your loss.
*hug*

 

[KelsiNS]

thank you all. She was a hatchery chick and we noticed her condition around two weeks old-and that order being my first chickens ever I was terrified of what caring for her might entail, but she stole our hearts and nothing she required ever felt like extra work.

She made me realize that even if they need extra attention, special needs livestock are highly rewarding and caring for her made me capable of caring for two special needs ducks (overheated and smashed at the feed store, both survived with special care for nearly a year), two rescued rabbits (the first five months I owned them was nothing but a series of being bitten while medicating open wounds and lice), and two baby goats that has been left for dead.

She was the poster chicken for what a crossbeak can become with just the slightest amount of extra. she had a face that only a mother could love, and made the strangest noises I have ever heard from a chicken, but she was my baby.

My coop was a little darker this morning for her not being there.

 

[artsyrobin]

they are very special birds, and at some point you may discover another that needs your love and compassion- you are special too to have taken the time with her

 

[brittfish]

Anyone have cross beaks that lay eggs? Ours lives inside and we haven't found any eggs.... Also she's an ameraucana and her comb has grown a lot lately but our other normal beak ameraucana hens have no comb. She eats quite a bit twice a day so not sure if that has anything to do with it... any thoughts?