So it's been a while since I last got to see Ivory after giving him over to someone I knew who had chickens. The person lives almost 2 hours away and with finishing up school, working, etc...I haven't been able to visit him in over a year.
Some things have changed since I had to give him up. I moved to a new location; one that has a bigger yard and is in a different ordinance zone. The thought of being able to get him back often crossed my mind, but I was never able to follow through with figuring it all out.
Finally, a couple days ago, I was invited to a gathering that happened to be right down the road from where Ivory lived. So I got the chance to drive up and stop in to visit him. My intentions were to just stop in and spend some time with him and say hello to his new owner. Unfortunately and fortunately, things didn't go completely as planned.
Since handing Ivory over to these people, they've apparently decided (partly due to financial circumstances) to just let things go in regards to upkeep and care of their chickens. When I got there, I was shocked to find that Ivory had been kept in a dark, extremely dirty garage/shed for the past several months. His feet were covered in scaly leg mites, he was clearly suffering from anemia (due to blood loss from a mote/lice infestation), his water bowl was filthy, and he hadn't been outside for months. When I found him, he was just laying in his coop among a lot of soiled, stinky pine shavings. Despite his condition, he stood up and started making his familiar little cooing noises at me as soon as he saw me. I couldn't help but just start crying. I picked him up, noticing how light-weight he felt, and gave him plenty of kisses and snuggles. I knew right then and there that I could not leave him behind in such a mess. After expressing my anger and disappointment with the way these people had been caring for Ivory and the other chickens, they told me they didn't care if I took him or not. So without another thought, without even a coop or a place to keep him when I got home, I grabbed some newspapers, put them in the front seat of my car for him to sit on, and off we went.
I brought Ivory home and made up a make-shift mini coop for him to stay in for the night until I could build him a proper one. It was a beautiful day so as soon as we got home, I let him forage around the yard. He immediately laid down in the fresh, green grass and spread out his wings in the sun. It made me cry some more just thinking of how long it could've been since he was able to get fresh air like that.
Today, with the help of others, I built his coop, bought a huge bag of cracked corn, a can of poultry dust to kill the mites/lice, and basically spent the day laying out in the grass watching him. He has no energy so he hasn't foraged around much, in fact most of the time he just sleeps. But he perks up as soon as I give him little treats, like watermelon. I dusted him so hopefully that kills off all those nasty mites!
Tonight, he's safe and secure in his coop. Eventually, if and when he recovers, I will get him a hen or two for company so he doesn't get lonely. But for now, I'm just glad he's finally back home with me.
I just can't believe it's been over 4 years since I hatched him out in my homemade incubator...it feels like such a long time ago. And yet here we are, back together again like it was in the beginning.
Here's the link to the thread with all the grandchildren pictures: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/697834/new-baby-chicks-hatched-warning-overload-of-cute-pictures
My dad also isn't in the best health, and that combined with his age isn't good...I wish I knew and trusted someone who could take Ivory and give him a better home, without the fear of never seeing him again and him being eaten. Even if they say they won't ever eat him, people will always lie about it until they get what they want and it's considered "their property"...and they can always change their minds later on down the road. Sad but true. I just wish I could have him back here without it being illegal 
