My blue Ameraucana, Fiona Apple II (Fiona Apple I didn't make it :/ maybe a cursed name?), has quickly become a favorite amongst my family and friends who are familiar with her lore. I believe she was the "bonus" chick in one of my orders last spring, and she was by far the boldest of the bunch:
In hindsight, I can see her crop was quite pronounced even as a chick.
She seemed to be growing normally alongside her sisters (pictured above in their awkward phase during their first outdoor adventure)
Shortly after she and her sisters moved out to the coop, I noticed Fiona's crop was rock hard. I suspected an impacted crop and, thanks to my lurking on Backyard Chickens, I did the requisite coconut oil/massage/Monistat to no avail. So off we went to the nearest specialty vet (45 minute drive). She promptly expelled the largest poop I've ever seen in the reception area, prompting an all-hands on deck clean up effort by me and two of the receptionists. Here she is riding shotgun and posing with her ancestors. Unfortunately, the vet was unable to flush her crop as planned because it was full of... ROCKS! Turns out Fiona had helped herself to quite a bit of shale. Clocking in at a vet bill of $1300, Fiona is by far my most expensive chicken.
After much mental preparation, I expelled Fiona's crop on my own and was absolutely unprepared for the amount of crap that was stuck inside of her! Easily a quarter cup of rock in that crop. I can't imagine how uncomfortably that was for her! This being my first chicken emergency, I was nervous about leaving Fiona alone in the chicken infirmary (my bathroom) so she came along to my design studio most days.
At this point, her crop had become pendulous and wasn't emptying properly. I made some early crop bra prototypes using some old socks. And also made sure she was extra cozy and had lots of cuddles.
Eventually she made it outside for some sun and grass. And of course, more cuddles.
She assimilated back into the flock, although she was now at the bottom of the pecking order. Here she is grooming one of the ducks. She'd also make the occasional trip indoors for crop-clearing.
In December I went back to California to visit my family, and while I was away I had a friend care for the birds. When I came back, I was absolutely heartbroken to find Fiona with swollen sinuses, lethargic, and limping. It turns out she had frostbite
Back to the infirmary for care and scrambled eggs. After lots of epsom salt soaks, the toes on her right foot fell off.
We worked on some physical therapy for a few days, and once the weather warmed up a bit, I moved her back outside to spend some time in see-see-no-touch jail.
To my utter shock, she laid her first egg on her second day outside! I was so proud of my sweet girl!
There were so many points (and still more to come, I'm sure) where I really doubted whether or not Fiona would make it. Lots of internal turmoil debating whether or not to humanely cull her. To be honest, it's something that crosses my mind everyday. I'm sure it's a rite of passage for every new chicken owner. I know that day might come, but for the time-being, Fiona seems to maintain a zest for life. This little bird has taught me so much about perseverance!
In hindsight, I can see her crop was quite pronounced even as a chick.
She seemed to be growing normally alongside her sisters (pictured above in their awkward phase during their first outdoor adventure)
Shortly after she and her sisters moved out to the coop, I noticed Fiona's crop was rock hard. I suspected an impacted crop and, thanks to my lurking on Backyard Chickens, I did the requisite coconut oil/massage/Monistat to no avail. So off we went to the nearest specialty vet (45 minute drive). She promptly expelled the largest poop I've ever seen in the reception area, prompting an all-hands on deck clean up effort by me and two of the receptionists. Here she is riding shotgun and posing with her ancestors. Unfortunately, the vet was unable to flush her crop as planned because it was full of... ROCKS! Turns out Fiona had helped herself to quite a bit of shale. Clocking in at a vet bill of $1300, Fiona is by far my most expensive chicken.
After much mental preparation, I expelled Fiona's crop on my own and was absolutely unprepared for the amount of crap that was stuck inside of her! Easily a quarter cup of rock in that crop. I can't imagine how uncomfortably that was for her! This being my first chicken emergency, I was nervous about leaving Fiona alone in the chicken infirmary (my bathroom) so she came along to my design studio most days.
At this point, her crop had become pendulous and wasn't emptying properly. I made some early crop bra prototypes using some old socks. And also made sure she was extra cozy and had lots of cuddles.
Eventually she made it outside for some sun and grass. And of course, more cuddles.
She assimilated back into the flock, although she was now at the bottom of the pecking order. Here she is grooming one of the ducks. She'd also make the occasional trip indoors for crop-clearing.
In December I went back to California to visit my family, and while I was away I had a friend care for the birds. When I came back, I was absolutely heartbroken to find Fiona with swollen sinuses, lethargic, and limping. It turns out she had frostbite
Back to the infirmary for care and scrambled eggs. After lots of epsom salt soaks, the toes on her right foot fell off. We worked on some physical therapy for a few days, and once the weather warmed up a bit, I moved her back outside to spend some time in see-see-no-touch jail.
To my utter shock, she laid her first egg on her second day outside! I was so proud of my sweet girl!
There were so many points (and still more to come, I'm sure) where I really doubted whether or not Fiona would make it. Lots of internal turmoil debating whether or not to humanely cull her. To be honest, it's something that crosses my mind everyday. I'm sure it's a rite of passage for every new chicken owner. I know that day might come, but for the time-being, Fiona seems to maintain a zest for life. This little bird has taught me so much about perseverance!
