Loyal Brahma Sisters

[speckledhen]

Tonight, we let the main flock wander in on their own since it was so warm. When I went to lock the pop door, of course, my little sight-impaired and very spoiled Ameraucana, Tiny, had to get a personal lift into the coop. After putting her inside and locking the pop door, I noticed that my Lt. Brahma, Miranda, was underneath the coop, highly unusual occurrence at roost time. As I squatted down to coax her to me, I saw that her "sister", Caroline, my Buff Brahma was crammed into a small semi-protected spot, sitting on the ground. Miranda refused to leave her.

I called DH, who took a length of pvc pipe and shooed Miranda out, and Caroline stood up and limped toward us. Upon palpating the leg, we realized that her left hock joint was very tender. Could be that Isaac was too rough mating her or caught her in a weird position and hyperextended that joint. Caroline had set herself to spend the night underneath the coop and Miranda fully intended to stay alongside her sister. I did notice earlier that Caroline was limping a bit and that Miranda was hanging very close to her all day.

I've seen second-in-command hens preside over the deaths of the head hen on more than one occasion. It's always very touching to see how they do care for one another and I'm very glad that I have been able to witness their fondness or duty toward each other, though it's usually a very sad occasion. I'm not sure what actually happened to Caroline, but she and Miranda are spending the night in the broody pen where no rooster will bother either of them. Seems that it may be time for those two to go into the Old Hens' Coop since they are over four years old now. In that coop, they won't be bothered by a big, heavy, amorous rooster (though I plan for my D'Uccle, Beau, to live there) I hope Caroline's hock gets better. Last hock injury we had was Zane and most of you know how that turned out. I can't care for another crippled bird.

Here are Caroline and Miranda:

 

[gritsar]

Pretty girls, sweet story.

 

[un-named]

what happened to Zane? Is Zane still alive? How did you care for the bird?

 

[speckledhen]

Zane, my BR rooster, is still with me, yes. He's three and a half years old now but has been crippled since he was about five months old. One leg is in a permanent bent position with no use of his toes at all. He has his own cage and has to have lots of care, for example, dusting him because he cannot dust bathe, keeping his spurs short so he doesn't hurt himself, trimming his toenails and beak because he can't wear them down himself, watching him when he's outside because he can't run from danger, etc. I bring him his girlfriend, my black Ameraucana, Gypsy, to visit occasionally. There are some threads on Zane and how he was injured.

Here is Zane:

Here is Zane supervising the new coop build:

 

[un-named]

Quote:
I so admire you for doing that. I have 2 crippled call ducks. One has one bent leg and hobbles around on his good leg; the little hen has two contracted legs and walks on her 'elbows'. they too are heavy care but I love it. I have to help Mini fly and cannot leave them outside unattended. I keep them in a cage in the bedroom.
I won't go on vacation unless they can go along and there is a lake nearby to let them swim in.
Kudos to us for giving the disabled birds a good life!

 

[speckledhen]

I adore Zane. He watches the skies, crows when he feels good, flirts with Gypsy and seems to still enjoy life, but it does take effort on our part. He's super affectionate and even likes to watch out for broodies with chicks in sunny weather--all the broodies seem to trust him with their babies. Zane gets around on his good leg using his wings as crutches. I will care for him till he's gone, but I cannot take on another permanently crippled bird.

 

[un-named]

Zane is beautiful!

 

[speckledhen]

Thanks! His sire was my very first rooster, Hawkeye, and his mother, Lexie, is still with me, though she is 5 years old now, has arthritis in her feet and hasn't laid an egg in a year. Zane is very special to us.

 

[NonnasBabies]

That's a sweet story and Zane is one big handsome guy!!

 

[un-named]

Quote:
are you the gal that had a very long thread as we all watched a beautiful hen get sick and couldn't pull through this time? Was Lexie her sister and would not leave the sick hen's side?
that was a sad thread!!!!!!!