My chicken diary... One chick's journey

[Amiti]

Well, I honestly believed Nixi was going to die. For four nights her gurgling and coughing was so bad I was just waiting for it to happen. Yesterday she seemed a little better. Today, I havent heard any gurgling or coughing. I think she is going to survive this!

 

[Amiti]

Nixi is doing better and better! She is growing new skin! Most of the wound has new skin. Maybe an inch square left to get new skin...

I thought her vocal cords were damaged because she quit talking to me, but it started coming back as a raspy, windy sound like someone with laryngitis(?sp). Now she almost sounds like a normal bird.

 

[Amiti]

Another cool note....

I have a small pen i keep Nixi in during the day, but i bring her inside at night in a small pet taxi. She is crate trained! She goes in it without help and gets mad at me if i dont get her when she is ready. She goes in, fluffs up her bed n goes to sleep. She will even avoid pooping until i put her out in the morning!

 

[Amiti]

Ok everybody..... I finally have half a minute to play on my phone, so i thought id add to my diary... Lol

Im currently remodeling my house so between taking care of my 2 dogs and 10 chickens, im always busy.

 

[Amiti]

Nixi continues to improve. She hasnt really grown at all that i can tell since her attack. But my guess is that it's kind of expected. I know breaking a limb as a child can stunt a humans growth.

She talks a lot more now. I watch her constantly. I have her outside cage just a few feet from my front door and I have been leaving the doors open so my big dog, Pele, can come and go as she needs. (She loves her new job of protecting the flock from everything.)

Anyway, Nixi is a game bird. I wasnt told a breed or anything. I got her because the man said his birds were broody and I wanted to broody raise chicks. I mention this because I've been watching her a lot. This is of course my first time really raising chicks. My original birds were nearing a year old when i got them. But I'm kind of worried about her. She seems like a nervous bird. Always was, but more so now. Sometimes she will run back and forth in front of the door where i take her in and out. I hade to put a blanket around 3/4 of the pen to keep her from spazzing all the time. Im not sure if its being alone (cuz she calms when any body - incl dogs n chickens is around) or if its the confinement because game birds kike more space and she only stills out of fear(?) after being attacked.....

I would love any thoughts on the matter....

 

[Amiti]

Its been 3 weeks n days since Selene died, so I thought it would be ok to start mixing my flock together once Nixi is healed. Getting ahead of myself.... Update on newest members.... The babies are how i usually refer to the group.

 

[Amiti]

The four new babies were put on fermented feed when i got them. They are easter egger/barnyard mix. I got them for several reasons.... They were cheap, they were adorable, and my heart was broke when Selene died.

Anyway, they were only like 4-5 weeks old when i got them and noticably smaller than Nixi but it was already obvious they are going to be larger birds than Nixi. Well, the two larger ones are probably as big as Nixi now, although they still act like chicks where Nixi makes more grown up sounding noises. If you know what I saying, congrats. Im having trouble finding the perfect way to say it. Lol.

 

[Amiti]

Also.... Im pretty sure i forgot to mention the new babies have names. I hadn't named them for silly reasons and one day, Bella (a 5 year old that visits me when her stepmom is visiting my neighbor) came and asked what their names were. When i said they didn't have names, She asked if she could name them. She is too sweet and cute to say no. So here are their names:

 

[Amiti]

Golden/red and black : Ona
Largest orange (spotted looking): Elsa
Most orange: Fly (cuz she flies, lol)
Whitest: Athena

I think she got the first two from a movie (never saw it). The last one is one i would have picked but totally didn't.

 

[Amiti]

I really am coming to a point....

Nixi will be healed soon. Most of her skin seems to have grown back (its amazing). I want to reintegrate her into my flock. But my flock is currently 2 flocks and Im having trouble deciding which flock.... My first thought is to put her with the babies. She is like twice as old but similar in size.... There are four of them. Idk. Any ideas?