ticketism
Songster
Hi all! I want to show off some pics of our lovely Orpington family, and chuck in a happy story about one of our boys who was quite sick as a young lad.
His whole saga started quite some time ago, when that little runt of a White Orpington cockerel was about 3 months old... It was quite the journey, and no one thought he would even live. Well, I spent many sleepless nights holding him, squirting vitamins down his throat, cooking him special meals, making him neck braces, and generally stressing myself silly over that goofy little charmer. Well, it's months later now, and my girlfriend and I have long since given him to another family who have loved and cared for him, and he's nearly all grown up! I recently got an update photo of how he's doing now, because unfortunately it's a little hard for us to go visit him! The safe home we found for him was about a 7 hour round drive, because we just refused to give up on him, haha. Call me crazy, but I don't regret a second of it to see him doing so well now. Thought people here might appreciate the photo and how it feels, because everyone else keeps telling me 'So what? It's just a chicken' haha. 'Just a chicken' indeed
We all know what it's like!
So here's Orpy wearing his snazzy toilet roll neck brace at around 3/3.5 months old:
And here's Orpy these days! At about 11-12 months old:
What a handsome lad!
For those interested in the full story, and the entire photo progression including treatment and diet regimen, here's the link to my original thread from when he first took ill.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1066012/twisted-upside-down-head-and-chest-pecking#post_17041497
Anyone else have success stories to share of their chickens with wry neck or other illnesses? I love a good happy ending, and I'd love to see what other people have done to help their feather puppies, haha. Also, any photos of your Orpingtons - Share away!
Here's Orpy's younger sister, Little Star, keeping a clutch of eggs safe the very first time she went broody (about 6.5 months old):
She was so stubbornly broody, we couldn't break it, and she'd just sit there on nothing at all, aggressively defending her imaginary babies. So we decided to let her hatch some, and she proved herself a dedicated and devoted natural mother.
Little Star's babies after all her hard work (10 points if you can guess the breed, haha):
And their other sister - Chai the wonder chicken! This little legend laid her first egg at spot-on 18 weeks, then did it nearly every single day since. Never a soft shell or other abnormality (bar one double yolker about two weeks in) right up until this Winter when she went into her first hard moult and is currently off the lay:
And not a blood relative, but part of our giant fluffy-butted Orpington family nonetheless - This is Harmony, the buff Orpington. She came to us at about 6 weeks old, and is such a little sweetheart:
BONUS! Chicken cuddle time!
Who else loves Orpingtons? =D
His whole saga started quite some time ago, when that little runt of a White Orpington cockerel was about 3 months old... It was quite the journey, and no one thought he would even live. Well, I spent many sleepless nights holding him, squirting vitamins down his throat, cooking him special meals, making him neck braces, and generally stressing myself silly over that goofy little charmer. Well, it's months later now, and my girlfriend and I have long since given him to another family who have loved and cared for him, and he's nearly all grown up! I recently got an update photo of how he's doing now, because unfortunately it's a little hard for us to go visit him! The safe home we found for him was about a 7 hour round drive, because we just refused to give up on him, haha. Call me crazy, but I don't regret a second of it to see him doing so well now. Thought people here might appreciate the photo and how it feels, because everyone else keeps telling me 'So what? It's just a chicken' haha. 'Just a chicken' indeed
So here's Orpy wearing his snazzy toilet roll neck brace at around 3/3.5 months old:
And here's Orpy these days! At about 11-12 months old:
What a handsome lad!
For those interested in the full story, and the entire photo progression including treatment and diet regimen, here's the link to my original thread from when he first took ill.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1066012/twisted-upside-down-head-and-chest-pecking#post_17041497
Anyone else have success stories to share of their chickens with wry neck or other illnesses? I love a good happy ending, and I'd love to see what other people have done to help their feather puppies, haha. Also, any photos of your Orpingtons - Share away!
Here's Orpy's younger sister, Little Star, keeping a clutch of eggs safe the very first time she went broody (about 6.5 months old):
She was so stubbornly broody, we couldn't break it, and she'd just sit there on nothing at all, aggressively defending her imaginary babies. So we decided to let her hatch some, and she proved herself a dedicated and devoted natural mother.
Little Star's babies after all her hard work (10 points if you can guess the breed, haha):
And their other sister - Chai the wonder chicken! This little legend laid her first egg at spot-on 18 weeks, then did it nearly every single day since. Never a soft shell or other abnormality (bar one double yolker about two weeks in) right up until this Winter when she went into her first hard moult and is currently off the lay:
And not a blood relative, but part of our giant fluffy-butted Orpington family nonetheless - This is Harmony, the buff Orpington. She came to us at about 6 weeks old, and is such a little sweetheart:
BONUS! Chicken cuddle time!
Who else loves Orpingtons? =D
