Wally's Journal - A Rescue Hen

[HomesteaderWife]

@Sulky Bantam - Wally put herself to bed pretty well tonight! I was going to read her “fan mail” and tell her you were her fan but the poor service wouldn’t load. I promised I’d “read fan mail” to her in the morning. Gotta get the news in first thing! LOL

 

[BarredRockMom]

She's very happy to be in such a good home, I'm sure! I always read the news of her progress & adventures with great happiness.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

I’ve read Wally her happy “fan mail” (thread posts) this morning and she was very excited about it, then actually vocal and trying to tell everyone she found a cricket. She’s for the most part extremely quiet until bed time, when she clucks a little, to put it into perspective. Tater the duck began to flap his wings and run around in circles, and Wally happy hopped around with her wings out as he did so. They’re feeling spunky before the rain comes in!

 

[HomesteaderWife]

It’s official- Wally has her first ornament! Not the best but I tried

 

[BarredRockMom]

Awww, good job!!

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Thank you @BarredRockMom I appreciate that!

(I had a smaller, more fine tip brush at one point that would have made that alot cleaner/nicer but I think a gopher rat drug it off in the shop )

 

[HomesteaderWife]

December 31st, 2020: (Almost) Happy New Year - New Year, New Flock Goals

A quick update to say that since the evening of Christmas, clicker training has paid off, and Wally is a peach to put up in the evenings in the coop. She watches me put the neighboring hens to bed, and she's already running back and forth into the house making little squalling sounds at me. I turn my focus to her and Tater - he's always first to bed, and she runs after him excitedly. They each get a small piece of green and time to go to the perch for her. I've forgotten their snacks once, but each settled for a quick belly rub contentedly.

(When I say "put up" - I mean, it isn't dark yet and they're still walking around the pen....once it hits dark, she'll be in bed already, but the training focused on asking her to get into the coop at any point).

Hard to believe she's been here for only a few months when it feels like she's always been here.

 

[Mogul Moonshine]

She is lucky you got her

 

[BarredRockMom]

Talk about a smart girl! She is very happy with her new life... understandably so!

While this is Wally's Journal & Wally's Journey, don't forget to have special, quality bonding time with your other flockettes. Speaking from experience, it can be hard to spread the love when a new superstar arrives on the scene. But they were there first & they definitely "remember spending time with Mom before SHE arrived." Though I completely understand because, well, it's Wally & there's no one else like her!

Everyone likes to feel special & be important and I believe that applies to chickens, too!

 

[HomesteaderWife]

@BarredRockMom - I definitely do enjoy time with my other gals (the "Bad Girls Club" lovingly referred to) and my ducky boy. My littlest hen named Chicken Hawk was my first clicker trained animal, and she's spoiled rotten. I often pick her up and give her love since she's a crazy girl, but hand raised and always a needy little lady.
The two other big rescues Piper and Prue lost their sister a year or so back, but Piper thinks Hawk is her baby and they are always hanging out together. Piper is extremely talkative, and we have chats with one another. Prue has always been very reserved, but gotten sweeter over time. I can't pick her up like the others, but she follows me around and pecks at me until I turn around and talk to her. Piper and Prue are celebrating their 2 year rescue-versary today actually.
Only Hawk is sociable like Wally. They all get their playtime and enjoy daily treats- I will admit, Wally took up a bit more time in the beginning as I socialized her and had her quarantined, but now everyone gets equal attention (including snacks!)
Mr. Ducky isn't a fan of being held as an adult like he was as a youngster, but he likes to have "conversations" while you're outside working or walking. "What?" *quack* "What?" *quack* "Oh, is that so?" *quack*

Pics- #1 Chicken Hawk , #2 Prue, #3 Piper