Since the time change and "Falling" back an hour, I have been getting up early...5:00 to 5:30am early. Sometimes I put on a pot of coffee and clean or organize something...today I write. I got up and my dog Kensie wanted outside...I took Kensie and Bailee out and Bailee stayed on the porch by the back door and Kensie ran out in the yard to do her business. I looked up at the stars and said a little prayer, the sky is clear, the air is cool and I can see the Big Dipper right outside of my back porch in the sky above my head.
We received almost three inches of rain yesterday, I am thankful that my poultry is doing well. With all the mud and getting wet, I have only had one loss of a mixed breed rooster...not sure why, but I found him on the ground in a coop and he was so still and cold I thought he was dead already, but his eyes opened. He didn't live long after that though he was very cold and already stiff when I found him. Normally I try a multitude of things to help a chicken I found like this. He is probably the third one in three years that has done this. When they get to this point they are too far gone to save. I have prolonged their agony before but once they can't stand up, and basically have rigor setting in...I am not going to try and nurse them back to health anymore. He was only about six months old, I think he was a Gold Laced Polish and Black Sex-link cross...he was always kind of weird looking and stayed off by himself. I saw a lot of bruising on his skin when I inspected him, there are a lot of roosters in that pen with him, he may have gotten beat up...but I didn't see any cuts on him though. Roosters can be rather mean to the weakest amongst them.
I performed a Bumblefoot surgery of sorts yesterday. A Black Sex-linked hen has been on my porch for the past few weeks, I sprayed her feet and legs with Scarlex Scarlet Oil a few times a day. The infection on a chicken like this is a staph infection caused by an abrasion or cut on the foot, a cheesy material forms and must come out to heal totally. A sore formed between the toes on her left foot and part of the infection protruded out, a week ago I removed some of it. I kept spraying the oil and yesterday noticed a large scab protruding out and got all the supplies together to remove the rest. I picked at it with tweezers and pressed the bottom of her foot, I could see it rise up through the area I removed the scabbed part. I had her wrapped in a towel, had my nitrile gloves on and switched to forceps...I had her wrapped fairly tight because I didn't have her tight enough and she was able to flap her wings...made a mess on my kitchen floor...she is molting and feathers flew all over the place. I wrapped her tight and laid her on her back, she calmed down and I braced her with my forearm while I pressed up on the bottom of her foot, and the core of cheesy material started protruding enough to grab it with the forceps. It took about four tries, the first few times pieces broke off. I had to press up a bit harder and my chicken was struggling a little, but I finely got a good hold of the plug...and wiggled and pulled on it with the forceps until it finely came out. I sprayed more scarlet oil on her feet and put her back in the cage on the back porch...I found myself saying another prayer that I was able to do the surgery.
I am thankful, every day...I thank God to give me the strength and the wisdom to get through another day here on the farm. I am fortunate that I get to see the sunrise every day, and thankful every morning to wake up. There was a time when I was afraid that I wouldn't wake up. I still have a lot of pain some days, but pain tends to keep me more active...if I keep busy, and not just sit in my recliner watching TV or on the computer I feel better. The sunshine and fresh air help, as does moving...whether it be, feeding the chickens, gardening, or building...it doesn't really matter. I rest more often these days, but I work hard too. Stepping outside and seeing so many stars makes me smile. I chose this way of life and I enjoy it. Some days I may cuss my poultry...for some reason, whether it be getting flogged in the face by a turkeys flapping wings, or getting bit by a rooster I snatch up to separate...in that moment I may hurt, I may be bruised, I may even have a cut...but I am alive and well and thankful that at the ripe old age of fifty-six...I can pick up a thirty pound turkey or chase and capture an overly aggressive rooster, or a goose that is limping...and build things to house them.
I found a place I was able to get free pallets, I am working on another chicken coop made primarily of those pallets...well, I was until it rained anyway.
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