Happy New Year

As the weather forecast predicted yesterday on New Year’s Eve afternoon, we awoke this morning to the Midwest’s first big snow and ice storm of the year. Winter is coming, and I am not talking about Game of Thrones here. For some reason it seems fitting, doesn’t it, that 2020, the year of COVID-19, would have such a dramatic exit. So, enter 2021. Hello, first day of the New Year! I hope you bring the promise of hope and healing to the World, and the quicker the better for everyone’s sake.

When last I touched base with you, I was discussing the dilemma of our sweet Ameraucana chick, Betsy, and her challenges with having a sour and pendulous crop. We did manage to make some progress with getting her to put on some weight and reducing the size of her crop while she was in the “chick hospital” in our garage. This was encouraging, but I had had her away from the rest of the flock for two and a half weeks and was getting anxious to get her back in the coop, and back to a normal chicken life, as soon as possible. I began by putting her in a dog carrier close to the coop so that all the chicks could see each other. The pecking order can be a cruel and arduous process to navigate, and because Betsy had been away from the flock for some time, I knew that it would be a difficult reintroduction for her. You can tell, by the posturing in this video, that the feathers were about to fly!

The other girls, particularly Brit, the big Speckled Hen, and Goldie, the little Golden Campine, were not happy about Betsy’s pending return, despite having spent every day of their lives together. Of course, I try not to apply human attributes to them, but I forget that sometimes, especially when I am talking to them (yes, other chicken keepers will understand this!). I really wish that they had been kinder to Betsy after her convalescence, but that was not to be. To help Betsy establish her place in the flock, I decided to take these two big schoolyard bullies out of the coop so she would only have the three, less aggressive hens to contend with instead of all five at once. Here are Goldie and Brit behind bars. They got a little bit of their own medicine when I finally put them back in the coop after a couple of days away from the flock. What a couple of jailbirds these two!

Sadly though, after all of this, I see that Betsy’s sour crop is slowly returning. I know that crop issues can be extremely difficult to remedy, and I have tried everything I can think of, including some unconventional methods, to get her well again. I am resolved, however, in not taking her out of the coop again. The pecking order bullying was probably more stressful to her than her actual illness. I will know in about a week if my last remedy option is working. It is difficult when you raise any animal by hand to see them decline in health and I have had Betsy, and her sisters, since they were day-old chicks. I remain hopeful that she will rally and go on to live a good egg-laying chicken life, but a little more time will tell. Here she is the day I got her, and again as a five-month-old pullet. Isn’t she beautiful, my little Betsy Boo?

I noticed today that the chicks are settling back into a somewhat normal routine, although with still some bickering amongst them. They have had a lot of “together time” lately with the colder weather, and now today with the snow. Even though they are all wearing "down jackets" I think a little peace has ensued as they all huddle together inside the coop to stay that little bit extra snug and warm. Here is the Hen Den this morning a couple of hours after the storm began.

As I write this, the snow is still falling and I am grateful that John and I were able to take care of our other outdoor critters, the bees, last week when we had the last mid-50-degree day that we will most likely see for a long time. We were able to get the wraps on the hives and put their winter entrance reducers on. We hope that this gives them a little extra protection against the cold and the elements, and that the Queen bee and her court will make it through Winter and be ready to start the honey-making process all over again this Spring.

Of course, the only critter that loves all this cold, white stuff falling from the sky is our Labrador pup, Islay. What a great day she has had playing in the snow. It took her all of about 10 seconds to fall asleep afterward. At least her Winter is off to a good start.

As we head into 2021, we wish you all our warmest regards, and a very happy and healthy New Year.

Cheers,

K.