Auntie Apples- the end of the house chicken era
The little crippled chick was feeling much better today. She started the day with some demanding chirps, so I tucked her in with HW, which always makes chicks happy. After a cozy nap, she got restless and I put her back in her box. I desperately needed more sleep. We had a big driving day and it’s not good waking up feeling nauseously sleep deprived.
But she wasn’t having the box. Cheep! Cheep! CHEEP! CHEEP! CHEEPCHEEPCHEEPCHEEPCHEEPCHEEP! Chicks are loud. Arrgh. I shuffled downstairs, wrapped her in my t-shirt, and tried to go back to sleep with her tucked in against me. But she was over resting, and feeling rather active. I rested yesterday! Wriggling, squirming, clambering, and tiny little talons were interrupting my sleep.
Frustrated, I took her back down, and set her in the front of Apples’ box. Maybe Apples can chicksit. Ok, I’m glad you’re feeling so much better, but I really need you to shut up! Apples flinched away, staring sideon, like a fencer en gard. What is that!? The chick turned its head, and Apples leapt out the back of her box squawking, like a lady jumping on a chair because of a mouse. She climbed onto my hand and I lowered her down to her newspaper, eye level with the chick in her box. (Are you scared of that little chick?) I left them staring at each other and returned to passing out for a couple more hours.
When I woke up, both of them were hanging out in the mud room on the mat, cleaning their feathers together. They had been roaming all over the house together, the way Apples almost never does on her own. She was obviously showing off, now she had someone to show things too. Here’s where I clean my beak on the mat. This is the boot tray, it’s nicely sheltered under this shelf. There might be crumbs under the cutting board. It was adorable for about a minute. Poop everywhere.
The chick seems like a slightly rude or presumptuous unexpected guest, making itself at home in her box, demanding to be snuggled, but they seemed immediately attached. She can’t get around very far or fast, and Apples doesn’t, so they are perfectly matched.
The chick is hopping around on one leg, holding up the broken one, but seems to have no shortage of energy nor to be in pain anymore. When the one leg gets tired it flops down and has an active rest- feather cleaning, or eating, if resting near the bowl. Her leg is blue and I want to unwrap to check it for circulation but think it’s more important to be immobilized long enough to knit- leave the cast on.
I walled them up in the traditional box/newspaper area, but it was clear, they were explorers now, and a tea towel would pose little barrier.
Movin’ out!
I set them up in a chickery outside on the short clover.
Right next to Cream Puff the Fierce, for role modeling.
The end of an era. No more house chicken box
This is going to solve everything. The injured chick has a support staff, and Apples has a companion, and they will transition to outdoor community life together. Apples should start laying eggs soon or go broody, but for now, she’s an adopted Auntie!
How I found them at bedtime. Happy chick.