Great Chicken Trauma
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Of Fish Roosters and LifeIn Banty the Rooster’s story of healing I shared my perspective that all life is precious and to be respected, including chickens. Livingness itself is a total wonder, something beyond our powers to understand, much less create. Many people think…
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Earthfire’s Mission in Action by Pat HagerPat Hager used his experience at Earthfire retreat as a stepping stone for volunteering in his area, helping preserve wildlife corridors. A participant at the Connecting with Wildlife Heart to Heart retreat he wrote:
My son Patrick & I attended the June retreat. …
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The Challenge of Meditating with WolvesSometimes when people call us in the morning they comment we seem rushed. This is our current early morning schedule, which starts about 7 am – we are at the moment a two-wolf two-dog cabin.
Every winter Wamaka the wolf loses the…
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It is a sad fact that chickens can be very cruel to chickens and when you are kind enough to keep all the male chickens, as you are, then without careful husbandry, trouble ensues. I am SO glad to see your loving care for Striders Brother, a kind and beautiful rooster indeed. And a brave and tenacious one too! I cried for his loss and I cried for your caring. Thank-you for sharing this beautiful story. XXX
Comment by Ynez — August 13, 2010 @ 10:15 am
What a great story of Striders Brother’s resilience and of Earthfire’s commitment to life. It just doesn’t get any better than this. Thank you, both, for inspiration.
Comment by Connie Glavin — September 25, 2010 @ 8:03 am
It must be something they said– I have seen brother roosters or spouses have a sudden falling out like that, and someone gets hurt! Then, they sometimes patch it up (or go their separate ways. I have seen spouses split up and never speak to each other again.)
I have about 300 free-range roosters on five acres so I know they CAN get along, mostly. (I only have about 150 hens in contrast to most people’s farms. That’s because I run a chicken rescue and everyone wants me to “just take the rooster, you can leave the hens.”)
People always ask me “How long can a chicken live?” and I was surprised you say “23 years.” Where did you learn this? I have heard stories of 20-22 years, but would only vouch for about 14-17, (about like a dog or cat.) My original rooster died in excellent feather at the age of ten, with his spurs on, defending his wife against a pack of marauding “dumped” dogs.
I know vets disdain chickens, so I have become my own vet. My latest showcase animal is “Frankie,” short for “Frankenstein,” who had to be extensively sewed up after a mauling by dogs. I also have “Buddy,” my paralyzed cockerel, in this room with me. I think he has the bird equivalent of ALS. I cut holes in dollar-store handbags and suspend him in a wire dog cage like a toddler in a swing-seat. This is the best device I have found for paralysis victims, FYI. Another tip: try to keep them in audio contact with their loved ones; they hate isolation.
You do great work and I hope to visit some day. I would love to get to know the foxes. (Thanks to my game camera I know we have some here but they are very discreet and I need to keep it that way.) I find that if you share your eggs with the wildlife, most critters will only prey upon your sick or injured chickens.
Comment by Katha Sheehan — December 17, 2010 @ 7:03 am