*growing like weeds

The gardens had their soil turned weeks ago and the areas that weren't immediately worked soon were full of lush green weeds. With each passing week it became thicker, fuller and filled with weeds that grew like crazy. Speaking of growing like weeds, the chicks that were born in January have changed so much over the past few weeks. Even the little turkeys are growing by leaps and bounds!

This post is all about Queen, who we have since named Spaz. My dh decided to give this adorable chick a name that would work for a hen or a rooster. We are still not sure what the sex of this one will be. One thing we do know is, she has captured our hearts!

 Spaz is a polish ornamental chicken, who are not normally known for their amiable personality but this little one runs up to the feet that enter the run and she waits to be picked up. I normally pick her up every time I walk through the area.  She likes to perch on your hand and then she settles in for a stay.  She also likes to sit on my shoulders balancing while I walk around.   I have her up under my wing protecting her, loving her and watching over her as much as I am able.  You see, this breed has several things going against them.  The polish ornamental have a top hat (feathers) which tend to hang over in their eyes which as you can imagine blocks their vision. Often they will be confused acting, they might get themselves into bad situations because they are not able to pay attention to overhead predators,  and because of their plight of feathers they may become the focus of bully chickens who will pick at their top hats.   She is my newest pet, who adopted me.  I was not really looking for a pet chicken, but I am thrilled nonetheless.

I wrote this post earlier this week and posted it for today's delivery.. since writing this post, my sweet little Spaz has developed "wry neck", it is a condition that Polish Chickens as well as Silkie's get due to a cranial injury or even lack of proper nutrition. I am so sad that she has this. One of the Silkie's in our group had it and was nursed back to health, now I am nursing her/him. Each morning she gets a little drop of Poly-visol vitamins and a Vit E gel capsule (broken open of course) and then again in the evening. She is living in a small basket inside the house for now.  She is pittiful. Her head is completely upside down, turned and twisted in a painful looking position.    If you pray for animals.. please pray for Spaz.