Jan 2017: Love Conquers All – Even in Cold Weather

This is Aaden Olivier our Black Cooper Maran Rooster. He is kind, patient, and very courageous.

It’s January 2017 and we’ve had 3 solid weeks of the coldest weather on record in many years, including a monster storm last week dubbed a ‘cyclone bomb’ by many weather outlets. I’ve been keeping the birds in their houses over the past few days, since I’ve had 1 case of hypothermia and 1 case of combined hypothermia and frostbite for the first time ever. Priscilla the Guinea hen recovered from the hypothermia rather quickly. But Aaden, the rooster, had hypothermia and a bad case of frostbite on his large wattles and comb, which exposed a lot of skin to the frigid cold.

All the coops are good sized, so the birds have been content to stay in for a few days, with frequent water changes and vegetables, fruits, grain and a little organic cracked corn before bedtime to help throw heat.I check on the birds several times a day, moving from house to house, making sure water dishes aren’t frozen and everyone has enough to eat. I talk to each group and explain what’s going on with the weather and how dangerous it is outside and that they’ll be out when we have a little thaw. They stare at me and seem to understand. No one agitates to come outside.Tommy got a new heated doggie bed with a sheep skin cover, which he’s been sticking to like glue. He has his tail backed up to the heat lamp above, warming his rump in the process. I give him the weather report and tell him everything will be okay. He looks satisfied. I close his cottage door. Aaden is in the hospital crate in the heated garage. He’s having a lot of trouble snapping out of the heaviness he is feeling from the hypothermia.  I finally put one of his favorite hens in with him. He perks up when he sees her and says something to her in ‘chicken’. My husband points out that when you’re in the hospital, you’re happy to see your doctor or nurse, but you really want to see a family member. The hen complains for about 2 hours. I think her mantra goes something like this, “Are you kidding me? You’re going to stick me here in the hospital with him? I was planning on going to Florida for the winter!” But then she quiets down. The room service gets to her. Vitamin & electrolyte water (changed twice a day) and plenty of grain, fresh fruit and vegetable treats & a heated puppy pad to sleep on.  “I hope she’s accepted her duty,” my husband says. By the next day, Aaden perks up and begins crowing. He stands straighter and taller and takes to acting like a little man again. My husband texts his sister to give her the news that he’s getting better.

“Isn’t love wonderful?,” he gushes.