So Far Today - Sept 02, 2006

[TAWhatley]

http://www.rims.net/2006Sep02

Well, it's looking like it will be a fairly busy Labor Day weekend
as far as incoming birds .. got in three new ones today and another
pigeon with a broken leg expected in the morning. Who knows what
else tomorrow will bring ..

I got to the duck pond park today and immediately spotted the dreaded
large box left on top of a trash can .. sure enough .. there's poop in the
box, and I knew somebody dumped something. Out of the corner of my
eye I saw what looked like a fuzzy, black chicken .. sure enough it =was=
a fuzzy black chicken. A fellow who spends most of his days reading in
the park was good enough to help me catch her (I think it's a her). Looks
like a black Silkie to me .. very pretty and quite friendly. The guy in the
park told me he saw a woman dump the chicken there this morning.
Arghhhh!

Terry

[mr squeaks]

OH NO! That's awful! Is the chicken OK?

I had never seen a Silkie (at least I THINK it was a Silkie) until I visited our Small Bird Rescue & Retirement place where Cindy got Malio. Apparently, the chicken was older and it's owner had died.

I was so taken with that chicken that I would have brought it home if it had been possible. Just couldn't get the chicken out of my mind! I went back to visit and the chicken had died (old age?).

That was the neatest chicken I had ever seen! It was dark in color too and, from what I was told, house trained(??? litter box??).

[TerriB]

What a neat lady, to go in the water to rescue the young pigeon from the gull's harassment! Good to know of one more kind-hearted individual.

I was intrigued by the photos of the Silkie hen and looked them up online - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silkie_(chicken). "...their feathers lacking functioning barbicels; essentially, all their feathers are very much like down...Silkies have short legs, poor mobility, and cannot fly..." Whoever dropped her off had to know she couldn't fly, so she had no chance to survive on her own. >:< Bad human!!!!

Other trivia I found interesting:
- both their skin and bones are black
- they have five toes (most chickens only have four)
- few people eat Silkies due to their black skin and purple flesh!

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by mr squeaks

OH NO! That's awful! Is the chicken OK?

Yes, the chicken is fine. It seemed to be perfectly happy foraging in the grass in the park. Unfortunately, it would have gotten picked off by a coyote, raccoon, or someone's dog if left there.

It is pretty friendly and quite a good looking (in its own way) chicken

Terry

[mr squeaks]

Got so involved reading your post, Terry, I forgot to look at the pictures! And yes, the chicken I saw was similar.

I think I was so intriqued because I like "furry" things and this chicken looked like it had fur rather than feathers...no tail per se. the back end reminded me of a Corgi (dog breed).

Sure hope the hen will do OK. Are you going to keep it or find a home?

[TAWhatley]

Thanks for the link and info, Terri! Very interesting. I knew some of it as I had a lovely little white bantam Silkie rooster years ago .. he was darling! Shi, I will have to find the Silkie and Big and Little Chick homes. I'm hoping Mike & Sue in Norco will take all three of them.

Terry

[Trees Gray]

Hi Terry,

What an unusual looking chicken. I can't imagine what would happen if you didn't make your rounds at the duck pond park.

Is the pigeon hurt or anything? I'm so glad he was rescued.

There should be a sign or something in every park stating, or maybe there is:

WARNING: dumping any animal or bird is an offense which will be prosecuted according to the law.

DO YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT CRUELTY YOU ARE IMPOSING ON THE CREATURE YOU ARE DUMPING HERE If you leave that creature here, it will die, a painful death rom cat or dog, and/or eaten by local racoons. Would you really want that for this poor creature?

OR...you should have a designated safe area for "dumping" where you can easily make your rounds. Terrible to have to make it easy, but it would be easier for all concerned, especially the victim.

sorry to go on and on...couldn't help it

[Maggie-NC]

Terry, great pictures. Love the "frames" - just gorgeous photos.

My friend, the rehabber who trained us, is a sucker for silkies. She goes to the state fair and feels sorry for them and brings at least two home with her each year. She has both black and white ones and they are truly gorgeous birds. A bunny stays with them in their aviary and is very content.

[TAWhatley]

Thanks Treesa and Maggie. Treesa, there are numerous signs in the park stating that it is illegal to abandon birds and animals there. The signs also provide the phone #'s for Orange County Animal Care Services and the Saddleback Valley Humane Society and tell people to contact them for assistance in placing birds or animals. These two groups refer any such calls to me (and there have only been a couple in all the years the signs have been up .. sadly, people either don't read and comprehend or just don't give a s**t).

And .. ummmm .. the silkie "hen" is a rooster Proof positive starting at around 4:30 AM this morning and continuing up until about 9:30 AM .. bet the neighbors were thrilled.

The seafaring pigeon has no wounds and seems no worse for the wear of getting tossed around by a gull. It is a darling youngster.

Terry

[maryjane]

Great rescues and great pics....as usual! You're sure kept pretty busy, Terry. Silkies are cool chickens, except when they're roosters! Noisy little buggers. Doing rounds at the park, you never know what you'll find. I picked up a friend at a local park a few years back and he had a seagull under one arm. I said, "I can't help but notice the seagull under your arm." Of course it was on its way to my house by then, which was his intention all along. Two little girls had it cornered and were beating it with a stick. So my friend picked it up and saw his wing was broken. I splinted that and kicked the turtles out of their kiddie pool in the living room (sigh) and that began the recovery of Jonathan Livingston. Every morning he would hop upstairs when I got up so I would fill the bathtub for him....warm water preferred. Well there I go off on another story.....I'm glad your new birds found you.

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by maryjane

I said, "I can't help but notice the seagull under your arm." Of course it was on its way to my house by then, which was his intention all along.

ROFL .. I'm glad you and your friend were able to save the gull from the kids.

Terry

[Trees Gray]

Hi Terry,

Thanks for the taking the time to explain, I bet they don't take the time to read, or care, or understand.

[maryjane]

Originally Posted by TAWhatley

ROFL .. I'm glad you and your friend were able to save the gull from the kids.

Terry

I meant to write also that he healed up just fine and was able to be released back into the park. I was just glad that I wasn't the one who found those girls hitting him.....their little heads would have been knocked together and then I would have probably been dealing with a nice policeman.

[Garye]

Ohhhhh how I hate gulls! Had one last week that went after the pigeons. I scared it away 3 times before it would finally stop picking at them and fly away. It kept trying to grab one with its beak and I'd make a loud noise which scared it to release the pigeon. They are a pain.

They now are a little nervous when they see me around and back off a little, but every once in a while, one of them will try again.

Winter is coming soon, so I know I will see more of them. I'll have to put some food for them waaaaaay away from the pigeons to keep them occupied.

Lovely woman who dropped off the chicken, eh? She should know better. I'm glad you were able to get it to safety.

[maryjane]

Originally Posted by Garye

Ohhhhh how I hate gulls! Had one last week that went after the pigeons. I scared it away 3 times before it would finally stop picking at them and fly away. It kept trying to grab one with its beak and I'd make a loud noise which scared it to release the pigeon. They are a pain.

It is unfortunate that gulls and pigeons (and other birds) have to compete for food, and often unfortunate for the pigeons that the gulls are bigger and go about getting their food pretty roughly. As many people think pigeons are awful birds, diseased, etc....., seagulls have a bad rep as well and are in truth (much like pigeons) very intelligent, friendly, and beautiful birds.