Chicken Troubles!

CajuninKy · Joined: 24 May 2006 Posts: 554 Location: Kentucky

For not having any more birds than I do, I sure seem to have my share of trouble with them. I had BJ, my red bantam roo, in the house for a couple of weeks after having to doctor him. The other roo in the pen, Trey, decided he was old enough to be the cock of the walk and put a pretty good whipping on BJ who is smaller. BJ has been well enough to move out but I didn't have an empty pen for him. I have 2 pens here at the house that I keep my game hens in. One has a roo in with her but she hasn't started laying yet. The hen in the pen by herself started laying about a week ago but her eggs are infertile because she lacks the company of a roo. So I figured I'd take care of both my problems by simply putting the lone hen in with the other two and move BJ into the empty pen. I'm going to bring a bantam hen from the barn to keep with him. Yesterday when I went to feed and check on them the resident hen was tearing the second hen to bits. She had pulled out all the neck feathers and ripped the skin badly. I had to bodily get them apart and bring the injured hen into the house. So I again have a chicken in the living room. At least she doesn't start crowing at 5 in the morning. LOL I doctored her up and she seems to be content. I put antibiotic in her water and she is making a cooing sound much like a pigeon so I'm taking that as a good sign. The only good thing that has come from all this is that she is much calmer now. When she was in the pen she was very nervous and flighty. Just standing next to her pen would send her into nervous pacing and trying to get away. Now she welcomes pets on her back as we go between the living room and kitchen.

This situation puts me in mind of Christians in the world. She was a "different" entity into an established situation. As Christians we are different from the world. God has called us to be a peculiar people. "In the world" but not "of the world". She was treated badly because of her difference. How many times are we mistreated because we don't partake of the attitudes and values of the world in general? When we stand up for our beliefs we are ridiculed and ostracized. In other countries Christians are being killed for standing up for God. Though we are mistreated we are never forsaken by the Father. He rescues us from the world, doctors our wounds with the balm of His Holy Spirit and we are able to continue to fight the good fight.

If you are weary from the battle, if you are weakening from the wounds, look to God for your help. He will never leave us defenseless. We will battle on until we reach Heaven but we never fight alone. Accept God's strength to help you every day and you will finish the race victoriously.

CajuninKy · Joined: 24 May 2006 Posts: 554 Location: Kentucky

Today was a nice day so I put the hen out by the other chickens and tied her to the fence. She enjoyed the green grass and the fresh air. She is doing well. I will have to get a new pen for her.

I brought one of the little bantam hens home from the barn to put with BJ. When I went back to check on them a couple hours later, she had laid an egg!