In all truth Darwin NEVER should have lived long enough for me to have ended up with me. I got him at 8 weeks old and he was chewed t0 bits at 3 days old. His mother is a totally neurotic hen. The breeder usually pulls the eggs right before they are due to hatch and incubates them for the last few days... But due to some personal BS she forgot and they hatched out in the nest and the hen proceeded to mutilate them... Darwin was the middle chick... one got it worse and one was not nearly as bad.
well, she was going to putdown the clutch of three and her friend begged her not to and said she'd take them all.. and the flippen breeder SOLD them to her for 500! Sad huh?? She actually took $ for the chicks! Sick if you ask me!!!
I had a Grey years prior that I had hand fed and had for years that we lost to congenital heart failure. And Brian and I decided that it was time to start looking, 6 years later, for another Grey. So I posted a wanted ad. This gal wrote me and asked what I thought about handicapped birds??? Now I had to admit I was totally curious... So I wrote back and asked tons of questions... And my heart sank when she told me about the story.. she had planned to keep them all. but as they grew, she realized what she had gotten herself into! And was overwhelmed! So she was going to keep the worst off and place the other two.. So I agreed to check them out. Well, she only brought Darwin.. We met in the Home depot Parking lot half way between her house and mine... over an hours drive for us both. And I took one look at his injuries and thought... This chick should have been put down! And Brian scooped him up and began rocking him like a baby... he did this for the next 40 minutes while we talked... and Darwin slept the whole time... I finally turned to Brian, who had caught most of the conversation, and said what do you think honey? He just looked at me and said... he's sleeping... I cant disturb him... I guess I can't put him down... And that was it! The gal was only asking for half of what she was out... 250 and I gladly paid her and took the wounded baby home...
Darwin has cost me Thousands in Medical bills!!! I could by a BRAND NEW CAR! with what we have spent at the Avian Specialist Vet. We were lucky enough to have one three blocks from out home in Northern California. Not a single one here in Southern Cali! We had to drive 3 hours to the nearest one 6 months ago! ugh!
But... I must say... Darwin is over 2 years old now and he gets along just fine... He has suffered a spiral fracture, broke that leg into 3 pieces, and has had so many issues with the his skin on his legs... its not meant for weight bearing! But he is a trooper and so full of life! He doesnt know he's different! He's just amazing! And when I think back to that Naked little Chick I brought home with the missing feet.. it just humbles me to think that I felt sorry for him... How ignorant was I??
__________________ Kathryn, Pixie  and Chynna  |