Unfortunately there are those around who even if the message has been passed they know the situation won't change and it's a little harder to convince them they should still alter their behaviour, particularly if they feel what they are warning their family about is dangerous :o( I feel for them because they put an awful lot of stress on themselves trying to pass these warnings on...
On a more personal note tried to rescue another couple of sick chooks a week ago but they only lasted 1 day max, but died peacefully in their sleep without being pecked to death so I'm OK with that. Unfortunately I lost one of my girls too a couple of days later. She was into her moult and had been "off" for weeks and not eating much, but she had just given up and got too weak and died unharassed too and had lots of cuddles before she went (probably hated that but couldn't really complain LOL)
Have 4 more here today as one of the other sheds "goes" next Saturday. Two are girls I would have removed from the shed anyway as they'd have been dead by tomorrow the way the others were ripping into them, both skin and bone, but both still have a spark in the eye so hopefully will pull through. A bigger girl who has no tail and was just terrified of any other chook (all the "no tails" are picked on something chronic!) She was so terrified of being hurt she tried to take a chunk out of me after I nabbed her and then tried to escaped the box every time it was opened! Silly chook, still she was straight into the free range thing when we got home and happy to be ignored for the most part by my girls.
Lastly is Angel who made herself known to me yesterday and was just identifiable enough that I thought I should be OK trying to find her again today. Got the eggs done, got the 3 other girls sorted and went back into the shed for a quick look to see if I could find her. Within 4 steps into the shed there she was spotted and she turned to the feeder and started eating (permission for me to grab her without her stressing about it) and no room in the box so she was carried home.
She is a big healthy girl, lots of meat on her so she's done well at the farm, but is gentle enough (not a bully) and gentle with me and when put down in with my girls it was like she'd never been anywhere else. Just getting dark now so I'll zip out and make sure they're all in bed somewhere :o) (there weren't all sorted but are now, Angel has found her way straight to the nesting boxes and the other 3 are huddled in the same place as a photo I took a couple of hours earlier will show.
Mac is getting ready to be ridden again, touch wood, no pain issues for a while now, no trying to avoid being touched, and he is now watching me intently every time I ride Smokey, so a lesson booked for him just over a week away and Smokey's first dressage next weekend, can't wait, I am just soooooooo proud of the wee dude! Here he is at our lesson with Saskia a couple of days ago, just about to breakthrough with his canter work and then it'll be full steam ahead!
It was a hard lesson for both of us, both absolutely SOAKED with sweat (it was a hot day!) and he sure thought he deserved Saskia's lunch she was about to start!
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