Today was quite a day!
This morning, I was working in my vegetable garden when my mom came over and told me that she had found a chick in the grass near a clump of ferns. She said that she had searched the area, and that she couldn't find its nest. She walked me into the garage, where she had put some wood shavings in an old rubbermaid bin and clipped a heat lamp to the side. Inside, lying on an old rag was a feeble chick, peeping weakly. We came to the conclusion that a cat must have got him, and that he was unlikely to survive. But our assumption proved untrue, because the little guy kept hanging on, and he actually gained enough strength to wobble around his enclosure and peck at the shavings. At this point, I offered him some food and water. He accepted the food and took a few bites. I then lightly dipped his beak in the water, and he got the idea. Over the next few hours, the little guy gained quite a bit of strength. He wasn't so wobbly, and he was eating and drinking more on his own. I decided to name him Dusty Miller, after the plant. I think that he was the product of one of our hens, whom lately, I see only about twice a day. I have been searching for her nest, but to no avail. Mama has hidden her babies well.
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| Dusty Miller the chick. Is he adorable or what? |
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| This is what the real dusty miller looks like. |
Dusty is doing quite well now, and I really think that he's going to make it. :)
