Critters that just need a little extra help
My mother always said I have a knack for finding animals that need extra care. I don't really go out looking for them but they always seem to find me. And since I believe everything deserves a chance at life. I make a home for them here at the farm. Just a small animal rescue and sanctuary. Were we give them all they can eat and as much love as they can stand.
One of my first hurt critters I brought home was a blind duckling. I was at a local commercial store that sells chicks and ducks in the spring and summer. I always like walking through and loving on them which is what I was doing when I came to the cage that housed about 20 or more day old ducklings. There was one that was being trampled on and peeping very loudly. I picked him up and found that his eyes where matted shut and knew that if he stayed there he'd probably die. So I bought him with a friend and took them home. The first thing my mother and sister asked me is if I paid full price for an ill duck. I nodded my head guiltily and told them if I didn't take him then who would have. I tried washing the gunk off his eyes to see if that would fix his problem but it didn't. I'm not sure how to describe the look of his eye balls you could just tell he was never going to be able to use them. But I decided to try and help him survive. At first he would only drink when I dipped his beak in the water and wouldn't eat at all. Eventually he started to learn from the sounds his brother made to tell him where the food was and how to get to the water. He never opened his eyes unless you opened them to look at them. He never gained anyway of seeing. He lived like this and thrived for two months before he passed away suddenly one morning. I'm guessing that maybe he had something more wrong with him but take peace in the thought that I gave him the best life I could for the time he was with us.
Below are some of the others that have come into my care and their stories
One of my first hurt critters I brought home was a blind duckling. I was at a local commercial store that sells chicks and ducks in the spring and summer. I always like walking through and loving on them which is what I was doing when I came to the cage that housed about 20 or more day old ducklings. There was one that was being trampled on and peeping very loudly. I picked him up and found that his eyes where matted shut and knew that if he stayed there he'd probably die. So I bought him with a friend and took them home. The first thing my mother and sister asked me is if I paid full price for an ill duck. I nodded my head guiltily and told them if I didn't take him then who would have. I tried washing the gunk off his eyes to see if that would fix his problem but it didn't. I'm not sure how to describe the look of his eye balls you could just tell he was never going to be able to use them. But I decided to try and help him survive. At first he would only drink when I dipped his beak in the water and wouldn't eat at all. Eventually he started to learn from the sounds his brother made to tell him where the food was and how to get to the water. He never opened his eyes unless you opened them to look at them. He never gained anyway of seeing. He lived like this and thrived for two months before he passed away suddenly one morning. I'm guessing that maybe he had something more wrong with him but take peace in the thought that I gave him the best life I could for the time he was with us.
Below are some of the others that have come into my care and their stories
Edee
Malificent
12 little bunnies in need
These little dolls came into my possession with the help of a close friend to the family, who shares the same love for animals as we do. Our friend notified us that our local pound had rescued these rabbits from a house where the owners had just left them behind when they moved. The pound was needing them to find new homes immediately or they were going to be put to sleep. I couldn't let that happened and even though I wasn't quit equipped for so many rabbits I rearranged some things to make room for them. I had to give them the chance to live. Some of the stories surrounding these poor helpless creatures is appalling to me. A little boy was said to have kicked them across the yard like footballs and bash them against trees. One of them has her ear partially ripped off the cause of this injury is unknown. 13 rabbits where originally rescued but one of them died. It is surprising how tame they are and rather sweet even after what they've been through. These bunnies are now living the good life on our property and a few of them found homes with other loving family's. All of the females run free in our 150ft by 140ft chicken field and come back up to their cages to rest in the shade or to get a quick drink. They can now live life like real rabbits. Dig holes in the dirt, munch of fresh food or rest under a shady tree. We're hoping to soon get another area set up so that the boys can also enjoy the cage free life.
Charmeuse
This sweet little boy showed up one day and decided to stay. I found him in one of our trees May 15,2013 and he couldn't get back down because he had a hurt paw. Luckily his paw just seemed to be sprang and not broken. He is extremely loving and sweet. I really can't believe someone would dump such a sweet cat but here he is and here he stays.
Miracle:
This little hen was hatched out on our property by a little bantam in the fall of 2012.My only guess is that the hen realized that she was a bigger breed of chick and attacked and threw her out of the nest. To protect her other littler chicks.
When I found her, her head was swollen and bloody, she was stone cold and not moving. I picked her up thinking she was dead but, on my way to dispose of her body she made the tiniest of a peep. I rushed her into the house and threw her under extremely hot water to shock her body back awake. Surprisingly to me she came too and after several hours under a heat lamp started moving around like a normal chick. Later the swelling went down in her head and she only suffered flesh damage from her attack. After spending half the winter inside with me she finally was introduced to the rest of the flock and now lives happily outside with only a few small bald scars on the top of her head to show for her trauma.
When I found her, her head was swollen and bloody, she was stone cold and not moving. I picked her up thinking she was dead but, on my way to dispose of her body she made the tiniest of a peep. I rushed her into the house and threw her under extremely hot water to shock her body back awake. Surprisingly to me she came too and after several hours under a heat lamp started moving around like a normal chick. Later the swelling went down in her head and she only suffered flesh damage from her attack. After spending half the winter inside with me she finally was introduced to the rest of the flock and now lives happily outside with only a few small bald scars on the top of her head to show for her trauma.
Crooger
This little fella has had a tuff life.
He suffered a brain injury fighting other Roosters and then on top of that suffered from frost bite on one of his feet. He walks in circles a lot tilts his head to the side and lost the use of his injured foot. Why do I keep him around you might ask. Because what he's already been through hasn't killed him yet and he's a fighter that wants to live. So I'll give him that chance where most people won't.
He suffered a brain injury fighting other Roosters and then on top of that suffered from frost bite on one of his feet. He walks in circles a lot tilts his head to the side and lost the use of his injured foot. Why do I keep him around you might ask. Because what he's already been through hasn't killed him yet and he's a fighter that wants to live. So I'll give him that chance where most people won't.
Dali da Vinci
This sweet little kitty was dumped right before my eyes. As I was going down my gravel road I came upon a truck that was a few feet before my driveway traveling rather slowly at first but when they noticed me behind them they sped up real fast and a tiny black fur ball was flung out their window. I stopped and after searching my field couldn't find where the poor thing had gone too. A few hours later one of my dogs started barking at something under an old truck we have. When I went to investigate I found a little black kitten that was only a month or two old. I brought her into the house and found that she was almost skin and bones while her back end was covered in feces and maggots. I cleaned her up, got lots of food into her belly and she's lived with us ever since. I wish that people would never resort to this behavior and treatment of animals but I am glad that Dali is apart of my life.