It’s been busy, busy, busy over the last month and a half!  Lots of garden and flower bed prep, planting, watering, and even some harvesting (our strawberries are ready!).  We’re watching flowers bloom all over the property, it’s simply glorious!  And we’ve also been figuring out the chicken-keeping gig on the job.  It’s truly been a wonderful experience, but I’ll say that our girls are far more effort and time than I had anticipated.  I suppose everything good in life is pretty much like that though?  This little lady, especially, gave me quite the initiation into chicken mama-hood.

Ever heard of a prolapsed vent?  Yeah, me neither.  And if you are in any way grossed out by anything ever, I highly suggest not googling “prolapsed vent” images either.  Because you’ll be extra grossed out.  You’ve been warned.

Suffice it to say, I had to learn quickly what it was and how to heal it.  Nothing like jumping in and learning #countryliving as you go!  I didn’t know if I’d be able to save sweet Glory, but I was sure willing to try.  After consulting books, google, and incredible chicken mama friends, I put together a prescription for healing a prolapsed vent: sterile gloves, lots of preparation H, honey (yes, honey), and pushing all of the “prolapse” back into the chicken.  Over and over again.  Oh and isolation in a dark room most of the day for several days.  Poor girl.

Our basement bathroom transformed into our chicken healing room, and Glory girl was put on a strict regiment of darkness, water, and yogurt, along with regular preparation H and honey applications.  Angel was a tremendous helper through the whole process.  She’s quite the chicken whisperer!

I was positive after the first day that Glory wasn’t going to make it because the prolapse kept falling right back out after I pushed it in.  I knew death was part of owning livestock, but we had only been chicken keeping for a couple weeks!  I didn’t want to lose one of our girls so early!  But wouldn’t you know, when I checked on her the second morning, everything was back in place as it should be!  It stayed like that and now has been healed for over a month!

I was so relieved that she made it, especially because Angel and I grew quite fond of her over the several days she was in isolation.  We became very emotionally invested and had no intention of giving up on her!  During that time, she received her new, longer-than-a-nickname nickname, Glory Honey Buns.  I giggle every time I say it, but the name is simply perfect for our girl after all the honey I slathered on her bum.  She’s become my favorite hen and is probably our best layer, giving us an egg almost daily.  Sweet, sweet Glory Honey Buns!

Reintroducing her to the flock was another experience, but she was eventually integrated back and has been doing fabulously ever since.