Happiness is..............
Mario and Company!!!
This double photo is hanging in my hallway and each time I go up to my room where Mario and Company are being temporarily housed, I remember the many things I am happy for but right now near the top of my list is the survival of Mario and Company!!
Mario after 24 hours off antibiotics and on KD Powder (ladygouldianfinch.com) in the water. Today, I am adding liquid calcium as besides acidifying the crop and killing organisms it also aids calcium absorption.
The other male has a great hollow roll which he likes to sing and sing.... Outside of loose feathers, he never had any symptoms of the illness.
This hen never showed any signs of the illness. Originally she was placed on top of the stack of three by the window. When she did not like the show cage, she was moved to her own private tray.
This grizzled cap hen had full gasping symptoms and now she is symptom free and showing signs of coming into breeding condition.
This hen is laying eggs occasionally but she was the sickest survivor having gasping, loss of appetite, and threatening eye problems.
During treatment with antibiotics the birds diet was restricted to seeds, antibiotic treated water, soft white bread, oat groats, my homemade dry nestling mix and some soft food. No greens or apple. As part of the party, I picked them this lovely seeding chickweed and later I will serve a slice of golden delicious apple for snack.
My joy just keeps expanding!!!!
Top two photos Happiness is .... are by Los Angeles artist Joe Hoynik.
2 comments:
Linda,
Where do you get the fresh chickweed? I am not familiar with this green.
Can I get buy dried seeds to start my own?
My birds have been enjoying fresh kale.Very reasonably priced.
Love the roses my favorite color. In WI we are just getting the crocus blooms and the start of daffodil and tulip growth.
Dandilions will soon be on the birdie buffet.
Evon,
Chickweed is everywhere here as long as the area has not been treated with chemicals. It is low growing and spreads to up to about a foot from a single root. Click on the photo and take a look in an untreated yard or even wooded area.
Last year the neighbor across the street had a yard full of weeds. With a couple of bags in hand I ask if they would mind if I picked the chickweed to feed my birds. Evidently, there was some misunderstanding as in a few days a yard company came and sprayed the area. I will not pick there again even though I have not seen any spraying this year.
The Wichita Botanical Gardens has a wooded area. After inquiring about whether or not it had ever been sprayed, I ask and got permission to weed the area of chickweed. They thought I was quite odd!!
Do you have the purple weed henbit? chickweed it is often found with henbit. As soon as the weather gets hot it dies only to return with cooler weather.
Chickweed is a fantastic conditioner. The birds love the seeding heads but often leave the small leaves as it wilts fairly quickly.
I have seen seeds for chickweed on the internet but I would guess you probably have it in unsprayed areas.
I have never let my family spray or chemically treat our yard so most of the chickweed I pick is from our yard.
Post a Comment