I want to share our miracle. I know to most people, this wont be a big deal, but to us it is. This week God showed Himself not only mighty, but loving and compassionate to our family. He answered a prayer in a very real way. I know--all prayers are answered in real ways. This one, though, was a miracle. Even if it was just for Audrey, it was a miracle. I dont think it was *just* for Audrey, though. I think it was mostly for me. Almost a month ago, I had the opportunity to buy a silkie chicken. I needed another chicken like I needed a hole in the head, but I somehow convinced myself and Eric that our flock would be complete if I just had a little silky hen. That was a total lie, and we both knew it. Chickens are like potato chips. You always need just one more. Bless his heart, though, Eric always pretends to believe me. We drove to Belle Plain and met a lady who needed to thin her flock. (She must not know the chicken/potato chip rule.) Somehow we left there with 2 prize hens. I bought the little black silkie, and we named her Esther. I bought another little hen just because she was friendly. I named her Farrah. As we were leaving, the lady told me that since these girls had been with a rooster, their eggs could be fertilized for a few days. I dont mind admitting that we were pretty excited about that prospect. It sounded like a fun adventure, and we are always up for fun adventures. It is no secret that my hens dont actually lay eggs. Theyre either old and retired, or they are too young. I have one chicken, a white leghorn named Amelia, who lays about four eggs a week. Thats it. We added Esther and Farrah to the flock, taking our grand total to 17 hens. Within the first week, the two new girls gave us 3 eggs, then promptly stopped laying. Apparently word gets around that the Cackleberry Patch is a resort. There is no need to bother with laying eggs. Just enjoy the home grown mealworms, the daily snacks, and the hugs. Its all good. I think theyve heard Eric say, Chickens are for pets. Braums is for eggs. One of my senior chickens is Beulah. Shes a fat little blonde cochin banty hen. Shes as sweet as the day is long, and she always lets me hold her. She hasnt laid an egg in years, and someone who actually raises chickens for eggs gave her to me free because she was no longer useful. I knew when I got her that she was retired, but I didnt mind. Shes a sweet old hen, and Erics favorite. Every few months, Beulah goes broody. She will sit in the nesting box, and she wont budge except to occasionally come out for food and water. This spring we bought her some fertilized eggs to sit on, and she raised a nice little family of chicks. Shes a great Mommy. For the past few months shes been sitting on 3 golf balls. Shes mighty protective of her golf balls, and she loves them fiercely. She wasnt happy when I took her golf balls away, but she settled in nicely when I put the 3 possibly fertilized eggs beneath her. She tucked them all in, and sat there contentedly for the next three weeks. This weekend, Audrey came running in from outside, hollering excitedly. She said one of Beulahs eggs was hatching!! We all ran outside to see. Sure enough, one of the eggs was hatching! Out came the cutest little yellow chick, complete with the telltale crown of a silky. Around her little feet were feathers, indicating she was part cochin. Naturally we were all smitten with her. Audrey wanted to bring her inside, but I told her no. The baby should stay with Beulah. Beulah was her mommy, and she loved her. We talked about how Esther was her birthmom, but Beulah was her adopted mom. I love that illustration. By Sunday evening, Beulah knew that only one chick would hatch, and she left the nesting box, and started teaching the baby chick the tricks of the chicken trade; how to follow close, how to scratch in the dirt, how to be a great little chicken. Audrey named her Scarlett. Monday afternoon I went out to check on the chickens while Sam and Audrey were doing school work. When I walked into the coop, I knew immediately that something was wrong. Beulah was with the other chickens, but she had no baby with her. Ive seen Beulah with her babies. She doesnt go off and leave them. Something was wrong. My heart sank. I looked around, and after a couple of minutes I saw a little fluff of yellow partially buried in the dirt. I knew immediately that our little Scarlett was dead. I reached down and picked up her limp and lifeless body. I held her in my hand, and she laid there, completely still for a few seconds, and then she twitched. I knew it was muscle spasms. She wasnt stiff yet, but she was dead. I sighed, dreading having to tell Audrey. I figured Id go ahead and feed the chickens, and then put the baby chicken in the trash can on my way in. And then she stretched. I studied her closer, and saw that she gave a little gasp for breath. So she wasnt dead yet, but she was dying. I wished shed have already been dead. I think its easier to find a chicken dead, than to have to watch a chicken die. I didnt want to let her die alone, but neither did I want her to die in my hand. I felt so helpless. I was going to just lay her down and let her die, but something in me couldnt just leave her. What if Audrey came out and found her? No, I couldnt do that. I decided that as long as she was alive, Id comfort her. At least she wouldnt die alone. I prayed and asked the Lord to let the end come soon. She just kept breathing, and I just kept holding her, not knowing what to do with her. I went to the water bowl and put my finger in the water and let a drop fall into her beak. She drank it! She still couldnt hold her head up, and she was still as limp as a dish rag, but she drank the water. I gave her 2 more drops, and then I decided if she was going to have that much fight in her, then Id fight with her. I changed my prayer to, Dear Lord, please let her live. Please show my kids that You can heal a baby chicken. I walked in the house and brought Audrey up to speed. I told her the chicken was going to die, but we were going to love her until she did. I wish Id have had faith to back up my prayer, but the truth is, I KNEW she was going to die. Funny, though, Audrey never did believe Scarlett would die. She had faith that I didnt. I did keep praying, but I still knew in my heart that she was too far gone to live. I got a box, and put a washcloth in the bottom of it. Im no vet, and I dont know a lot about saving chickens, but I figured Id put my oils to the test. I told Audrey we were going to see if oils worked on chickens. I got the lavender, since I know its a safe oil and not too strong, and I put some on the bottom of her feet. Then I took her limp body and laid her against my heart, skin to feathers. I thought it would be good if she could hear my heartbeat, and I also thought the skin to feather contact would help warm her up. After about 15 minutes, she was still alive. She still wasnt moving, but she was still breathing. Audrey asked if she could hold Scarlett. I said yes. Audrey got her library book, tucked Scarlett inside her shirt like I had done, and laid on the couch. I took to the internet and started reading about oils and chickens. One blog I read said that there was a reason God said to give the Christ child Frankincense. The blog said it was good for man and beast. I didnt know how a baby chick would fare under the influence of Frankincense, but I figured it couldnt hurt to try. What did we have to lose? I put two drops of Frankincense in the oil diffuser and set it over by the couch. Audrey kept snuggling the baby chicken and reading her book. I kid you not, in less than 15 minutes, after breathing the Frankincense, Scarlett was standing up and cheeping!! Even Sam was excited, and Sam could care less about chickens!! I told the kids, The Bible says that God cares about the sparrows. He cares about baby chickens, too!! I made a concoction of sugar water, and we gave it to her from a dropper. She drank and continued to stand. Audrey held her the rest of the day. Monday night, we put her in the shoebox, and Audrey cried. She said she wanted to sleep with Scarlett. I held firm and told her no. If she rolled over on Scarlett in the night, Scarlett would die. The shoebox was best. Tuesday morning, Eric went in to check on Scarlett. He told me his heart sank when he didnt hear her cheeping. He peeked in the box, and she was alive!! Somehow one little baby chicken had become special to all of us. All day Tuesday Audrey held her chicken. We tried to get her to eat, but she wouldnt. I finally put water in her food and got it mushy, and gave it to her on the dropper. She ate!! This was great news!! Audrey went to Nonnans for the evening. She took Scarlett with her. The entire family rejoiced when Scarlett pooped. It was one more milestone for a chicken who had been, for all practical purposes, dead just a day ago. Tuesday night, someone knocked on our bedroom door at 1am. Eric said, Come in. Audrey walked in, and she was crying. My heart broke. I knew before she said anything, what she was going to say. Scarlett had died. Me: Whats wrong, Sissy? Audrey: Scarlett and I have bonded, and I need to sleep with her! I cannot put into words how relieved I was. Scarlett was still with us. I explained again why it was a bad idea to sleep with Scarlett. What if a cat got her? What if Audrey rolled over on her? We compromised. Audrey could sleep with Scarlett, as long as Scarlett stayed in the shoe box. It is Wednesday, and Scarlett has truly bonded to Audrey. She cheeps and cries if Audrey isnt HOLDING her. When Audrey tries to put her in the shoebox, she refuses to step off Audreys hand. When Audrey puts her hand into the shoebox to get her, Scarlett runs to Audreys hand and climbs right on. Audrey is on her third shirt today. She cradles Scarlett to her heart while she does school work, and when Scarlett poos, Audrey changes shirts. If Audrey needs both hands, she puts Scarlett in the shoebox right beside her. She is never out of sight. She came to me while ago and said, Who saved Scarlett? I said, I did. She said, Ya, I told my friends you helped. I didnt wanna take ALL the glory. LOL I had to chuckle to myself. I may have brought a half dead chick into the house, but it was love and faith that pulled her through, and that was the part Audrey gave. Audrey gave her heart. You know, I prayed and asked the Lord to show His power to my daughter by saving Scarlett, but my daughter isnt the one who doubted. That was me. God DID show Audrey His power, but Audrey already KNEW His power. I had hoped that Audreys faith would be strengthened, but it was my faith that received the boost. The Bible says wed see wonderful things if we just had the faith of a mustard seed. Now I dont know how much faith is contained in a mustard seed, but I sure learned a lot about faith from one little girl and her baby chicken.
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 19:45:03 +0000