chookatoo

This little one moved into our chook pen yesterday. I was surprised to see her still there this morning so gave her some seed and kept her company for a while. I though she must be very old and had visions of creating a dignified last days/weeks by feeding her and leaving her to hang with the hens.

I rang the RSPCA wildlife unit this morning for advice and was sadly told she probably has a debilitating illness called beak and feather disease. So tonight I will need to catch her and take her to the RSPCA to be euthanised. I am not looking forward to it and before I do this I wanted to share a small life.

Post script.. the chookatoo went off to the vet that very afternoon where they confirmed it was indeed beak and feather disease. She put up a bit of a fight but was treated well and euthanised straight away. The disease is apparently species specific and can't affect the chooks ( phew). My neighbour over the back told me how upset the chooks were with her company and how she thought with all the carry-on one might have an egg stuck! It is a shame - I loved the idea of a resident cockatoo and it is a pretty awful disease to catch. bye chookatoo

Eggs

My lovely 2nd -hand chooks have become productive. I take back all the talk of stews and marvel at their cleverness.

isn't it wonderful?

I, myself, am not nearly so clever. I am knitting a beanie for a friend and last night frogged it for the second time. I was trying to knit in the round and change colours often and it was just becoming a mess. I haven't knitted in the round in a long time and was planning to make some socks soon - so I hope it comes together.

Now the beanie is going to be on straight needles and seamed so I can get onto the next project.